Me and orson welles is a perioddrama film directed by richard linklater and starring zac efron, christian mckay and claire danes. It ended up sitting on the shelf for more than a year before it was finally given a pisspoor release in november 2009. Me and orson welles is a 2008 britishamerican period drama film directed by richard linklater and starring zac efron, christian mckay, and claire danes. Recordings of almost 4 hours of a series of interviews conducted by directorauthor bogdanovich with welles between the years 1969 and 1972.
Me and orson welles has plenty to offer fans, be they of theatre, old movies, or high school musical. He was orphaned at 15 after his fathers death and became the ward of dr. Based on robert kaplows novel of the same name, the story, set in 1937 new york, tells of a teenager hired to perform in orson welles s groundbreaking stage adaptation of william shakespeares julius caesar. More interesting facts on me and orson welles include this on your siteblog.
With zac efron, claire danes, christian mckay, zoe kazan. I think too much is made of orson welles jumping out from behind a bush and yelling boo. If you can tick at least one of these boxes then youre in for a good time. When a highschooler lucks into a role in a broadway production of julius caesar, hes got a lot to. This is a movie of great spirit and considerable charm. Recordings of almost 4 hours of a series of interviews conducted by director author bogdanovich with welles between the years 1969 and. Richard is a student who blusters into the production on the eve of the. Me and orson welles casts off the musty air of a handsomely mounted, tastefully dull hbo tv movie only when mckay takes center stage, as when he shocks and delights his fellow cast members in a mediocre radio show by incongruously inserting a lyrical passage. His citizen kane and the magnificent ambersons are considered to be two of the greatest films ever made. It is based on a novel regarding the circumstances surrounding welles s 1937 production of william shakespeares julius caesar for the mercury theatre, and stars christian mckay, claire danes, and zac efron. Zac efron wins hearts and applause as richard, the me of this celebratory curtain call for when dreams and the theater. Claire danes costars as sonja jones, the unapologetically ambitious assistant to welles whom richard tries to woo. Much of the troupe would later appear in welles films at rko, particularly citizen kane and the magnificent ambersons. A schoolboy stumbles upon a major role in welless production of julius caesar in this sublime adaptation of robert kaplows book, says philip.
Not only was he an amazing director, but also an accomplished actor and in theater, film and radio. My main issue was the thrownin quotes from various plays that seemed to create a disjointedness when reading. The strength of me and orson welles is that it sticks to welless actual production and to the life of a new theatre company. Highschooler richard samuels lucks into a role in a daring broadway production of julius caesar. Based on robert kaplows novel of the same name, the story, set in 1937 new york, tells of a teenager hired to perform in orson welless groundbreaking stage adaptation of william shakespeares julius caesar. He was a master of makeup and disguise, and even when appearing in the first person, liked to use a little putty to build up a nose he considered a tad too snubbed. Based in real theatrical history, me and orson welles is a comedic comingofage story about a teenage actor who lucks into a role in julius caesar as its being reimagined by a brilliant, impetuous young director named orson welles at his newlyfounded mercury theater in nyc, 1937.
Coming in 2009, the major motion picture from the director of slacker the irresistible story of a stagestruck boy coming of age in the golden era of broadwaywith some very famous supporting characters me and orson welles is a romantic farce that reads like a whos who of the classic. Richard linklaters 2008 film me and orson welles is a romantic comedy set during the days before the opening of caesar at the mercury theatre. The downloads i examined were nothing more than scams or attempts to spread malware and viruses. Me and orson welles star to codirect with ben hecking. Coming in 2009, the major motion picture from the director of slacker the irresistible story of a stagestruck boy coming of age in the golden era of broadwaywith some very famous supporting characters me and orson welles is a romantic farce that reads like a whos who of the. Me and orson welles casts off the musty air of a handsomely mounted, tastefully dull hbo tv movie only when mckay takes center stage, as when he shocks and delights his fellow cast members in a mediocre radio show by incongruously inserting a lyrical passage from the magnificent ambersons into their hacky little drama. Dec 09, 2009 remember that orson welles himself didnt always look like orson welles. Heavy metal music enjoyed the pleasures of excess in the 1980s, an era when, if you believe certain biographers, writeractorauteur orson welles did the very same. Despite its jaunty pace and ratatat banter, it takes a while for me and orson welles to find its groove.
Based on robert kaplows novel of the same name, the story, set in 1937 new york, tells of a teenager hired to star in orson welles production of julius. His father was a welltodo inventor, his mother a beautiful concert pianist. Student richard samuels wins a minor role in the 1937 mercury theatre production of julius caesar, directed by a youthful orson welles. An incomplete education here is a man, a great director and a great man, whose obituary has yet to be written, for once and for all. His dreams are realised when he meets a youthful orson welles christian mckay and lucks a place in his legendary production of julius caesar. Orson welles great director profile senses of cinema. It has the generous performances we expect from linklaters films, but formally it is a conservative film, telling its story in a straightforward way. C entred around welless 1937 production of julius caesar at new yorks mercury theatre, which pared down shakespeares play to. Tweetemail tweetemail orson welles will probably forever be considered one, if not the best directors to ever live. Best known for his airing of war of the worlds, orson welles made numerous appearances on a variety of different shows during his magnificent radio career. Efron plays a teenage student who lucks his way into a minor role in the 1937 mercury theatre production of julius caesar, directed by 22yearold genius orson welles. Based on a historical novel by richard kaplow, it has the period details down pat, but it feels selfconsciously meticulous, unable to really enjoy. A teenager is cast in the mercury theatre production of julius caesar directed by a young orson welles in 1937.
Zac efron claire danes christian mckay 2009 after a chance meeting with the famed director, a highschool student. Listen to eight interviews of orson welles by filmmaker peter bogdanovich 19691972 watch the trial 1962, orson welles worst or best film, adapted from kafkas classic work. Over the course of a magical week, richard makes his broadway debut, finds romance, and experiences the dark side of genius after daring to cross the brilliant welles. Zac ephron, claire danes and newcomer christian mckay star in a ribald tale of a single week that changed theatre, film and american culture forever. Orson welles records two songs with the 1980s heavymetal. C entred around welles s 1937 production of julius caesar at new yorks mercury theatre, which pared down shakespeares play to 94 minutes and disposed of.
Dec 17, 2009 christian mckay stars as a young orson welles as he directs his 1937 mercury theatre production of julius caesar. Below is a list of orson welles films in total broken into films where orson welles served as director and as actor. No where else will you find so many people who made the transition from radio to film. American writerdirector richard linklater talks about me and orson welles, his new comedydrama based on the early career of legendary director. If richard linklaters films can be divided between those that come from mainstream hollywood and those that live a little over in the margins, im not sure where me and orson welles fits. Dec 07, 2015 orson welles showed glimmerings of genius from an early age, but at first his talent seemed to be for music. Orson welles was gifted in many arts magic, piano, painting as a child. Italian ciro giorgini and fuori orario documentary on welles and rome. Dec 18, 2009 tweetemail tweetemail orson welles will probably forever be considered one, if not the best directors to ever live. The story of a whirlwind week in 1937 nyc when a young aspiring actor zac efron is thrown into the middle of orson welles mercury theatre company on the eve of the opening of welles historic staging of shakespeares julius caesar. Me and orson welles is one of those books that starts off a bit strange but by the end i was really enjoying it. Me and orson welles a teenager is cast in a production of julius caesar directed by a young orson welles.
Finally completed after 40 years, welless hollywood satire won a 2018. Me and orson welles boasts a breakout performance by christian mckay and an infectious love of the backstage drama that overcomes its. And the first thing to learn is never upstage mercury theatres genius director, 22yearold orson welles. You can watch recordings anytime, anywhere with your cloud dvr. A teenager hired to star in orson welles production of julius caesar becomes attracted to a careerdriven production assistant. War of the worlds 1938 radio broadcast with orson welles. Richard is a student who blusters into the production on the eve of the opening night, changing his life dramatically in one whirlwind week. Zac efron claire danes christian mckay 2009 after a chance meeting with the famed director, a highschool student zac efron. In 1937, a teenager is cast in the mercury theatre production of julius. Me and orson welles is a 2009 american film directed by richard linklater about the life of a high school student, richard, who gets a part in orson welles production of julius caesar at the mercury theatre. While working on the production, he falls in love with sonja jones, the production assistant. Watch below the first official movie trailer of me and orson welles.
Full list of orson welles films classic movie favorites. Im a huge fan of orson welles and got very excited when i heard a film about the caesar production was being made, but i thought this was too big a step for efron. Starring zac efron, claire danes, and christian mckay. Remember that orson welles himself didnt always look like orson welles.
His mother, beatrice ives welles, was a skilled pianist who had studied with the polish. Orson welles showed glimmerings of genius from an early age, but at first his talent seemed to be for music. Discover the lost films of orson welles open culture. But this is the genius of orson welles, and he knows damn well that love can only come after success. In the late 60s and early 70s, filmmaker peter bogdanovich had conducted extensive interviews with welles, but a number of circumstancesincluding the directors decision to compose an autobiography that he never got. An incomplete education here is a man, a great director and a great. British actor christian mckay, perhaps best known for his eponymous role in me and orson welles, is to codirect intense relationship drama provenance with cinematographer ben hecking. Trailer for the richard linklater film, me and orson welles. It is based on a novel regarding the circumstances surrounding welless 1937 production of william shakespeares julius caesar for the mercury theatre, and stars christian mckay, claire danes, and zac efron. Set in 1937 new york, the story centers on a high school student efron who happens upon the yettoopen mercury theatre and is noticed by its mercurial founder, orson welles. The impersonation of welles by christian mckay in me and orson welles is the centerpiece of the film, and from it, all else flows.
Trailer for me and orson welles me and orson welles is a comingofage story set in the heady world of new york theatre. Watch orson welles the stranger free online, where 1940s film noir meets real horrors of wwii. When his mother died he was six he traveled the world with his father. Download me and orson welles 2009 gratis streaming av filmer. I expected this film to be a slight disappointment, but i was quite wrong about that the reason i was worried was zac efron. Toronto at the heart of me and orson welles is an uncanny impersonation of the young orson welles by english actor christian mckay. Though some describe the life of the man who made citizen kane as having by then fallen into a final period of great decadence, he still managed to leave his mark on a number of. Zac efron and claire danes claim they saw a ghostlike figure while filming me and orson welles at gaiety theatre on the isle of man. October 10, 1985, hollywood, california, usa filmography bibliography articles in senses web resources orson welles. Me and orson welles ultimately fails because it centers on its two least appealing characters. He does resemble the boy genius a bit but more crucially.
1583 951 1011 933 990 54 633 132 557 1562 1353 1453 132 1102 591 1079 1628 1265 75 928 368 38 444 1298 556 979 1419 244 1408 735 656 1173