Magician: The Astonishing Life and Work of Orson Welles

Last updated
Magician:
The Astonishing Life and Work of Orson Welles
Magician-Welles-2014.jpg
Theatrical release poster
Directed by Chuck Workman
Produced by Charles S. Cohen
Cinematography
  • John Sharaf
  • Tom Hurwitz
  • Michael Lisnet
Edited byChuck Workman
Production
companies
  • Cohen Welles Project
  • Calliope Films
  • Wheelhouse Creative
Distributed byCohen Media Group
Release dates
  • October 17, 2014 (2014-10-17)(Woodstock Film Festival)
  • December 10, 2014 (2014-12-10)
Running time
95 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

Magician: The Astonishing Life and Work of Orson Welles is a 2014 American documentary film by Chuck Workman.

Contents

Synopsis

Produced on the eve of the centenary of Orson Welles's birth, the film is a chronological review of his personal life and achievements in theatre, radio and film. It includes excerpts of nearly all of Welles's films, archival footage and audio, and interviews with colleagues, biographers, critics, friends and contemporary directors who credit his influence. [1]

Release

First presented at numerous film festivals, [2] the film was released theatrically on December 10, 2014. [3]

Reception

The film received positive reviews [4] with 73% on Rotten Tomatoes [5] and 67 on Metacritic [6]

The Observer called the film "an excellent primer on the maestro’s career". [7]

Related Research Articles

<i>Maborosi</i> 1995 Japanese film

Maborosi, known in Japan as Maboroshi no Hikari, is a 1995 Japanese drama film by director Hirokazu Kore-eda starring Makiko Esumi, Tadanobu Asano, and Takashi Naito. It is based on a novel by Teru Miyamoto.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Richard Linklater</span> American film director, producer and screenwriter (born 1960)

Richard Stuart Linklater is an American film director, producer, and screenwriter. He is known for making films that deal thematically with suburban culture and the effects of the passage of time. His films include the comedies Slacker (1990) and Dazed and Confused (1993); the Before trilogy of romance films, Before Sunrise (1995), Before Sunset (2004), and Before Midnight (2013); the music-themed comedy School of Rock (2003); the adult animated films Waking Life (2001), A Scanner Darkly (2006), and Apollo 10 1⁄2: A Space Age Childhood (2022); the coming-of-age drama Boyhood (2014); and the comedy film Everybody Wants Some!! (2016).

Magician or The Magician may refer to:

<i>Winged Migration</i> 2001 film

Winged Migration is a 2001 documentary film directed by Jacques Cluzaud, Michel Debats and Jacques Perrin, who was also one of the writers and narrators, showcasing the immense journeys routinely made by birds during their migrations.

Oja Kodar is a Croatian actress, screenwriter and director known as Orson Welles's romantic partner during the later years of his life.

Henry David Jaglom is an English-born American actor, film director and playwright.

<i>Religulous</i> 2008 American film

Religulous is a 2008 American documentary film written by and starring comedian Bill Maher and directed by Larry Charles. The title of the film is a portmanteau derived from the words religious and ridiculous. The documentary examines and challenges religion and religious belief.

Chuck Workman is a documentary filmmaker from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. His 1986 film Precious Images won an Academy Award for Best Live Action Short Film; his work has also been nominated for Emmy Awards, Sundance Film Festival awards, and the Taos Talking Film Festival awards.

<i>Marwencol</i> (film) 2010 American documentary film about the work of artist and photographer Mark Hogancamp

Marwencol is a 2010 American documentary film that explores the life and work of artist and photographer Mark Hogancamp. It is the debut feature of director Jeff Malmberg, produced through his production company Open Face. It was the inspiration for Welcome to Marwen, a 2018 drama directed by Robert Zemeckis.

<i>Forks Over Knives</i> 2011 American film

Forks Over Knives is a 2011 American advocacy film and documentary that advocates a low-fat, whole-food, plant-based diet as a way to avoid or reverse several chronic diseases. The film recommends avoiding overly refined and processed foods, including refined sugars, bleached flours, and oils, and instead eating whole grains, legumes, tubers, vegetables, and fruits.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Point Grey Pictures</span> American independent film production company

Point Grey (PGP) is an American film and television production company, founded in 2011 by Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg. The name of the company comes from Vancouver's Point Grey Secondary School, where Rogen and Goldberg met.

<i>Champs</i> (film) 2014 American film

Champs is a 2014 documentary film focusing on boxers Mike Tyson, Evander Holyfield, and Bernard Hopkins. The film had its world premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival on April 19, 2014. Starz released the film on March 13, 2015, in a theatrical release and through video on demand.

<i>Our Little Sister</i> 2015 Japanese film

Our Little Sister is a 2015 Japanese drama film directed by Hirokazu Kore-eda and based on Akimi Yoshida's manga series Umimachi Diary. It stars Haruka Ayase, Masami Nagasawa, Kaho and Suzu Hirose. The film follows three sisters living in Kamakura, alongside their half sister. It was selected to compete for the Palme d'Or at the 2015 Cannes Film Festival.

<i>Birth of the Living Dead</i> 2012 American film

Birth of the Living Dead is a 2012 American documentary film directed by Rob Kuhns. It is about the 1968 horror film Night of the Living Dead and that film's legacy. It features interviews with Night of the Living Dead director George A. Romero, Elvis Mitchell, Jason Zinoman, Larry Fessenden, Gale Anne Hurd, and Mark Harris.

Kasper Collin is a Swedish film director, documentary filmmaker, screenwriter and film producer based in Gothenburg, Sweden.

<i>Chasing Trane: The John Coltrane Documentary</i> 2016 American film

Chasing Trane: The John Coltrane Documentary is a 2016 American documentary film, written and directed by John Scheinfeld.

<i>Theyll Love Me When Im Dead</i> 2018 American film

They'll Love Me When I'm Dead is a 2018 American documentary film, directed by Morgan Neville. It documents the ill-fated production of The Other Side of the Wind, directed by Orson Welles. The film had its world premiere at the Venice Film Festival on August 30, 2018. It was released on November 2, 2018, by Netflix.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jeremy Workman</span> American filmmaker and editor

Jeremy Workman is an American filmmaker and editor. His documentary films frequently focus on eccentrics, outsiders, and those with extreme passions. His acclaimed films include Lily Topples The World, The World Before Your Feet, Magical Universe, and Who Is Henry Jaglom? In most of his films, Workman serves as the director, cinematographer, and editor.

<i>Howard</i> (film) 2018 documentary film about the life of songwriter Howard Ashman

Howard is a 2018 American documentary film written and directed by Don Hahn about the life of songwriter Howard Ashman. It received positive reviews from critics.

References

  1. Chuck Workman Talks MAGICIAN: THE ASTONISHING LIFE AND WORK OF ORSON WELLES, The Challenges of Documentary Filmmaking, Welles’ Legacy, and More-Collider
  2. Harvey, Dennis (October 20, 2014). "Film Review: Magician: The Astonishing Life and Work of Orson Welles". Variety . Retrieved 2015-09-07.
  3. "Magician: The Astonishing Life and Work of Orson Welles". Cohen Media Group. Archived from the original on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2015-09-07.
  4. ‘Magician: The Astonishing Life and Work of Orson Welles’ Review: A Solid Into-Variety
  5. Rotten Tomatoes
  6. Metacritic.
  7. Kermode, Mark (July 5, 2015). "Magician: The Astonishing Life and Work of Orson Welles review – a heady ride". The Observer . Retrieved 2015-09-07.