An Unseen Side of Orson
More than thirty years after his death, there seems no shortage of discoveries left to be made about the artistic life of Orson Welles. This weekend, fans are in for a treat as a new documentary about the filmmaker’s little-known work as a graphic artist hits the big screen in New York. In The Eyes of Orson Welles, historian Mark Cousins dives into a previously unexplored treasure trove of sketches, drawings, and paintings that reveal new dimensions of his subject’s lifelong obsessions. Anchored by Cousins’s encyclopedic knowledge of all things Welles, and featuring clips that have been “chosen with great connoisseurship” (the Guardian), this film brings viewers closer to understanding just how far ahead of his time the master was. And true to Cousins’s style, the documentary is more than a reverential tribute to a towering figure: the director’s approach is “unabashedly, unapologetically personal,” as Glenn Kenny has noted in the New York Times,and he makes for a “smart, passionate, and searching” guide through Welles’s world.
Not in New York to catch the opening run at IFC Center? Follow Janus Films for details on when the movie will play in your city, then check out some of the incredible artwork showcased in the film in our official trailer:
