1 00:00:00,240 --> 00:00:27,560 Speaker 1: Ridiculous History is a production of iHeartRadio. Welcome back to 2 00:00:27,600 --> 00:00:31,000 Speaker 1: the show Ridiculous Historians. Thank you, as always so much 3 00:00:31,080 --> 00:00:36,800 Speaker 1: for tuning in. Let's give it up for our own 4 00:00:37,400 --> 00:00:46,640 Speaker 1: audio a tour Max Williams. 5 00:00:44,360 --> 00:00:48,479 Speaker 2: Sorry, it's all I got. That's the only or those others. 6 00:00:48,680 --> 00:00:50,520 Speaker 1: There's a great Frozen Peace commercial. 7 00:00:50,960 --> 00:00:53,800 Speaker 2: Frozen Pie's is good. Also the wait, maybe it was 8 00:00:53,880 --> 00:00:58,040 Speaker 2: Animaniacs parodying the Frozen Piece commercial where it was no, no, 9 00:00:58,120 --> 00:00:59,840 Speaker 2: it was he did a fish he did a fish 10 00:00:59,880 --> 00:01:04,319 Speaker 2: to commercial where he says crumb crisp coating and he 11 00:01:04,400 --> 00:01:06,479 Speaker 2: says it like it's like an outtake where it's orson 12 00:01:06,520 --> 00:01:09,240 Speaker 2: Wells like losing it, you know, talking about how I've 13 00:01:09,280 --> 00:01:12,479 Speaker 2: done Shakespeare Richard that I think I know I will 14 00:01:12,560 --> 00:01:15,320 Speaker 2: not say crub crisp coating. He also is the perfect 15 00:01:15,319 --> 00:01:18,520 Speaker 2: example of one of these like Thespian tour types that 16 00:01:18,720 --> 00:01:22,280 Speaker 2: is like definitely American, but it's just really drunk their 17 00:01:22,280 --> 00:01:25,560 Speaker 2: own kool aid enough that they become this sort of 18 00:01:25,600 --> 00:01:28,680 Speaker 2: like faux British thing. You know, it's it's fantastic. 19 00:01:28,720 --> 00:01:31,880 Speaker 1: Do you remember that? Do you remember that show? The 20 00:01:31,959 --> 00:01:36,720 Speaker 1: critic Criminally, Yeah, they've got a great Orson Wells bit 21 00:01:37,760 --> 00:01:42,120 Speaker 1: that talks to his commercials, And today we are going 22 00:01:42,160 --> 00:01:46,319 Speaker 1: to explore Orson's work, but maybe not in the way 23 00:01:46,360 --> 00:01:49,280 Speaker 1: you think. This is part two of our continuing series 24 00:01:49,360 --> 00:01:53,040 Speaker 1: on lost media. Shout out to our research associate, doctor Z. 25 00:01:53,720 --> 00:01:55,160 Speaker 3: I actually just want to jump in real quick, and 26 00:01:55,200 --> 00:01:56,520 Speaker 3: I want to say, I want to meet the guy 27 00:01:56,520 --> 00:01:59,400 Speaker 3: who does Orson Wells. So this one guy who does 28 00:02:00,120 --> 00:02:03,000 Speaker 3: basically every impersonation of Orson Wells in like a movie 29 00:02:03,240 --> 00:02:05,960 Speaker 3: or show or something like that. He's he plays Orson 30 00:02:06,000 --> 00:02:10,600 Speaker 3: Wells in Edwood tim Byrne movie. He's also the voice 31 00:02:10,600 --> 00:02:12,640 Speaker 3: of the Brain and Pinky of the Brain of course, 32 00:02:12,680 --> 00:02:14,720 Speaker 3: and like he's a bunch of things like like whenever 33 00:02:15,040 --> 00:02:17,800 Speaker 3: whenever you hear his voice, clock him, like he's in 34 00:02:17,840 --> 00:02:19,959 Speaker 3: an episode of like Rick and Morty. And so I'm like, oh, 35 00:02:19,960 --> 00:02:20,399 Speaker 3: that's him. 36 00:02:20,600 --> 00:02:24,079 Speaker 2: The voice of the Brain basically is Orson Wells exactly. 37 00:02:24,120 --> 00:02:27,560 Speaker 2: You know Orson Wells. He looms large. It makes sense, 38 00:02:27,600 --> 00:02:29,839 Speaker 2: you know, he really you know he we came from 39 00:02:29,840 --> 00:02:33,120 Speaker 2: a back background of broadcast, you know, with the was 40 00:02:33,160 --> 00:02:37,040 Speaker 2: it like the Mercury Theater or I forget exactly. He 41 00:02:37,080 --> 00:02:40,400 Speaker 2: had like a radio theater players company that he was 42 00:02:40,440 --> 00:02:43,160 Speaker 2: in charge of I think Mercury is right, but he 43 00:02:43,400 --> 00:02:45,120 Speaker 2: you know, obviously he had. War of the World was 44 00:02:45,120 --> 00:02:48,000 Speaker 2: a huge sensation, not necessarily in a good way. It 45 00:02:48,120 --> 00:02:51,560 Speaker 2: freaked people out. People were like literally kind of there 46 00:02:51,600 --> 00:02:55,080 Speaker 2: was a hysteria surrounding it, you know, with presenting it 47 00:02:55,080 --> 00:02:58,200 Speaker 2: as though or a legitimate broadcast of you know, invaders 48 00:02:58,200 --> 00:03:00,240 Speaker 2: from outer space. Ben, what do you think about that? 49 00:03:00,360 --> 00:03:03,160 Speaker 2: Is that like opportunistic, get kind of jacked up? Or 50 00:03:03,240 --> 00:03:04,400 Speaker 2: is it genius? 51 00:03:04,680 --> 00:03:07,560 Speaker 1: So this is I'm really glad you're bringing this up 52 00:03:07,600 --> 00:03:16,279 Speaker 1: because there is a lot of speculation about the veracity 53 00:03:16,440 --> 00:03:22,119 Speaker 1: of that story. It did people genuinely believe that Martians 54 00:03:22,240 --> 00:03:27,960 Speaker 1: were invading Earth when they heard this guy on the radio? 55 00:03:28,960 --> 00:03:32,200 Speaker 1: Apparently not Apparently that radio program, which was in nineteen 56 00:03:32,240 --> 00:03:36,440 Speaker 1: thirty eight, did not touch off nationwide hysteria. But let's 57 00:03:36,480 --> 00:03:38,360 Speaker 1: not let the facts get in the way of a 58 00:03:38,520 --> 00:03:39,520 Speaker 1: heck of a story. 59 00:03:39,880 --> 00:03:40,760 Speaker 2: I was taken in. 60 00:03:41,000 --> 00:03:43,720 Speaker 1: Also, I don't know about you, guys, I'm super biased. 61 00:03:43,960 --> 00:03:48,320 Speaker 1: I dig Orson Wells so hard, mainly for the commercials, 62 00:03:48,360 --> 00:03:54,360 Speaker 1: but also very talented filmmaker. And today's stories not about 63 00:03:54,400 --> 00:03:57,560 Speaker 1: Citizen King. It's not about war. The Worlds. It is 64 00:03:57,600 --> 00:04:03,520 Speaker 1: about something called the Magnificet Amberson's which Noel I. I 65 00:04:03,520 --> 00:04:06,360 Speaker 1: think it's safe to say a lot of our fellow 66 00:04:06,400 --> 00:04:09,520 Speaker 1: listeners in the crowd today probably never heard of this film. 67 00:04:09,720 --> 00:04:11,520 Speaker 2: Well I may have included you in that this is 68 00:04:11,520 --> 00:04:14,280 Speaker 2: part two of our Lost Media series. And you know, 69 00:04:14,400 --> 00:04:16,760 Speaker 2: Max and I were talking right before you pop back 70 00:04:16,800 --> 00:04:19,359 Speaker 2: in man about you know a lot of hay being 71 00:04:19,400 --> 00:04:23,240 Speaker 2: made around certain movies having you know, certain pieces of 72 00:04:23,279 --> 00:04:27,239 Speaker 2: media having controversies around them. For example, the James Franco 73 00:04:27,600 --> 00:04:30,360 Speaker 2: Seth Rogan movie I believe it's called The Interview that 74 00:04:30,440 --> 00:04:34,719 Speaker 2: supposedly made Korea or North Korea really really angry because 75 00:04:34,760 --> 00:04:39,400 Speaker 2: they depicted you know, Kim Jong il or in it unfavorably. 76 00:04:39,480 --> 00:04:41,200 Speaker 2: They actually, like, I think, blow him up and it 77 00:04:41,240 --> 00:04:44,520 Speaker 2: shows his like head exploding like the Nazis and Indiana Jones. 78 00:04:44,800 --> 00:04:46,400 Speaker 2: But it turns out that it's kind of wasn't a 79 00:04:46,480 --> 00:04:49,840 Speaker 2: very good movie. And in this story today we're talking 80 00:04:49,920 --> 00:04:55,520 Speaker 2: about what Orson Wells was hoping would be a masterpiece 81 00:04:55,600 --> 00:04:59,280 Speaker 2: follow up to his legitimate masterpiece, Citizen Kane, which, by 82 00:04:59,279 --> 00:05:02,320 Speaker 2: the way, if you haven't Citizen Kane, and to your point, 83 00:05:02,320 --> 00:05:06,360 Speaker 2: actually you made. On our last episode about Snake Oil, 84 00:05:06,440 --> 00:05:09,239 Speaker 2: we talked about the book The Jungle, how certain books 85 00:05:09,240 --> 00:05:11,680 Speaker 2: and films from you know, bygone era kind of get 86 00:05:11,680 --> 00:05:15,159 Speaker 2: a reputation as being slow or sort of like old fashion. 87 00:05:15,520 --> 00:05:19,000 Speaker 2: Citizen Kane in so many ways does not feel like 88 00:05:19,080 --> 00:05:22,919 Speaker 2: a movie of its era. It feels completely modern in 89 00:05:23,000 --> 00:05:26,320 Speaker 2: a lot of ways, like and how they got these shots. 90 00:05:26,360 --> 00:05:29,120 Speaker 2: You know, there's so many innovations that he made with cinematography. 91 00:05:29,440 --> 00:05:32,760 Speaker 2: Really worth your time, so tall order to follow this up? 92 00:05:32,839 --> 00:05:37,120 Speaker 1: Oh yeah, yeah, perfect setup for a slump, you know 93 00:05:37,160 --> 00:05:41,120 Speaker 1: what I mean. Citizen Kane is a hard act to follow, 94 00:05:41,240 --> 00:05:45,719 Speaker 1: and with the magnificent air persons, Orson feels that he 95 00:05:45,800 --> 00:05:48,800 Speaker 1: has something to prove to the world. I'm not just 96 00:05:48,880 --> 00:05:53,800 Speaker 1: some one trick pony. So he tries to make this 97 00:05:53,880 --> 00:05:59,839 Speaker 1: other film and this studio RKO says, look, we're not 98 00:06:00,080 --> 00:06:04,000 Speaker 1: going to let this fly. The general audience that we 99 00:06:04,200 --> 00:06:07,760 Speaker 1: show movies to will find this. The word they used 100 00:06:07,839 --> 00:06:12,280 Speaker 1: was unpalatable. The test screenings, which were think back then 101 00:06:12,320 --> 00:06:17,400 Speaker 1: as well. The test screenings did not meet with good reactions, 102 00:06:17,720 --> 00:06:21,440 Speaker 1: and so the studio went into reshoots. They shot several 103 00:06:22,080 --> 00:06:26,680 Speaker 1: pivotal scenes again without Orson, Wells there, and then they 104 00:06:26,720 --> 00:06:31,360 Speaker 1: got another guy, Robert Wise, to oversee a complete re edit. 105 00:06:31,400 --> 00:06:34,320 Speaker 1: They went under the hood of the film. They changed 106 00:06:34,440 --> 00:06:38,120 Speaker 1: a lot of stuff, and they released what we could 107 00:06:38,120 --> 00:06:42,479 Speaker 1: call The Magnificent Amberson's Light in July or. 108 00:06:42,560 --> 00:06:45,280 Speaker 2: Nineteen forty two. Yeah, and by the way, there's some 109 00:06:45,360 --> 00:06:47,960 Speaker 2: great names in the story, as there always are when 110 00:06:47,960 --> 00:06:51,600 Speaker 2: we're talking about old Hollywood, the golden age of cinema. 111 00:06:52,000 --> 00:06:55,159 Speaker 2: This was based on a Pulitzer Prize winning novel that 112 00:06:55,240 --> 00:06:57,560 Speaker 2: came out in nineteen eighteen of the same name, The 113 00:06:57,560 --> 00:07:02,200 Speaker 2: Magnificent Ambersons by Booth Arkington. I just wish it had 114 00:07:02,360 --> 00:07:04,479 Speaker 2: the third in there, you know, but we can just 115 00:07:04,560 --> 00:07:07,400 Speaker 2: insert that in our own imaginations. And I just want 116 00:07:07,440 --> 00:07:09,840 Speaker 2: to I was sort of starting a point earlier that 117 00:07:09,880 --> 00:07:11,800 Speaker 2: I sort of like, let fizzle. But the whole thing 118 00:07:12,160 --> 00:07:16,800 Speaker 2: about the movie, the interview, Yes, they made this whole 119 00:07:16,840 --> 00:07:18,400 Speaker 2: big to do, but oh my god, it's like it 120 00:07:18,600 --> 00:07:20,440 Speaker 2: was going to cause World War three, you know which. 121 00:07:20,480 --> 00:07:22,960 Speaker 2: Kim Jong Oohn was so angry at us for making 122 00:07:22,960 --> 00:07:27,000 Speaker 2: the It got pulled out of theaters. But ultimately it 123 00:07:27,120 --> 00:07:30,840 Speaker 2: just wasn't a very funny picture. It just didn't really 124 00:07:31,000 --> 00:07:33,760 Speaker 2: have the goods and what we're gonna see I think 125 00:07:33,800 --> 00:07:39,040 Speaker 2: in this discussion here is that the magnificent Amberson's in 126 00:07:39,480 --> 00:07:44,240 Speaker 2: even in Doris and Wells, you know, director's cut, masterful 127 00:07:44,320 --> 00:07:47,280 Speaker 2: version maybe just wasn't nearly as good a movie as 128 00:07:47,440 --> 00:07:50,640 Speaker 2: as Citizen Kane. And I think the story of like, Oh, 129 00:07:50,680 --> 00:07:54,640 Speaker 2: It's Lost Forever is somehow more intriguing than the actual 130 00:07:54,720 --> 00:07:55,520 Speaker 2: film might be. 131 00:07:55,800 --> 00:07:58,960 Speaker 1: I think that's a I think that's a good perspective, 132 00:07:59,000 --> 00:08:02,320 Speaker 1: and I think that's quite va. You know. Also, putting 133 00:08:02,360 --> 00:08:06,120 Speaker 1: magnificent in the title of anything is promising a lot. 134 00:08:06,360 --> 00:08:10,640 Speaker 1: It's making it a tall milkshake. At this time in 135 00:08:10,720 --> 00:08:16,880 Speaker 1: nineteen forty two or so, Wells is a big, big deal. 136 00:08:17,040 --> 00:08:21,280 Speaker 1: Everybody's talking about him in Hollywood. So he knows there's 137 00:08:21,280 --> 00:08:24,200 Speaker 1: a lot writing on his next film. And he finds 138 00:08:25,160 --> 00:08:29,520 Speaker 1: the story by Booth Tarkenton thanks to a nineteen twenty 139 00:08:29,600 --> 00:08:34,120 Speaker 1: five film called Pampered Youth. He's so impressed. He's over 140 00:08:34,160 --> 00:08:38,360 Speaker 1: the moon, he's inspired. He's just like knocking back frozen 141 00:08:38,480 --> 00:08:43,400 Speaker 1: peas and fish sticks and saying, I'm gonna adapt this story. 142 00:08:43,440 --> 00:08:48,640 Speaker 1: I'm gonna make it a radio drama on CBS. The 143 00:08:48,800 --> 00:08:51,800 Speaker 1: RKO studio chief at the time, a guy named George 144 00:08:51,920 --> 00:08:55,880 Speaker 1: Schaeffer said, you know, well, if you're looking for your 145 00:08:55,920 --> 00:08:59,280 Speaker 1: next project, why don't you adopt this spy novel I 146 00:08:59,400 --> 00:09:03,920 Speaker 1: like Journey inter Fear by Eric Ambler. But Well said, nah, 147 00:09:04,160 --> 00:09:07,120 Speaker 1: not special enough. They went not They actually went through 148 00:09:07,120 --> 00:09:11,559 Speaker 1: a couple of different conversations about what his dex project 149 00:09:11,559 --> 00:09:11,920 Speaker 1: should be. 150 00:09:12,160 --> 00:09:13,960 Speaker 2: Well, I mean, you know, he's sort of in this 151 00:09:14,000 --> 00:09:16,199 Speaker 2: blank check kind of situation where like Citizen King was 152 00:09:16,200 --> 00:09:19,240 Speaker 2: such a runaway success, it won you know, Best Picture 153 00:09:19,320 --> 00:09:21,400 Speaker 2: and all this stuff like it was it was huge, 154 00:09:22,120 --> 00:09:25,000 Speaker 2: it was odd, It is a difficult it's not. It was. 155 00:09:25,120 --> 00:09:27,120 Speaker 2: It was a very like ahead of its time film. 156 00:09:27,360 --> 00:09:29,560 Speaker 2: So I think it was more of maybe more of 157 00:09:29,600 --> 00:09:33,160 Speaker 2: a critical success than it was a financial success. So 158 00:09:33,280 --> 00:09:36,520 Speaker 2: he was definitely in this like a tour position. But 159 00:09:36,600 --> 00:09:39,000 Speaker 2: that's not the same as like having like a mega 160 00:09:39,000 --> 00:09:42,440 Speaker 2: mega mega mega mega runaway blockbuster smash where you can 161 00:09:42,520 --> 00:09:44,920 Speaker 2: literally do whatever you want for your next picture because 162 00:09:44,960 --> 00:09:47,720 Speaker 2: they want to retain you. He's already kind of got 163 00:09:47,720 --> 00:09:50,480 Speaker 2: this reputation for being a little bit tricky to work with, 164 00:09:50,880 --> 00:09:54,320 Speaker 2: a little bit willful, maybe not the best partner for 165 00:09:54,400 --> 00:09:57,800 Speaker 2: a studio, and he is not hearing this, they're pitching 166 00:09:57,880 --> 00:10:01,319 Speaker 2: him movies that they think would be you know, hits 167 00:10:01,360 --> 00:10:04,520 Speaker 2: like The Way to Santiago, right, the one you mentioned, 168 00:10:04,600 --> 00:10:08,400 Speaker 2: Journey into Fear. But he wants to do more of 169 00:10:08,440 --> 00:10:14,120 Speaker 2: a kind of a dramatic tale of manners and kind 170 00:10:14,200 --> 00:10:16,920 Speaker 2: of you know, like like a like what do you 171 00:10:16,960 --> 00:10:20,480 Speaker 2: call it, Like a familial drama kind of you know, 172 00:10:20,600 --> 00:10:23,840 Speaker 2: it sort of points to you know, flaws and cracks 173 00:10:23,880 --> 00:10:27,080 Speaker 2: in the American Dream and all of this stuff. You know, 174 00:10:27,360 --> 00:10:32,520 Speaker 2: Heady's ish stuff like but for the time, not super sexy, 175 00:10:32,720 --> 00:10:35,240 Speaker 2: not the stuff of blockbusters at all. 176 00:10:35,520 --> 00:10:39,440 Speaker 1: Right, And he's also we already see he's having some 177 00:10:39,520 --> 00:10:44,560 Speaker 1: difficulties negotiating stuff with the studios, with the holders of 178 00:10:44,640 --> 00:10:48,200 Speaker 1: the purse. But he does this radio adaptation runs about 179 00:10:48,200 --> 00:10:51,960 Speaker 1: an hour log. He loves it, and he wants to 180 00:10:52,240 --> 00:10:56,040 Speaker 1: do a video or film version of this. So he 181 00:10:56,120 --> 00:10:59,880 Speaker 1: gets his cast together and I think he has one 182 00:11:00,160 --> 00:11:04,520 Speaker 1: actor from the radio version, Ray Collins, returned for the 183 00:11:04,520 --> 00:11:09,120 Speaker 1: film version. And he starts gathering his crew just like 184 00:11:09,160 --> 00:11:12,320 Speaker 1: he's playing in a heist. He can't get his cinematographer 185 00:11:12,360 --> 00:11:15,200 Speaker 1: from Citizen Kane, a guy named Greg Toland, so he 186 00:11:15,320 --> 00:11:19,720 Speaker 1: hires a dude named Stanley Cortes, and he gets his 187 00:11:20,000 --> 00:11:25,760 Speaker 1: old composer from Citizen Kane, Bernard Herman, to help out. 188 00:11:26,200 --> 00:11:31,360 Speaker 1: And funny story this slight spoiler. When the studio approved 189 00:11:31,440 --> 00:11:36,600 Speaker 1: version of The Magnificent Amberson's comes out, our buddy Bernard 190 00:11:36,640 --> 00:11:42,200 Speaker 1: Herman is pissed. He contacts them and insists that the 191 00:11:42,280 --> 00:11:46,240 Speaker 1: studio take his name off of the credits. He says, 192 00:11:46,240 --> 00:11:50,520 Speaker 1: you have butchered my work. Remove me from this debacle. 193 00:11:50,720 --> 00:11:52,280 Speaker 2: I think it's so interesting. I guess I think of 194 00:11:52,360 --> 00:11:55,400 Speaker 2: Bernard Herman is being more associated with like Alfred Hitchcock, 195 00:11:55,440 --> 00:11:59,200 Speaker 2: and you know a lot of that like Psycho for example. 196 00:11:59,240 --> 00:12:03,280 Speaker 2: That's like a quintessential the vibe that you think of 197 00:12:03,320 --> 00:12:05,360 Speaker 2: when you think of Bernard Herman's work. But I guess 198 00:12:05,400 --> 00:12:07,480 Speaker 2: he must have just been like super already active like 199 00:12:07,520 --> 00:12:11,480 Speaker 2: in Hollywood, like before, you know, for for several decades 200 00:12:11,720 --> 00:12:15,760 Speaker 2: before the Hitchcock stuff that really hit. So super seasoned 201 00:12:15,760 --> 00:12:18,480 Speaker 2: guy already at this point. Who would command that kind 202 00:12:18,520 --> 00:12:21,760 Speaker 2: of you know, ask like listen, not just take my 203 00:12:21,840 --> 00:12:23,480 Speaker 2: name off of it. I wonder what they did. I 204 00:12:23,559 --> 00:12:25,839 Speaker 2: just I'm so intrigued, like how do you like? I 205 00:12:25,880 --> 00:12:28,480 Speaker 2: guess maybe it was with editing, or maybe they supplemented 206 00:12:28,520 --> 00:12:31,040 Speaker 2: it with other stuff for something to do with the 207 00:12:31,080 --> 00:12:33,440 Speaker 2: audio mix. I just I've got to wonder, you know, 208 00:12:33,480 --> 00:12:36,200 Speaker 2: with with the music. How they they they pissed him 209 00:12:36,200 --> 00:12:37,000 Speaker 2: off to that degree. 210 00:12:37,080 --> 00:12:40,920 Speaker 3: So I was looking up Bernard Herman just to get 211 00:12:40,960 --> 00:12:43,320 Speaker 3: his like, see what his career started. But I found this. 212 00:12:43,480 --> 00:12:47,680 Speaker 3: He was born maximillion Herman. Come on, now, you gotta 213 00:12:47,720 --> 00:12:48,760 Speaker 3: rock the maximillion. 214 00:12:48,840 --> 00:12:50,160 Speaker 2: That's all I want to say. I don't care about 215 00:12:50,160 --> 00:12:50,840 Speaker 2: the rest anymore. 216 00:12:51,000 --> 00:12:53,440 Speaker 1: Actually, fair as a bettiest, I support you. 217 00:12:53,600 --> 00:12:53,880 Speaker 2: Next. 218 00:12:54,520 --> 00:13:00,760 Speaker 1: So the the film itself is shot from two nineteen 219 00:13:00,840 --> 00:13:04,640 Speaker 1: forty one to January of nineteen forty two. It goes 220 00:13:04,760 --> 00:13:08,000 Speaker 1: two hundred thousand dollars over budget. 221 00:13:08,360 --> 00:13:13,160 Speaker 2: That's like you know, inflation calculator, that's millions. Yeah, yeah, 222 00:13:13,160 --> 00:13:14,920 Speaker 2: and y at least maybe two millions. Yeah. 223 00:13:14,960 --> 00:13:19,360 Speaker 1: And shout out to Vin Mikolek over at Sinophilia Beyond 224 00:13:19,800 --> 00:13:23,640 Speaker 1: where we're pulling a lot of this information. So things 225 00:13:23,679 --> 00:13:27,000 Speaker 1: were already kind of looking bad for the Magnificent Amberson's 226 00:13:27,320 --> 00:13:32,360 Speaker 1: and Noel had earlier mentioned that the test screenings were 227 00:13:32,440 --> 00:13:36,520 Speaker 1: not super auspicious. How much do we know about that? 228 00:13:43,400 --> 00:13:47,760 Speaker 2: Something in the neighborhood of I think seventy two negative 229 00:13:47,920 --> 00:13:51,160 Speaker 2: to fifty three positive cards, you know, I mean it's 230 00:13:51,160 --> 00:13:53,320 Speaker 2: basically like a focus group, you know, for a product 231 00:13:53,440 --> 00:13:56,600 Speaker 2: or for you know whatever. You fill out your little card, 232 00:13:56,720 --> 00:13:59,880 Speaker 2: you know, your exit interview kind of and that's actually 233 00:13:59,920 --> 00:14:03,559 Speaker 2: a lot more of us of an even relatively even 234 00:14:03,640 --> 00:14:06,840 Speaker 2: split than I would have expected. Like seventy two to 235 00:14:06,880 --> 00:14:10,920 Speaker 2: fifty three negative to positive doesn't indicate that it was 236 00:14:10,920 --> 00:14:13,839 Speaker 2: an outright failure. It's just the kind of thing like now, 237 00:14:13,880 --> 00:14:16,079 Speaker 2: of course, we have like Rotten Tomatoes where you can 238 00:14:16,120 --> 00:14:18,959 Speaker 2: truly see kind of where the split happens. And a 239 00:14:19,000 --> 00:14:21,240 Speaker 2: lot of times there will be movies that I love 240 00:14:21,360 --> 00:14:23,880 Speaker 2: that are just like divisive and they're like fifty to 241 00:14:23,880 --> 00:14:27,400 Speaker 2: fifty sometimes, you know, really great reviews to negative reviews, 242 00:14:27,440 --> 00:14:29,680 Speaker 2: and that was the case here. The people that liked 243 00:14:29,680 --> 00:14:33,080 Speaker 2: it that were positive were pretty overwhelmingly positive, and the 244 00:14:33,120 --> 00:14:37,760 Speaker 2: people that were you know, negative about it were absolutely 245 00:14:38,440 --> 00:14:40,520 Speaker 2: just hated it, thought it was trash. It reminds me 246 00:14:40,600 --> 00:14:43,320 Speaker 2: of a a really good clip of folks in I 247 00:14:43,320 --> 00:14:45,960 Speaker 2: guess La walking out of some of the early screenings 248 00:14:46,000 --> 00:14:49,600 Speaker 2: of David Lynch's eraser Head, where someone just like asked 249 00:14:49,640 --> 00:14:51,920 Speaker 2: them what you thought, and people either thought it was 250 00:14:52,160 --> 00:14:56,720 Speaker 2: brilliant and evocative and strange and just thrilling, or people 251 00:14:56,800 --> 00:14:58,920 Speaker 2: just didn't get it and thought it was trash. 252 00:14:59,480 --> 00:15:03,160 Speaker 1: Right, Yeah, you can't make a film for everybody. Right, 253 00:15:03,320 --> 00:15:07,280 Speaker 1: that's bad news for studios, but it is true. And 254 00:15:07,920 --> 00:15:13,200 Speaker 1: the issue was that the studio, the studio machine itself, 255 00:15:13,720 --> 00:15:18,320 Speaker 1: is not oriented toward creativity and art for art's sake. 256 00:15:18,480 --> 00:15:23,600 Speaker 1: They're bottom line kind of people, and they exercised their 257 00:15:23,720 --> 00:15:28,080 Speaker 1: legal rights to save their money. Back to that article 258 00:15:28,120 --> 00:15:31,280 Speaker 1: we mentioned just a second ago, there are three big 259 00:15:31,360 --> 00:15:36,560 Speaker 1: reasons why the studio took the magnificent Amberson's away from 260 00:15:36,760 --> 00:15:40,360 Speaker 1: orson Wells. First, he agreed that they would get the 261 00:15:40,480 --> 00:15:45,600 Speaker 1: last say on the final cut, so he thought this 262 00:15:45,840 --> 00:15:48,320 Speaker 1: was kind of like a gentleman's agreement, you know. He 263 00:15:48,360 --> 00:15:50,520 Speaker 1: thought this was just an olive branch and he was 264 00:15:50,600 --> 00:15:54,000 Speaker 1: being nice. He was convinced that he could stay in 265 00:15:54,160 --> 00:15:57,960 Speaker 1: control all the way from post production to the debut. 266 00:15:58,600 --> 00:16:02,480 Speaker 1: But after shooting, he was asked to go to Brazil 267 00:16:02,640 --> 00:16:07,520 Speaker 1: to make a documentary for what is it called the 268 00:16:08,040 --> 00:16:12,960 Speaker 1: good neighbor Policy of Uncle Sam during wartime, and he 269 00:16:13,080 --> 00:16:17,280 Speaker 1: thought his buddy Robert Wise would come with him and 270 00:16:17,360 --> 00:16:20,000 Speaker 1: that while he was in Brazil they could still be 271 00:16:20,120 --> 00:16:26,760 Speaker 1: working on The Magnificent Amberson's and editing. Unfortunately, that didn't happen. 272 00:16:27,000 --> 00:16:30,360 Speaker 1: Wise had to stay in the US, and pretty soon 273 00:16:30,920 --> 00:16:36,160 Speaker 1: Orson Wells was sidelined. He lost all creative control of 274 00:16:36,200 --> 00:16:40,680 Speaker 1: the film. The studio was terrified by those negative test 275 00:16:40,720 --> 00:16:44,760 Speaker 1: screenings you mentioned, and they went to Robert Wise and 276 00:16:44,800 --> 00:16:48,080 Speaker 1: they said, look, our boy is in Brazil. We need 277 00:16:48,080 --> 00:16:50,640 Speaker 1: someone at the helm of this ship. You need to 278 00:16:50,720 --> 00:16:52,400 Speaker 1: save us from this disaster. 279 00:16:53,120 --> 00:16:55,680 Speaker 2: Right, But wasn't it like, wasn't he intended to be 280 00:16:55,840 --> 00:16:58,960 Speaker 2: there with him or something like he was, but then 281 00:16:58,960 --> 00:17:02,520 Speaker 2: he couldn't because of the travel restrictions around war time. Yeah, 282 00:17:02,520 --> 00:17:04,840 Speaker 2: so that would have made it easier for for Wells 283 00:17:04,920 --> 00:17:09,160 Speaker 2: to continue to exert, you know, supremacy over the process 284 00:17:09,200 --> 00:17:10,920 Speaker 2: of the editing, because I mean, like you know, typically 285 00:17:11,560 --> 00:17:14,320 Speaker 2: an editing process of a film, the director, you know, 286 00:17:14,359 --> 00:17:16,440 Speaker 2: the right, maybe not the writer always, but if the 287 00:17:16,440 --> 00:17:18,320 Speaker 2: writer and the director of the same person, they're going 288 00:17:18,400 --> 00:17:20,600 Speaker 2: to be in the room with the editor. It's part 289 00:17:20,640 --> 00:17:22,840 Speaker 2: of it. Like they're doing this kind of as a collaboration, 290 00:17:23,359 --> 00:17:27,439 Speaker 2: and this separation of the two of them, you know, 291 00:17:27,520 --> 00:17:31,639 Speaker 2: by literal you know, thousands of miles, and not to 292 00:17:31,680 --> 00:17:35,040 Speaker 2: mention a lack of like the immediacy of the kind 293 00:17:35,040 --> 00:17:37,760 Speaker 2: of communication that we have today with things like zoom 294 00:17:37,800 --> 00:17:40,879 Speaker 2: and screen sharing and all of that. Like working collaboratively 295 00:17:40,920 --> 00:17:44,800 Speaker 2: is obviously a lot easier. Supposedly there would be cables, 296 00:17:44,840 --> 00:17:48,960 Speaker 2: scents or wires sent by Wells with just pages and 297 00:17:49,000 --> 00:17:51,440 Speaker 2: pages and pages of editing suggestions, but it was a 298 00:17:51,480 --> 00:17:53,920 Speaker 2: whole lot easier for them to kind of ignore them. 299 00:17:54,240 --> 00:17:56,639 Speaker 1: Right, Yes, sorry, sorry, bud? 300 00:17:57,400 --> 00:17:59,680 Speaker 2: Sorry, have you we got out? You're breaking up there, buddy? 301 00:17:59,760 --> 00:18:02,840 Speaker 1: Yeah, I can't, I can't hear. 302 00:18:03,640 --> 00:18:03,920 Speaker 2: Yeah. 303 00:18:04,160 --> 00:18:09,360 Speaker 1: This is crazy because the studio ends up cutting forty 304 00:18:09,600 --> 00:18:14,200 Speaker 1: minutes from the film and they put in a pretty blase, 305 00:18:15,119 --> 00:18:18,199 Speaker 1: happy ending just to just to put a bow on 306 00:18:18,320 --> 00:18:22,159 Speaker 1: it and to help the audience walk away satisfied. The 307 00:18:22,200 --> 00:18:25,840 Speaker 1: problem is the ending does not fit the rest of 308 00:18:25,880 --> 00:18:30,040 Speaker 1: the film. It's as if the it's as if the 309 00:18:30,080 --> 00:18:32,560 Speaker 1: sci fi film Dark City, you guys remember that one, 310 00:18:32,680 --> 00:18:35,640 Speaker 1: of course, I love Dark City. It's as if Dark 311 00:18:35,720 --> 00:18:39,360 Speaker 1: City all of a sudden ended as a buddy comedy. 312 00:18:39,760 --> 00:18:43,960 Speaker 2: Well, speaking of Brazil, it reminds me of the incredible 313 00:18:44,080 --> 00:18:48,200 Speaker 2: Terry Gilliam film Brazil that has a director's cut ending 314 00:18:48,280 --> 00:18:52,200 Speaker 2: that is mega bleak and left up, and the one 315 00:18:52,200 --> 00:18:55,280 Speaker 2: that with the studio insisted on for the theatrical version 316 00:18:55,840 --> 00:18:59,240 Speaker 2: is completely different. And you know, I mean Gillium has 317 00:18:59,240 --> 00:19:04,480 Speaker 2: a history of clashing with studios in a very similar way, 318 00:19:04,800 --> 00:19:07,080 Speaker 2: you know, where his his like movies are re edited, 319 00:19:07,119 --> 00:19:08,760 Speaker 2: and you know, for example, he was also trying to 320 00:19:08,760 --> 00:19:11,119 Speaker 2: make like don Quixote for you know who else was 321 00:19:11,119 --> 00:19:14,679 Speaker 2: trying to make don Quixote for years? Orson well, you 322 00:19:14,720 --> 00:19:16,800 Speaker 2: know Orison Well's kind of eventually we'll get to this, 323 00:19:16,840 --> 00:19:19,040 Speaker 2: but he ends up getting a reputation for being like 324 00:19:19,119 --> 00:19:22,400 Speaker 2: someone that can't really see things through. He can't really 325 00:19:22,520 --> 00:19:25,440 Speaker 2: let go of projects. But he does finish this one, 326 00:19:25,480 --> 00:19:27,439 Speaker 2: and even with the medaling and all the stuff that 327 00:19:27,440 --> 00:19:31,040 Speaker 2: we're talking about, the movie makes a decent amount of 328 00:19:31,080 --> 00:19:34,480 Speaker 2: money on its opening and does get nominated for quite 329 00:19:34,480 --> 00:19:38,440 Speaker 2: a few Academy Awards. And I guess this is the time. 330 00:19:39,240 --> 00:19:41,280 Speaker 2: Let maybe I'm wrong, Right, when did Wizard of Oz 331 00:19:41,320 --> 00:19:44,760 Speaker 2: come out? That was like in the thirties, right, Yeah, 332 00:19:44,760 --> 00:19:46,760 Speaker 2: So this is the time where I guess it was 333 00:19:46,800 --> 00:19:49,240 Speaker 2: sort of like Dealer's choice as to whether your movie 334 00:19:49,280 --> 00:19:50,879 Speaker 2: was going to be in color or black and white, 335 00:19:51,280 --> 00:19:55,280 Speaker 2: because this was nominated for Best Black and White Cinematography, 336 00:19:55,400 --> 00:19:56,960 Speaker 2: and I guess I never really thought about that or 337 00:19:57,080 --> 00:19:59,960 Speaker 2: better sorry best Yes, both Best black and White Cinema 338 00:20:00,040 --> 00:20:03,320 Speaker 2: Zography and Best Black and White Art Direction. So this 339 00:20:03,359 --> 00:20:04,800 Speaker 2: would have been a time where I guess it was 340 00:20:04,920 --> 00:20:07,479 Speaker 2: up to the kind of creatives and probably the studio 341 00:20:07,520 --> 00:20:10,240 Speaker 2: as to whether you did your film and color. Obviously 342 00:20:10,720 --> 00:20:12,960 Speaker 2: cost would be part of it too, because to develop 343 00:20:13,040 --> 00:20:14,800 Speaker 2: color film would be more expensive. 344 00:20:14,880 --> 00:20:16,800 Speaker 1: Wizard of Oscar they've done thirty nine. 345 00:20:17,000 --> 00:20:20,480 Speaker 3: Yeah, August twenty fifth, nineteen thirty nine, except for in 346 00:20:20,600 --> 00:20:22,760 Speaker 3: Green Bay, of all places, where it came out of 347 00:20:22,800 --> 00:20:23,680 Speaker 3: August tenth. 348 00:20:23,800 --> 00:20:28,399 Speaker 1: They know what they did anyway. So this thing also 349 00:20:29,160 --> 00:20:32,800 Speaker 1: doesn't vibe with the zeitgeist of the US at the time, 350 00:20:33,160 --> 00:20:37,800 Speaker 1: in the war years. This is not upbeat, it's not 351 00:20:38,000 --> 00:20:40,480 Speaker 1: very Hey, we can do it working together, you know. 352 00:20:41,160 --> 00:20:46,960 Speaker 1: It thematically clashes. So the studio exerts their influence and 353 00:20:47,240 --> 00:20:54,040 Speaker 1: releases it pretty quietly as a double billing. The other 354 00:20:54,160 --> 00:20:57,720 Speaker 1: film that gets released with the Magnificent Amberson's is a 355 00:20:57,760 --> 00:21:01,440 Speaker 1: comedy called Mexican Spitfire. Sees a ghost. 356 00:21:01,760 --> 00:21:05,200 Speaker 2: I just think that's the most like procedurally titled thing ever. 357 00:21:05,280 --> 00:21:08,600 Speaker 2: It just sounds like stock character description of a thing 358 00:21:08,640 --> 00:21:09,960 Speaker 2: that happens, you know what I mean. 359 00:21:10,200 --> 00:21:12,800 Speaker 1: It's like the new film from leam Neeson. Leam Neeson 360 00:21:12,840 --> 00:21:13,480 Speaker 1: gets into a. 361 00:21:13,400 --> 00:21:15,720 Speaker 2: Fight, gets angry and. 362 00:21:17,240 --> 00:21:20,840 Speaker 3: Like GBT probably looks at that and it's like, wow, 363 00:21:20,880 --> 00:21:22,160 Speaker 3: that's corny. 364 00:21:22,200 --> 00:21:24,639 Speaker 2: Mexican spitfire sees a ghost. I really want to see this, 365 00:21:24,680 --> 00:21:26,520 Speaker 2: and I also do want to. I want to point 366 00:21:26,520 --> 00:21:28,080 Speaker 2: out I don't think any of the three of us 367 00:21:28,080 --> 00:21:32,040 Speaker 2: have seen the magnificent Amberson's. You know, we're talking about 368 00:21:32,040 --> 00:21:34,760 Speaker 2: lost media. We'll get to which part of this is 369 00:21:34,800 --> 00:21:38,240 Speaker 2: actually lost. You can see this. There are ways to 370 00:21:38,280 --> 00:21:40,000 Speaker 2: see it. I'm not quite sure if it's in its 371 00:21:40,040 --> 00:21:42,520 Speaker 2: original form or if it's like in you know, some 372 00:21:42,560 --> 00:21:45,680 Speaker 2: sort of like you know, kind of compromised version. We'll 373 00:21:45,720 --> 00:21:49,320 Speaker 2: get to that. But again, it does Okay, it gets nominated. 374 00:21:49,400 --> 00:21:51,560 Speaker 2: I don't believe it won any of those awards. 375 00:21:51,600 --> 00:21:55,040 Speaker 1: No, it's an honor to be nominated though. So we 376 00:21:55,160 --> 00:21:59,080 Speaker 1: also want to shout out excellent article that doctor Z 377 00:21:59,240 --> 00:22:02,960 Speaker 1: found by Haskell over on Criterion, and they have some 378 00:22:03,000 --> 00:22:06,840 Speaker 1: great writing on Criterion dot com. This is the Magnificent Amberson's. 379 00:22:06,920 --> 00:22:07,960 Speaker 2: What is and what. 380 00:22:08,040 --> 00:22:09,160 Speaker 1: Might have been? 381 00:22:09,840 --> 00:22:10,240 Speaker 2: Okay? 382 00:22:10,880 --> 00:22:15,239 Speaker 1: All right, so the Magnificent Amberson's doesn't work out the 383 00:22:15,280 --> 00:22:19,360 Speaker 1: way that everybody wanted it to. They need a scapegoat 384 00:22:19,359 --> 00:22:24,000 Speaker 1: because that's how studios work. So Robert Wise kind of 385 00:22:24,000 --> 00:22:27,000 Speaker 1: becomes the fall guy. Even though he was super great 386 00:22:27,080 --> 00:22:33,600 Speaker 1: at editing Citizen Kane. Overnight people turned against him and 387 00:22:33,680 --> 00:22:37,960 Speaker 1: they said, we know Orson Wells is the business and 388 00:22:38,080 --> 00:22:43,240 Speaker 1: this Robbie wise guy, Robbie wise guy nice, This guy 389 00:22:43,480 --> 00:22:51,119 Speaker 1: has ruined a brilliant creative endeavor and a lot of 390 00:22:51,160 --> 00:22:56,159 Speaker 1: folks will also argue that Wells was betrayed by the 391 00:22:56,240 --> 00:23:00,479 Speaker 1: people he trusted. But if we're being objective, you know, 392 00:23:00,600 --> 00:23:05,479 Speaker 1: ultimately the audience is the arbiter of what they do 393 00:23:05,640 --> 00:23:09,359 Speaker 1: or don't enjoy, and we'll we'll never know right what 394 00:23:10,240 --> 00:23:15,160 Speaker 1: Orson Well's final vision for The Magnificent Amberson's would have been, 395 00:23:15,800 --> 00:23:18,600 Speaker 1: because we weren't old enough to be in the test screenings. 396 00:23:18,920 --> 00:23:21,240 Speaker 3: Also to point out, Mexican Spitfire turned out to be 397 00:23:21,320 --> 00:23:24,359 Speaker 3: a series of eight movies, so it is kind of 398 00:23:24,359 --> 00:23:27,480 Speaker 3: like they're like our plus movies comedies that they would 399 00:23:27,520 --> 00:23:28,720 Speaker 3: just kind of spit out. 400 00:23:29,359 --> 00:23:33,880 Speaker 2: Mexican Spitfire, sees Mongoose, Mexican spitfire in Space. 401 00:23:34,359 --> 00:23:38,440 Speaker 3: Yes, we got the Girl from Mexico, Mexican Spitfire, Mexican 402 00:23:38,520 --> 00:23:45,240 Speaker 3: Spitfire out West, the Mexican Spitfire's Baby, Mexican Spitfire at Sea, 403 00:23:45,480 --> 00:23:51,280 Speaker 3: Mexican Spitfire Season Ghost, Mexican Spitfires Elephant, and Mexican Spitfires, 404 00:23:51,320 --> 00:23:54,280 Speaker 3: Blessed Event and these were all all these came out 405 00:23:54,320 --> 00:23:57,480 Speaker 3: between nineteen thirty nine in nineteen forty three. 406 00:23:57,760 --> 00:23:59,520 Speaker 2: This is amazing. I want to see some of these. 407 00:23:59,520 --> 00:24:01,679 Speaker 3: It really does remind me by the entire collection for 408 00:24:01,760 --> 00:24:02,560 Speaker 3: thirteen dollars. 409 00:24:02,680 --> 00:24:04,480 Speaker 2: Oh, I'm on it. It reminds me of like, you know, 410 00:24:04,520 --> 00:24:06,639 Speaker 2: what they did with the Leprechaun movies. You know, they 411 00:24:06,680 --> 00:24:10,800 Speaker 2: obviously were highly highly inspired by Mexican Spitfire. 412 00:24:10,600 --> 00:24:12,479 Speaker 1: Of course, you know, and if you look at the 413 00:24:12,480 --> 00:24:16,720 Speaker 1: Criterion collection of the Leprechaun franchise, you can see that 414 00:24:16,720 --> 00:24:21,640 Speaker 1: they're pretty upfront about that Mexican spitfire. Amazing American cinema, 415 00:24:21,760 --> 00:24:24,280 Speaker 1: it's up there with the Police Academy series and of 416 00:24:24,320 --> 00:24:26,200 Speaker 1: course Vibes. 417 00:24:26,320 --> 00:24:28,959 Speaker 2: But there is you know, there is a Criterion release 418 00:24:29,040 --> 00:24:32,480 Speaker 2: of The Magnificent Amber Sam's but it's it's missed, it's 419 00:24:32,480 --> 00:24:36,600 Speaker 2: conspicuously missing some footage. We're not talking about an entire 420 00:24:36,760 --> 00:24:39,480 Speaker 2: film that was lost history. We're talking about a portion 421 00:24:39,720 --> 00:24:44,200 Speaker 2: of the director's original vision. And then we're going to 422 00:24:44,240 --> 00:24:47,720 Speaker 2: get into what happened. And also there's a couple of 423 00:24:47,720 --> 00:24:50,439 Speaker 2: different versions of the story because one version sort of 424 00:24:50,920 --> 00:24:54,320 Speaker 2: leans on like studio malice, like the studio was angry 425 00:24:54,320 --> 00:24:57,440 Speaker 2: at Orson Well so they did him dirty and destroyed 426 00:24:57,480 --> 00:25:00,960 Speaker 2: his beautiful masterpiece. The other version, it's probably a little 427 00:25:00,960 --> 00:25:02,639 Speaker 2: closer to the truth. It was just sort of a 428 00:25:02,720 --> 00:25:06,760 Speaker 2: procedural thing studios would do when they were done with 429 00:25:07,240 --> 00:25:10,520 Speaker 2: footage outtakes. They actually, you know, there was a lot 430 00:25:10,560 --> 00:25:13,879 Speaker 2: of silver in you know, the celluloid, that's what they 431 00:25:13,880 --> 00:25:16,720 Speaker 2: call it, the silver screen. They would you know, sell 432 00:25:16,760 --> 00:25:19,080 Speaker 2: the footage and reclaim the silver. 433 00:25:19,320 --> 00:25:22,400 Speaker 1: And the ending of the Ambersons that you mentioned there, 434 00:25:22,440 --> 00:25:27,879 Speaker 1: Nol that physical media was sold for silver, along with 435 00:25:28,000 --> 00:25:32,520 Speaker 1: all the other unused RKO footage. Their system was to 436 00:25:32,760 --> 00:25:36,920 Speaker 1: sell leftover film after a movie had been out for 437 00:25:37,000 --> 00:25:40,520 Speaker 1: six months, so it was just another income stream for them. 438 00:25:40,840 --> 00:25:43,639 Speaker 1: And we know that Wells had his own print of 439 00:25:43,640 --> 00:25:46,800 Speaker 1: the film on thirty five millimeter. He gave it away 440 00:25:46,840 --> 00:25:50,119 Speaker 1: to someone in while he was in Brazil. So right now, 441 00:25:50,840 --> 00:25:55,439 Speaker 1: as far as cinophiles and historians know, there are no 442 00:25:55,840 --> 00:26:00,400 Speaker 1: copies of the original one hundred and thirty two minute 443 00:26:00,000 --> 00:26:08,960 Speaker 1: but there's a bit of a conspiracy. There's a bit 444 00:26:09,000 --> 00:26:12,679 Speaker 1: of speculation that's somewhere out there in the hinterlands of 445 00:26:12,720 --> 00:26:17,040 Speaker 1: Brazil there's one copy and there's like one guy who 446 00:26:17,080 --> 00:26:19,280 Speaker 1: somehow hasn't sold it for silver. 447 00:26:19,520 --> 00:26:24,359 Speaker 2: Which isn't too far out of precedents, you know, Like 448 00:26:24,400 --> 00:26:28,400 Speaker 2: I believe it was Fritz Lang's Metropolis that was found 449 00:26:28,760 --> 00:26:32,520 Speaker 2: in some obscure museum in South America, like the original 450 00:26:32,600 --> 00:26:34,880 Speaker 2: print of that. So I mean, these things have been 451 00:26:34,920 --> 00:26:37,560 Speaker 2: known to happen, you know. But again this is where 452 00:26:37,640 --> 00:26:40,000 Speaker 2: we're talking about the version that has the kind of 453 00:26:40,119 --> 00:26:44,000 Speaker 2: more dire ending that that the you know, was in 454 00:26:44,480 --> 00:26:47,520 Speaker 2: keeping with Wells vision as opposed to the recut and 455 00:26:47,640 --> 00:26:50,679 Speaker 2: reshot you know, ending that the studio insisted upon to 456 00:26:50,840 --> 00:26:54,320 Speaker 2: kind of more appease the general audiences and maybe would 457 00:26:54,320 --> 00:26:56,960 Speaker 2: not have gone for the dour kind of ending. 458 00:26:57,400 --> 00:27:01,199 Speaker 1: Absolutely, and people were speculating about this for quite a 459 00:27:01,520 --> 00:27:05,120 Speaker 1: long time. How can we find this original cut of 460 00:27:05,160 --> 00:27:10,760 Speaker 1: this film? The search continued, the speculation continued, until a 461 00:27:10,840 --> 00:27:16,520 Speaker 1: guy named Robert Carringer hits the scene. He has reconstructed 462 00:27:16,960 --> 00:27:17,840 Speaker 1: the Amberson. 463 00:27:17,960 --> 00:27:18,600 Speaker 2: This is cool. 464 00:27:18,680 --> 00:27:24,679 Speaker 1: Yeah. He releases this on Criterion LaserDisc in nineteen eighty six, 465 00:27:24,840 --> 00:27:28,440 Speaker 1: and the package when you buy it includes the script 466 00:27:28,760 --> 00:27:32,080 Speaker 1: with the writing out of the ending. You can see 467 00:27:32,119 --> 00:27:36,879 Speaker 1: some of the deleted scenes courtesy of included storyboards, and 468 00:27:36,920 --> 00:27:39,240 Speaker 1: then you can also they did some really cool They 469 00:27:39,280 --> 00:27:43,760 Speaker 1: include fragments of that earlier film that inspired Orson Wells. 470 00:27:44,800 --> 00:27:47,879 Speaker 1: It's not the whole thing, but you can see snippets 471 00:27:47,880 --> 00:27:50,480 Speaker 1: of the silent version of Pampered Youth. 472 00:27:52,080 --> 00:27:55,440 Speaker 2: Yeah, it's pretty cool he was using the I guess 473 00:27:55,440 --> 00:27:58,920 Speaker 2: you call it like a continuity script, or maybe it's 474 00:27:59,359 --> 00:28:02,360 Speaker 2: just a really detailed shooting script, you know that has 475 00:28:03,000 --> 00:28:07,320 Speaker 2: descriptions of every shot, every frame. A truly good screenwriter 476 00:28:07,800 --> 00:28:11,760 Speaker 2: will literally describe what you are seeing in the end product. 477 00:28:11,760 --> 00:28:14,159 Speaker 2: If you've never had a chance to like read a 478 00:28:14,200 --> 00:28:16,840 Speaker 2: script for a film that you've enjoyed, it's worth it. 479 00:28:16,880 --> 00:28:19,600 Speaker 2: Like a really good example is you can find this 480 00:28:19,720 --> 00:28:23,240 Speaker 2: online if anyone's seen the film uncut Gems there's an 481 00:28:23,400 --> 00:28:25,800 Speaker 2: excellent sequence at the end do almost give anything away, 482 00:28:25,840 --> 00:28:28,480 Speaker 2: but that involves like sort of this like spacey kind 483 00:28:28,480 --> 00:28:32,159 Speaker 2: of like you know, journey through a bullet hole into 484 00:28:32,240 --> 00:28:36,200 Speaker 2: like you know, this crazy starry night sky thing. And 485 00:28:36,560 --> 00:28:40,520 Speaker 2: it's described verbatim, word for word, exactly what you see. 486 00:28:40,560 --> 00:28:42,800 Speaker 2: And it's really cool because that's another example of the 487 00:28:42,880 --> 00:28:46,120 Speaker 2: softie brothers wrote the script and they're also the director, 488 00:28:46,200 --> 00:28:48,400 Speaker 2: so they're thinking about all of this. So a truly 489 00:28:49,040 --> 00:28:51,400 Speaker 2: expertly written screenplay is going to have all this. And 490 00:28:51,440 --> 00:28:56,120 Speaker 2: that's what carring Jury used in The Magnificent Ambersen's a reconstruction, 491 00:28:56,520 --> 00:29:01,280 Speaker 2: and so he's able to use that detail to reconstruct 492 00:29:01,280 --> 00:29:03,400 Speaker 2: it with I guess Ben, you maybe describe it off 493 00:29:03,440 --> 00:29:04,680 Speaker 2: Mike when we were talking about that as sort of 494 00:29:04,720 --> 00:29:08,760 Speaker 2: like a moving thumbnails, a moving thumbnail. Right. 495 00:29:08,800 --> 00:29:12,240 Speaker 1: It gives you, It gives you the gist. Still, people 496 00:29:12,400 --> 00:29:16,200 Speaker 1: don't think, and this is not to denigrate Kringer's excellent work. 497 00:29:16,400 --> 00:29:19,720 Speaker 1: People don't think this is the final cut as Orson 498 00:29:19,760 --> 00:29:24,800 Speaker 1: Wells envisioned it, because he was still continually sending those 499 00:29:24,920 --> 00:29:29,880 Speaker 1: editing notes and cuts from Brazil, right, so we don't 500 00:29:30,000 --> 00:29:33,640 Speaker 1: know how far along he got. We just know that 501 00:29:33,760 --> 00:29:40,400 Speaker 1: Kringer as of today has the most comprehensive understanding of 502 00:29:40,480 --> 00:29:46,880 Speaker 1: what the Magnificent Amberson's could have been. And Caringer also 503 00:29:47,080 --> 00:29:50,520 Speaker 1: has some opinions on those multiple versions of the story 504 00:29:50,560 --> 00:29:56,520 Speaker 1: that we mentioned earlier. Caringer's book argues that Wells participated 505 00:29:56,760 --> 00:30:02,360 Speaker 1: in this drastic re editing of the Ambersons and proposes 506 00:30:02,440 --> 00:30:07,840 Speaker 1: that orson Wells had ordered even more drastic cuts than 507 00:30:08,000 --> 00:30:08,680 Speaker 1: the studio. 508 00:30:09,320 --> 00:30:11,840 Speaker 2: That's right, and that you know, again kind of goes 509 00:30:11,920 --> 00:30:14,240 Speaker 2: to what we were talking about earlier, is how maybe 510 00:30:15,120 --> 00:30:18,080 Speaker 2: Wells wanted to spin it as the studio was sort 511 00:30:18,120 --> 00:30:20,960 Speaker 2: of taking away his agency and the you know, stealing 512 00:30:21,000 --> 00:30:23,680 Speaker 2: his movie from him. But ultimately I think he was 513 00:30:23,920 --> 00:30:25,960 Speaker 2: just as in the weeds with like you know, edits 514 00:30:25,960 --> 00:30:28,600 Speaker 2: and stuff as they were. Though granted, maybe his edits 515 00:30:28,640 --> 00:30:32,840 Speaker 2: were like more for an artistic reasons than theirs, which 516 00:30:32,840 --> 00:30:37,160 Speaker 2: were probably more for like general audience kind of viewership reasons. 517 00:30:37,200 --> 00:30:39,960 Speaker 2: So he apparently, you know, we're talking about those cables 518 00:30:39,960 --> 00:30:42,440 Speaker 2: that he was sending for Rio. Some of them were 519 00:30:42,480 --> 00:30:46,280 Speaker 2: like in the thirty five page range of cables, just 520 00:30:46,320 --> 00:30:49,120 Speaker 2: like absolutely jam packed with these editing notes. 521 00:30:49,600 --> 00:30:55,000 Speaker 1: And then there's another controversial charge from Carringer. He seems 522 00:30:55,040 --> 00:31:01,280 Speaker 1: to imply that Orson Wells sabotage the film before it 523 00:31:01,400 --> 00:31:05,120 Speaker 1: ever had an audience due to something called the big cut. 524 00:31:05,640 --> 00:31:10,320 Speaker 1: He proposed some drastic cuts before previews even took place. 525 00:31:11,200 --> 00:31:14,520 Speaker 1: If these cuts ordered by Wells were implemented in the 526 00:31:14,680 --> 00:31:19,280 Speaker 1: print that the audience saw, then Kringer says it could 527 00:31:19,360 --> 00:31:24,440 Speaker 1: explain why the picture performed so badly. But he also 528 00:31:24,560 --> 00:31:27,440 Speaker 1: says if this is true, then we need to completely 529 00:31:27,480 --> 00:31:33,000 Speaker 1: reassess our understanding of the entire history of the film. 530 00:31:33,760 --> 00:31:36,080 Speaker 1: But if you go back to Robert Wise, he says, 531 00:31:36,240 --> 00:31:39,440 Speaker 1: I don't remember any big cut being made. I think 532 00:31:40,080 --> 00:31:43,720 Speaker 1: what those folks saw at that first preview was exactly 533 00:31:43,760 --> 00:31:47,520 Speaker 1: what Orson had greenlit. And so we see that there's 534 00:31:48,720 --> 00:31:50,960 Speaker 1: a lot of different opinions. A lot of people took 535 00:31:51,000 --> 00:31:54,560 Speaker 1: this personally, but regardless of what the ultimate truth is, 536 00:31:55,880 --> 00:32:00,440 Speaker 1: we know that Wells himself was thoroughly shaken by the 537 00:32:00,520 --> 00:32:04,040 Speaker 1: experience of making this film or working with the studio, 538 00:32:04,520 --> 00:32:06,920 Speaker 1: and he was haunted by for the rest of his 539 00:32:07,000 --> 00:32:09,800 Speaker 1: life wondering what could have been. 540 00:32:10,440 --> 00:32:14,040 Speaker 2: Yeah, and it makes sense because he kind of didn't 541 00:32:14,720 --> 00:32:19,760 Speaker 2: really work in the typical Hollywood system at all after this, 542 00:32:19,920 --> 00:32:23,840 Speaker 2: and like he you know RKAO pictures severed ties with him, 543 00:32:24,400 --> 00:32:27,440 Speaker 2: this was kind of seen as the beginnings of his reputation, 544 00:32:27,760 --> 00:32:29,840 Speaker 2: you know, that would kind of follow him for the 545 00:32:29,880 --> 00:32:32,680 Speaker 2: rest of his life as this sort of like neurotic 546 00:32:33,240 --> 00:32:37,680 Speaker 2: auteur who maybe couldn't always finish what he started, like 547 00:32:37,720 --> 00:32:40,080 Speaker 2: I was talking about. You know, he did make some 548 00:32:40,160 --> 00:32:43,560 Speaker 2: other films, like Touch of Evil, which is I haven't seen, 549 00:32:43,600 --> 00:32:46,080 Speaker 2: I've heard it's I've heard it's good. Though. One of 550 00:32:46,080 --> 00:32:49,640 Speaker 2: his is later in life projects that I think probably 551 00:32:50,120 --> 00:32:51,680 Speaker 2: if you guys haven't seen it, and I know you'd 552 00:32:51,720 --> 00:32:55,560 Speaker 2: love it's called Fis for Fake. It's a documentary kind 553 00:32:55,560 --> 00:33:01,880 Speaker 2: of about like illusionists and art forgery, and he himself 554 00:33:02,160 --> 00:33:05,920 Speaker 2: stars in it as this sort of unreliable narrator. And 555 00:33:06,000 --> 00:33:10,040 Speaker 2: there's a fabulous Criterion release of Fis for Fake. I 556 00:33:10,160 --> 00:33:12,440 Speaker 2: highly recommend anybody that wants to get a sense of 557 00:33:12,480 --> 00:33:15,880 Speaker 2: like what Orson's deal was, you can see that because 558 00:33:15,880 --> 00:33:19,920 Speaker 2: it really shows his fascination with illusion his fascination with 559 00:33:20,000 --> 00:33:22,360 Speaker 2: like being able to kind of like trick people, and 560 00:33:22,400 --> 00:33:24,840 Speaker 2: like cinema is trickery at the end of the day, 561 00:33:24,920 --> 00:33:27,640 Speaker 2: like you're being lied to. But you're being lied to 562 00:33:28,000 --> 00:33:30,600 Speaker 2: with your own permission given. You know, like I want 563 00:33:30,640 --> 00:33:33,600 Speaker 2: you to take me on a ride, that's literally signing 564 00:33:33,720 --> 00:33:35,440 Speaker 2: up to be lied to. I mean, it's a weird 565 00:33:35,480 --> 00:33:36,360 Speaker 2: way of putting it. 566 00:33:36,440 --> 00:33:40,479 Speaker 1: Well, it's valid when I've always thought that when someone 567 00:33:40,560 --> 00:33:44,360 Speaker 1: is lying, and when both people in the conversation know 568 00:33:45,360 --> 00:33:50,160 Speaker 1: that someone is lying, then what happens often is pretty 569 00:33:50,200 --> 00:33:53,800 Speaker 1: close to the truth. Right, that's when you are aware 570 00:33:53,800 --> 00:33:59,320 Speaker 1: of the deceit. Speaking of pretentious quotes and philosophies, here's 571 00:33:59,320 --> 00:34:01,960 Speaker 1: what Well had to say when he was asked about 572 00:34:02,120 --> 00:34:06,360 Speaker 1: RKO and the Ambersons. He says, they destroyed Amberson's and 573 00:34:06,440 --> 00:34:11,640 Speaker 1: the picture itself destroyed me. It's a little melodramatic, sure, 574 00:34:12,640 --> 00:34:15,480 Speaker 1: but the film did lose money. It lost six hundred 575 00:34:15,480 --> 00:34:19,040 Speaker 1: and twenty five thousand dollars it all, and it just 576 00:34:19,239 --> 00:34:24,560 Speaker 1: added to earlier controversy and problems RKO had. You know, 577 00:34:25,120 --> 00:34:29,600 Speaker 1: Citizen Kane is somewhat inspired by a guy named William 578 00:34:29,760 --> 00:34:33,400 Speaker 1: Randolph Hurst in a way that William randolph Hurst was 579 00:34:33,600 --> 00:34:37,680 Speaker 1: very not happy about, and so he was beefed up 580 00:34:37,880 --> 00:34:44,160 Speaker 1: with the RKO studio already and again because of this, 581 00:34:44,800 --> 00:34:51,120 Speaker 1: Hollywood started to resent orson Wells, the Golden Child was 582 00:34:51,280 --> 00:34:56,960 Speaker 1: less and less golden. Eventually, RKO severs their relationship with 583 00:34:57,080 --> 00:35:00,279 Speaker 1: Wells as a result of the Ambersons. And and like 584 00:35:00,320 --> 00:35:03,920 Speaker 1: you said, he never works in the mainstream movie industry. 585 00:35:04,440 --> 00:35:04,880 Speaker 2: Again. 586 00:35:05,280 --> 00:35:07,080 Speaker 1: He would go on to make a lot of other 587 00:35:07,160 --> 00:35:12,480 Speaker 1: cool films, but if you look at his career, this 588 00:35:12,719 --> 00:35:16,840 Speaker 1: was the deciding factor here, and it set Wells on 589 00:35:17,000 --> 00:35:22,360 Speaker 1: the path to becoming the character he is known as 590 00:35:22,480 --> 00:35:25,400 Speaker 1: an American society today, the guy on the Paul and 591 00:35:25,440 --> 00:35:29,360 Speaker 1: the saw wine commercials, the fish sticks and frozen peas 592 00:35:29,440 --> 00:35:33,360 Speaker 1: were talking about. He became sort of a caricature. 593 00:35:33,920 --> 00:35:36,960 Speaker 2: That's right. It's interesting, isn't it, because you know, this 594 00:35:37,120 --> 00:35:39,200 Speaker 2: is the last kind of guy who you would ever 595 00:35:39,280 --> 00:35:42,399 Speaker 2: think would resort to doing fish stick commercials. I mean, 596 00:35:42,400 --> 00:35:45,400 Speaker 2: it's just like he obviously he had to eat, you know, 597 00:35:45,520 --> 00:35:49,000 Speaker 2: and he seemed to enjoy doing so that's too high 598 00:35:49,000 --> 00:35:53,920 Speaker 2: I can relate. But he it seems like another kind 599 00:35:53,960 --> 00:35:56,719 Speaker 2: of like you know, fall from grace, you know, like 600 00:35:56,840 --> 00:35:59,000 Speaker 2: to have to resort to that. Maybe he didn't care, 601 00:35:59,280 --> 00:36:01,439 Speaker 2: maybe he does want to be comfortable in a whole 602 00:36:01,480 --> 00:36:03,960 Speaker 2: court and you know, you know, there there's actually a 603 00:36:04,000 --> 00:36:08,640 Speaker 2: really interesting quote here from a director named Henry Jaglam, 604 00:36:08,920 --> 00:36:12,960 Speaker 2: who is actually one of Wells's you know, closest personal 605 00:36:13,000 --> 00:36:16,600 Speaker 2: friends in those days, and he says, referring to Amberson's 606 00:36:16,600 --> 00:36:18,840 Speaker 2: he said to me repeatedly that anything bad that happened 607 00:36:18,880 --> 00:36:23,520 Speaker 2: to him in the next thirty forty years derived from Amberson's. 608 00:36:22,920 --> 00:36:24,680 Speaker 1: And I mean, you say that all the time. 609 00:36:24,880 --> 00:36:28,640 Speaker 2: I do say that. But Henry Jaglam is really interesting 610 00:36:28,640 --> 00:36:32,239 Speaker 2: director in his own right. And his daughter, Sabrina, is 611 00:36:32,280 --> 00:36:34,279 Speaker 2: someone that I work with. I've worked with on a 612 00:36:34,280 --> 00:36:37,440 Speaker 2: couple of podcasts. He's been a showrunner for a show 613 00:36:37,480 --> 00:36:41,080 Speaker 2: called a wheel Woman about like this incredible story of 614 00:36:42,160 --> 00:36:44,840 Speaker 2: a real life, you know, getaway driver for the mob 615 00:36:44,880 --> 00:36:48,520 Speaker 2: who used to be a Kodak girl like in the sixties, 616 00:36:48,560 --> 00:36:51,120 Speaker 2: and it is her incredible story and also a show 617 00:36:51,120 --> 00:36:54,200 Speaker 2: that we're working on right now. But Sabrina mentioned to 618 00:36:54,239 --> 00:36:56,120 Speaker 2: me once that her father kind of like hung out 619 00:36:56,120 --> 00:36:59,520 Speaker 2: with with Orson Wells a lot in his latter days. 620 00:36:59,680 --> 00:37:01,600 Speaker 2: And this is then I saw this come up in 621 00:37:01,600 --> 00:37:03,760 Speaker 2: some of the research and I was like, that's cool. 622 00:37:04,080 --> 00:37:06,080 Speaker 1: Also, while we're talking about other podcasts, if you want 623 00:37:06,080 --> 00:37:09,080 Speaker 1: to learn more about that seth Rogan film and the 624 00:37:09,560 --> 00:37:14,080 Speaker 1: pandemonium that followed geopolitically. Check out our Stuff They Don't 625 00:37:14,080 --> 00:37:16,799 Speaker 1: Want you know episode on that from a few years ago. 626 00:37:16,960 --> 00:37:22,520 Speaker 1: It gets really weird. There's hacking involved, there's speculation about biodiversity, 627 00:37:22,640 --> 00:37:25,279 Speaker 1: the DMZ, it's it's got everything. 628 00:37:25,560 --> 00:37:32,440 Speaker 2: But for now, there's a big leak right somber. 629 00:37:32,080 --> 00:37:34,600 Speaker 3: And so interesting that when Sony got hacked. 630 00:37:34,880 --> 00:37:38,399 Speaker 1: Yes, it's when Sony got hacked, So do check that out. 631 00:37:39,280 --> 00:37:46,160 Speaker 1: We can't wait to dive into more obscure, ridiculous film history. 632 00:37:46,200 --> 00:37:49,920 Speaker 1: We hope you enjoy today's episode. Big big thanks to 633 00:37:50,480 --> 00:37:55,720 Speaker 1: Max Kubrick, Williams, Big big thanks to our own William 634 00:37:55,800 --> 00:38:00,640 Speaker 1: Randolph Hurst, Jonathan Strickland aka the Quister, and Noel Big 635 00:38:00,719 --> 00:38:03,600 Speaker 1: big thanks to you man. I'm really excited about the 636 00:38:03,719 --> 00:38:08,799 Speaker 1: ridiculous history cinematic universe. Ben Thompson from Badass of the Week. 637 00:38:09,040 --> 00:38:11,160 Speaker 1: I just re listened to that episode. 638 00:38:11,560 --> 00:38:12,600 Speaker 2: He vibes with us. 639 00:38:12,800 --> 00:38:15,400 Speaker 1: Oh yeah, I love that action montage of Max. Just 640 00:38:15,520 --> 00:38:17,920 Speaker 1: you know, I know, I love bombing you a little, 641 00:38:17,920 --> 00:38:21,319 Speaker 1: but it's such a great job on that montage to Thanks. 642 00:38:21,440 --> 00:38:24,040 Speaker 2: Very fun and speaking of vibes, you can also check 643 00:38:24,040 --> 00:38:26,439 Speaker 2: out a recent episode of our sister podcast that Ben 644 00:38:26,480 --> 00:38:30,280 Speaker 2: and I do with our buddy Matt Frederick about Vibes. 645 00:38:30,400 --> 00:38:34,759 Speaker 2: Not the genius nineteen eighties film I Got It, Ben, 646 00:38:34,800 --> 00:38:37,719 Speaker 2: thank you, but just about the concept of like what 647 00:38:37,960 --> 00:38:41,520 Speaker 2: is intuition? You know? Can we read body language? Can 648 00:38:41,600 --> 00:38:45,480 Speaker 2: we perceive these things? Is it some form of precognition 649 00:38:45,920 --> 00:38:48,520 Speaker 2: or is it just survival instinct? Check out the stuff 650 00:38:48,520 --> 00:38:50,600 Speaker 2: that I want you to an episode on Vibes. 651 00:38:51,280 --> 00:38:55,239 Speaker 1: And while you're checking out all these things, we have 652 00:38:55,440 --> 00:38:59,560 Speaker 1: a couple of just very very light spoilers for you 653 00:38:59,600 --> 00:39:04,040 Speaker 1: to in when we explore the stories of pirates having 654 00:39:04,120 --> 00:39:08,160 Speaker 1: a government. Tune in as we get further into the 655 00:39:08,200 --> 00:39:10,760 Speaker 1: weeds of etymology. 656 00:39:10,000 --> 00:39:13,920 Speaker 2: And of course no food history. I can't wait. We'll 657 00:39:13,920 --> 00:39:23,560 Speaker 2: see you next time, folks. For more podcasts from iHeartRadio, 658 00:39:23,640 --> 00:39:26,839 Speaker 2: visit the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen 659 00:39:26,920 --> 00:39:27,960 Speaker 2: to your favorite shows.