Re: What Documentaries Influenced You Most and Why?

[robert reed] "Orson unfortunately read his own press releases and began taking himself much too seriously after Citizen Cane."

When I ran into this closing comment, Robert, I almost spit my coffee onto my keyboard and monitor, laughing. Thanks for near electrocution! ;)

My opinion of Orson Welles has always been one of huge promise as seen in a couple of near-supernova level successes, and then the collapsing into itself of a career more akin to the subsequent blackhole.

Orson Welles has always struck me as a man whose vision started out so acutely when he was young but faded fast as his own personal excesses -- alcohol, etc., etc. -- ate away his talent as quickly as an over-dosing rockstar.

I know many will disagree but Welles has always struck me as a man who took himself far too seriously and let that belief get ahead of his stories towards the end of his career. The preaching got ahead of the message, in my opinion.

But hey, not a soul will remember my name, while his will still be spoken of long long after -- so what does my opinion matter?

Ron Lindeboom