Touch Of Evil (1958)

A touch of laughter?

Two stars for the story that's somehow interesting, the rest is rather laughable.
The great Orson Wells looks like a cartoon character, Marlene Dietrich looks simply ridiculous and Charlton Heston a mexican? POR FAVOR!!
The rest of the cast are like a joke,the Mexican villains are simply offensive.
What a waste of a good cast. September 5, 2008

A great Movie?

Two star for the story, I thought that it was quite interesting, but all these good actors acting SOOOO BADLY.
Orson wells was like a cartoon character, Charlton Heston a mexican? Por favor! and the rest of the actors all look like a joke.
Marlene Dietrich looked ridiculous.
When you are watching a good movie you "get into it" and forget that you are looking at a screen, but in this case I knew at all times that I was watching a bunch of people "acting" and quite badly in spite of their
movie and stage pedigrees.

September 1, 2008

Excellent Movie

Great movie, brilliant directing by Orson Welles.

Dennis Weaver as a mentally unstable night clerk is not to be missed.

Charlton Heston and Janet Leigh are matched up perfectly.

Orson Welles as a somewhat detestable, honest yet corrupt police officer is brilliantly portrayed.

Highly recommended. August 15, 2008

Henry Mancini's Evil Touch

Finally, the last true film noir gets the treatment it deserves. It goes without saying that 8 years ago Universal did a great job, when 'Touch Of Evil' was released in a version restored to Orson Welles' original vision. However, butchered as it may have been when the studio took it away from Welles back in 1958, I still have fond memories of the theatrical version, especially the famous opening sequence.
In this sequence, which was filmed in one continuous take lasting 3 minutes and 20 seconds, the camera follows a car with a bomb in its trunk that eventually will explode, just after the car has passed the Mexican-American border. On the soundtrack of the theatrical version, this sequence was accompanied by an evil oozing theme written by Henry Mancini, full of rattling congas and a menacing dialogue between the horns.
For the restored version, Mancini's title theme has been skipped. Welles felt the threatening atmosphere would be better established by sound effects and source music coming from the surroundings, such as car radios, footsteps, and snippets of dialogue.
In my opinion, both versions have their merit. Compare them in this 50th anniversary edition (which also includes the preview version), and you'll agree that both Welles and Mancini had an evil touch. July 16, 2008

Technically Great, But Lacking Citizen Kane's Insights Into Human Nature

This is breath-takingly good, particularly the famous opening shot of the car bomb, Heston's performance, and great supporting work by Dietrich and Weaver. I find Wells' acting to be a bit overdone in the role as the "heavy" (in more ways than one).

I was disappointed, however, in the failure of the film to explore the ambiguities of human nature and to offer the insight into human nature that Citizen Kane does. I don't agree with commentators who would put "Touch of Evil" in the same category as "Citizen Kane." Citizen Kane is like a great novel which reveals new insights with each viewing. But apart from greater appreciation of Wells' technical genius, I don't think re-viewing of this movie offers us any new insights. The characters and the story here are a bit one-dimensional, at least in comparision with Citizen Kane.

The bonus material on the DVD is very disappointing. There is no commentary. But it is great to have on DVD the version that most resembles that intended by Wells. July 8, 2008

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