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Touch Of Evil | Year: 1958 Classification: Thriller Directed: - Orson Welles Actors/Actresses: - Charlton Heston - Janet Leigh - Orson Welles a film noir masterpiece While not as highly regarded as Citizen Kane, Touch of Evil is arguably Welles' second greatest film and now it is being presented as the filmmaker had originally intended it to be. Included on the DVD is his 58-page memo to Universal Studios detailing all the changes he wanted to be made to their compromised version of the film. As it stands now, this is an amazing film with some of the most impressive deep focus photography ever put to screen. The depth of field that Welles creates is astounding. Touch of Evil is also probably one of the last of classic film noirs produced by Hollywood and was a great way to end this period of the genre. A lot of people poo-poo the casting of Charlton Heston as a Mexican (?!) government muckty-muck and to be sure that was some really odd bit of casting but he's perfectly cast as the straight-arrow good guy of the film. But he's totally blown off the screen by Welles' corrupt sheriff who simply steals every scene he is in. Janet Leigh, stunning as ever, is also really good as Heston's beleaguered wife. What I like best about this film is the moody atmosphere that permeates every scene -- even the daylight ones. It draws you into this corrupt, cynical world and never lets go. Essential viewing. Classic Film in Classic Format The release of Orson Welles' classic TOUCH OF EVIL in a spiffed up, impressive Collector's Edition is reason enough for fans of the suspenseful mystery to jump for joy. Truth to tell, the film has never looked (thank you, Universal, for the amamorphic encoding) or sounded better, and this definitive edition of the movie, edited to conform more-or-less to Welles' vision of the piece, is probably as good as the movie will ever be. It's not a masterpiece, not like CITIZEN KANE, certainly, as the picture's story meanders quite a bit, but the famous celebrity cameos that pop up constantly keep viewer interest from lagging at the film's most plodding moments, and Charlton Heston's central performance anchors the film quite wonderfully. Welles himself is fairly hammy, wallowing in his excess weight and scuzzy behavior, but these two stars certainly carry the picture. The extras on the DVD are also welcome though one wishes a "making of" documentary along the lines of the Hitchcock films on DVD would have been produced. The film with its notorious history of cutting and haphazard releases deserves a full chronicle. For fans of the genre and for Welles aficianados, TOUCH OF EVIL is a must! Pulp Fiction Orson Welles may have made the supposed greatest film in history with "Citizen Kane", but the experience virtually ruined him. Ostracised by Hollywood and the press after his insulting portrayal of William Randolph Hearst, he was relegated to making low budget films. Touch of Evil was made in 1958; the last film to be directed by Orson Welles. Unexpectedly given the reins of the film, Welles threw away the script for the planned film, and in just two weeks scratched out a script based on a cheapo pulp fiction novel called "Badge of Evil". The result, as presented now in a restored version (the movie was, like Magnificent Ambersons, butchered by the studio) is quite remarkable. On the one hand, it is definitely pulp, with an extremely rough-and-ready style, gritty elements (this is the only "pot party" you're likely to see in a "great film" from the studio era!) and a very, very low budget. On the other hand, it is a masterpiece. I was extremely impressed by the scene in which (*spoiler!*) Hank Quinlan strangles the Hispanic fellow. I have never seen a movie scene shot like this, especially with the surreal effect of the flashing neon, and the slanting camera. Someone called this the best B film ever made. If you want to see a pulp masterpiece made on the cheap, see Touch of Evil! Buy Touch Of Evil at Amazon.com Buy posters at Allposters.com Jamster - the latest ringtones for your phone!  Search with Walhello on the Internet on Touch Of Evil Search with the Priority Search Engine on Touch Of Evil This page in other languages: Suomeksi | Nederlands | Deutsch
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