For anyone who says Orson Welles made one good movie and never did again, you are a horribly misinformed person. Welles was a genius, pushing what the medium could do with nearly every film he made. One of these gems has been criminally under seen, mainly due to the fact it is extremely difficult to find. This is his ode to one of William Shakespeare‘s greatest creations, Falstaff. The film: Chimes at Midnight.
It will be screening across the world throughout the month of May in theaters. You can look here to see if it is playing near you. Thankfully, it is playing here in Austin. Following those screenings, Chimes at Midnight will hit DVD and Blu-ray on June 29. I, for one, am extremely excited about this, though, the home release seems to be only for the UK… for now… Hopefully Kino, Olive, Cohen or Criterion will pick it up for a U.S. release.
Chimes at Midnight condenses the plays Richard II, Henry IV, Parts I and II, Henry V, and The Merry Wives of Windsor, making Falstaff, played by Welles, the central character. Keith Baxter, John Gielgud, Jeanne Moreau, and Margaret Rutherford also star in the film.
If you haven’t seen it, please seek it out. If you have, watch it again. Also, you can watch the trailer for the 50th Anniversary release below.
