Director Orson Welles gave us the master work of film with Citizen Kane. Sadly,he had difficulties getting films made later in his career. His final film, The Other Side of the Wind, wasn’t completed by the time he died in 1985, though he began shooting it in 1970. Back in May of 2015, an Indiegogo campaign was launched to help complete the film, but it didn’t reach its goal. Netflix has just announced (via AP) that it has acquired the rights to The Other Side of the Wind and that it will finance the restoration of the film and complete it.
Orson Welles’ The Other Side of the Wind is the story of the 70th birthday party of film director Jake Hannaford, who is trying to make a comeback. It shows his film-within-a-film as we slowly learn about the director himself. It shows a cynical view of 1970s Hollywood after the studio system became a thing of the past. It was shot in a number of styles, including black and white, 18, 16 and 35mm, color and still photography. The film starred John Huston, Bob Random, Peter Bogdanovich, Susan Strasberg and Oja Kodar.
Producer Frank Marshall will oversee the finishing of the film.
In a statement, Marshall said:
“I can’t quite believe it, but after 40 years of trying, I am so very grateful for the passion and perseverance from Netflix that has enabled us to, at long last, finally get into the cutting room to finish Orson’s last picture.”
Netflix chief content officer Ted Sarandos reportedly said that he grew up worshiping Welles, so that this is a “point of pride” for himself and for Netflix. Bogdanovich will also help with editing for the film.
