Dear Mark, after several missed opportunities I’ve finally seen your latest film The Eyes of Orson Welles. I’ve had so many opportunities this year to see it, firstly at Edinburgh, then Galway and more recently at the Strand Cinema here in Belfast. But on each occasion fate clearly had other plans for me, so I was starting to think I’d never get the chance to see it on a big screen.

Finally though on a wet and miserable Friday afternoon last week, I set out like a man on a mission to watch your film at the Queen’s Film Theatre, on the day it reopened after a summer-long refurb. I’m glad I braved the rain because I really enjoyed it.

The QFT is looking great by the way, I think you’ll love what they’ve done with the place.

[imdb]http://www.imdb.com/title/tt8371772/ [/imdb]

I’ve always been a big fan of your work, I loved both What Is This Film Called Love and The First Movie, but I’ll hold my hands up at this point and admit I haven’t been a fan of your last few films, they just didn’t work for me. I Am Belfast in particular, felt so uneven, like a film made by someone who’d had his heart broken by this city, but was now falling over himself to convince himself that he still loved her and she’d never break his heart again.

That said, there was a moment within the film that has stayed with me ever since I first watched it. I thought when you admitted that in your past you felt like there was a time when you’d given up on this city was such a profoundly sad statement to hear anyone say. Granted I didn’t grow up here during the height of the Troubles, so maybe I can’t fully understand your mindset, but as bad as things got here, I’ve never felt like giving up on Belfast.

Maybe one day we could sit down and chat about it, I’d love to hear you talk about that moment, but more importantly how you found yourself falling back in love with the city. Maybe that’s what I wanted from I Am Belfast, something much more personal, something more like this film.

Watching The Eyes of Orson Welles reminded me of your BBC series Scene by Scene when you’d interview a variety of directors and discuss their back-catalogue. Your work on that series along with The Story of Film and your introductions on Moviedrome were some of the main reasons why I started to think of movies as much more than mere pixels on a screen

You alongside Mark Kermode, back in the day when he was on BBC Radio One with Mark and Lard were two of the main reasons why I decided to pursue a career within film criticism, so in many ways, you’re both equally to blame for Banterflix ever existing.

I can only imagine what an episode of Scene by Scene would’ve looked like if you’d had the chance to sit down with Orson, well I’d imagine it would’ve looked a lot like this.

A Heartfelt love-letter to a filmmaker you clearly admire

It’s such an open and heartfelt love letter to a man you clearly have an enormous respect and admiration for, watching it reminded me of that time several years ago when I nervously interviewed you about I Am Belfast and we briefly discussed Welles.

You’d mentioned in an interview I’d read somewhere at the time that you’d read and reread the screenplay for Citizen Kane repeatedly before ever watching the film, so when I asked you how it felt when to watch the film, I remember the passion in your answer and sheer reference you had fo Welles’ work! That passion is evident in every frame of this film Mark.

I’ve always admired your approach to film criticism; you look at cinema with an artist’s eye, less interested in a film’s technical attributes, but more so in its artistic quality. Since art is such an important aspect of this film your style suited it perfectly as you explored Welles’ cinematic psyche through a selection of his paintings and sketches you’d come into possession of.

This style won’t be for everyone, I completely get that and I’m sure your film will divide viewer opinion, but for me, I found it a much more engaging and accessible way of looking at Welles’ work than a mere retrospective documentary. Your film is clearly interested in the art and politics of the man and sometimes the politics of his art, when we look at Welles as an artist and not just as a filmmaker we get a better sense of the passion and mischief that lurked within those eyes.

I’ve seen on Twitter that you’d got custom trainers made with Welles’ name on them to wear as you took the film on its festival tour and when I was over at the Edinburgh Film Festival earlier this year I overheard you telling someone at the Filmhouse you’d even been given a pair of his socks to wear at the film’s screening that night.

I wasn’t stalking you I promise, I just happened to be there meeting an old friend for a drink, but I’ve got a sense from watching this film and hearing you talk about it that making this movie has helped you get closer to one of your heroes and I’d love to know how that made you feel. Welles’ mystique has grown tenfold since his passing in 1985, your film definitely attempts to explain why that’s the case, but do you think your own preconceptions of the man were challenged throughout the process of making this film?

A Film Filled With Questions That Will Never be Answered

There was a moment within the film that really threatened to pull me out of this positive viewing experience when your love-letter to Welles got a response from beyond the grave. Weirdly it made me feel a little sad for you because you’ll never get the answers to the questions you’ve asked within your letter.

If you hoped this film would get people interested in Welles’ work again then I think it’s definitely done that job for me. If I’m honest I’ve really only dabbled with Welles’ back-catalogue, but you’ve encouraged to watch much of it.

I’ve seen many of his big-hitters like Citizen Kane, The Lady from Shanghai and Touch of Evil. but I’m definitely gonna sit down and watch more of his films, particularly his Shakespearean adaptations. Your film has really whet my appetite for the release of The Other Side of the Wind on Netflix later this year.

So in closing Mark, you’re right in your belief that the world has become much more ‘Wellsian’ these days, it would be amazing to think what a filmmaker like Welles, with all his craft and skill, would be doing if he were still alive today.

I really enjoyed this film Mark, it’s reminded me of the things I like about your own ‘unique’ style, keep making your films in your own distinctive way! I can’t always promise to like them, but I’m glad there’s a filmmaker out there like you in the world.

If Werner Herzog sees only chaos and hostility through his lens, then Mark you’re the flip of the coin, a filmmaker who actively seeks out the art and beauty in the world with his camera.

Yours Sincerely

Jim