Welles Week: Drunk

You don't get that size as a drunk, unless you're a total lush. Welles, most certainly was, a lush.

Here now are some Drunk gems:

It's an odd, awful and un-needed argument, but where are the talented drug-users these days? Yes, they all died sadly, but where are the Hustons, Cassavettes, Bukowskis and Reeds? Earlier today I saw a doc on the making of "Natural Born Killers" where Oliver Stone brags about his shroom consumption and damn the torpedo attitude. It got me wondering about drug use and art these days. I'm not saying it makes work better necessarily, but, interesting and unique, it does.

Also, imagine what Robert Altman's work would have been like, had he not spent every day on rye and mash.

I don't know. Maybe I should take up oxicontin? I spell that right?

Welles was a fish, but a talented, worthwhile one. Even if he was a pain in the ass to deal with. His final years may seem tragic nowadays, but it seems standard for the period, and only enabling of his talents more so.

Welles Week: Frozen Peas

Tonight, I'm proud to present the infamous, crumb-crisp commercial of Orson Welles schilling for: Frozen Peas.

Why Welles week?

Last week, I saw "Lady from Shanghai," which followed "F for Fake" from several weeks earlier. Both fascinating, one was stellar enough to provoke me to look into the guy. I've only seen so little of his work. I'd love to see "Mr. Arkadin," and I want to watch "Touch of Evil." Welles was very much appeared to be a tortured genius once you read into how every single one of his films were butchered and broken by studios.

But, that doesn't mean we can't appreciate just how odd this guy was. And at the moment, I'm interested in his odd later years, with voice work for "Transformers," his stints in "Casino Royale" and "The Muppet Movie," and my favorite, under-explored pop cultural entity:

"This is a lot of shit. You know that." - Mr. Welles.