Movie Directing is the Perfect Refuge for the Mediocre
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Archived from the IMDb Discussion Forums — Orson Welles
berringercross — 9 years ago(September 09, 2016 02:11 PM)
I have often thought that negative comments reflect more about the person who delivers the comment than the object of their derision. Orson Welles once said that movie directing is the perfect refuge for the mediocre. This coming from a man who directed one of the most important accomplishments ever bestowed upon cinema. Were it to be we could all be so mediocre!
I know the history of studios involving themselves in the editing process of Welles' films post-"Citizen Kane" and I'm quite sure that could have jaded his view of the medium. Still, one has to wonder if there was something more personal behind his comment. I wish I could find more information regarding his directorial beliefs.
Pretentious is a three syllable word for any cinematic thought too big for little minds. -
berringercross — 9 years ago(October 12, 2016 11:43 PM)
How do you imagine my comment to be negative, Strazdamonas? I simply wondered if there was more information out there detailing his beliefs regarding directing and if people thought what happened to him in the industry could have affected his views on the medium. You will note, I am sure, that I included these lines in my original post:
"This coming from a man who directed one of the most important accomplishments ever bestowed upon cinema. Were it to be we could all be so mediocre!"
If, on the other hand, you were going for sarcasm due to my signature then it pays to remember sarcastic comments do not translate well at all over the internet.
Pretentious is a three syllable word for any cinematic thought too big for little minds. -
theuserformerlyknownasfrantruff — 9 years ago(October 30, 2016 09:54 PM)
Self-deprecating humor, I think. Nothing more.
We know he had a lot of respect for Ford, Renoir and Griffith, so he obviously didn't mean that every director is mediocre. Given this is the man that was cheerfully calling himself a fraud on "F for Fake", I'd say he was simply making fun of himself with that comment.