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Friday, July 26
6:00pm – Cocktail Party
7:00pm – Introduction & Screening
9:00pm – Post-screening Q&A
Ticket includes two complimentary drinks at the 6pm cocktail hour & a themed gift bag
$20 /General Admission
$15 /FACETS Members
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★★★★ – “This is a magnificent film, clearly among Welles’ greatest work” – Roger Ebert
Experience the new 6K restoration of Orson Welles’ Chimes at Midnight using the Harry Saltzman master negative. The screening will be preceded by an introduction from film critic Jonathan Rosenbaum and the film restorer, Michael Dawson.
Chimes at Midnight is a 1965 film directed by Orson Welles, based on several plays by William Shakespeare, mainly “Henry IV, Part 1″ and ” Henry IV, Part 2″, and elements from “Henry V” and Ralph Holinshed’s The Chronicles of England. The film is a masterpiece of cinematic storytelling, weaving together various scenes and characters from Shakespeare’s plays to create a unique narrative.
The story follows the character of Sir John Falstaff (played by Orson Welles himself), a charismatic and morally ambiguous figure who is a close friend and companion to King Henry IV (played by Keith Baxter). The film takes place during the final days of King Henry IV’s reign, as the king’s health begins to decline.
The story revolves around Falstaff’s adventures with his loyal companions, including the young Prince Hal (played by John Baxter), who is struggling with his own identity and sense of purpose. As the king’s health worsens, Falstaff becomes increasingly disillusioned with the changing times and the new generation of courtiers who are rising to power.
Throughout the film, Welles employs his innovative cinematography and editing techniques to create a dreamlike atmosphere, blending Shakespearean drama with 16th-century settings and characters. The result is a richly textured and deeply human exploration of themes such as loyalty, friendship, power, and mortality.
Welles said that the core of the film’s story was “betrayal of friendship.” It stars Welles as Falstaff, Keith Baxter as John Gielgud as Henry IV, Jeanne Moreau as Doll Tearsheet, and Margaret Rutherford as Mistress Quickly.
Chimes at Midnight is widely regarded as one of Welles’ greatest works, and it continues to be celebrated for its unique blend of cinematic artistry and Shakespearean drama.
Directed by Orson Welles, 1965, Spain/Switzerland, DCP, 115 mins.
EVENT DETAILS
Join us before the screening for a pre-show cocktail party featuring Sack, the Portuguese sherry wine favored by Welles’s character Falstaff. The film will be introduced by film critic Jonathan Rosenbaum, and it will be followed by a post-show Q&A with Rosenbaum and film restorer Michael Dawson.
Gift bag will include 4 production stills from Chimes at Midnight, the 6k remaster press release, a written history of Sack, the Portuguese sherry wine, a dialogue comparison between the film and original Shakespeare text, a rolled 11×17 poster, and two drink tickets for Sack at the pre-show reception.
JONATHAN ROSENBAUM
Jonathan Rosenbaum was the lead film critic for the Chicago Reader from 1987 to 2008. His most recent and longest book, collecting his uncollected film, literature, and jazz criticism, is In Dreams Begin Responsibilities: A Jonathan Rosenbaum Reader.
MICHAEL DAWSON
Michael graduated from Southern Illinois University with a Bachelor of Science degree in both film production and film history, theory & criticism. He has over forty years experience in all aspects of the motion picture industry, ranging from production to distribution and exhibition. He has worked on numerous feature films.
Michael was president of Intermission Productions Ltd. (IPL) from 1983 to 2005. He has been manager of the Cinedustrial Group from 2005 to present. Through these companies he has produced numerous commercials, documentaries, music videos and industrials.
In 1992 in partnership with Orson Welles’ daughter Beatrice Welles and the Othello Partnership, Michael co-produced the restoration of Welles’ Othello. This restoration made use of the original camera negative located in a warehouse in New Jersey.
In the late 1990s, IPL utilized a digital restoration software known as RS2 to beta test client product line. It was developed by the University of Singapore and funded by the Singapore government. It was one of the first algorithmic restoration systems to detect and remove base abrasions, emulsion chipping and scratches.. The system became known as Revival and was purchased by DaVinci.
In 2008 at the Chicago studio I-Cubed, Michael restored Stanley Kubrick’s first three shorts, The Flying Padre, Day of the Fight and Seafarers. These restorations were done with the aid of Stanley Kubrick’s assistant, the late Leon Vitali.
The 6K Restoration of Welles’ Chimes at Midnight was produced in partnership with producer Harry Saltzman’s widow Adriana and C.A.M. LLC.