You Need to Watch TOUCH OF EVIL

[@bigneon_glitter]

Great inside look, your work is top notch. Learned a number of things about the film I wasn't aware of. _Touch Of Evil_ isn't an easy film to love but it's a film school. It always felt to me like a proto-Scorsese film - the camera, holding a tight focal point & sympatico track with the physical violence, tension, & _emotional_ violence of each shot. Like a Gregg Toland-photographed _Mean Streets_ with Coen-esque character flourishes.

[@gabefranco6572]

I just watched this movie for the first time on Thursday. I was about to watch it the day before but I could only find the theatrical cut online. I was very bummed about it, and assumed it would be the same case as Brazil, I’d just need to buy the physical copy (except with Brazil the theatrical cut is still great). The very next day, I was supposed to go to a music store after my history class, but as soon as I got there I realized that they weren’t going to be open for another hour. I went back to school and hung out at the library, doing nothing until my friend finished his classes, waiting for him so we could go grab lunch. Right before he came down to meet me, I noticed a section of DVDs. And by pure coincidence, one of the first movies I see on the shelf is Touch of Evil. All three versions. Not the most thrilling story probably, but as a movie obsessed nerd, it made my week.

[@JoshuaSutlive]

Glad to hear you got to see it! I’ve definitely been there before with other films trying to hunt down a copy and then finding them in the most unexpected places. I once found a Blu-ray steel book edition of the Ken Russel film Tommy at my local dollar general store. They only have a small rack for movies but for whatever reason, they tend to stock some pretty obscure stuff on there amongst the marvel movies and conjuring films.

[@ericseal4453]

One of my favorite movies!! Totally full of drama, intense dialogue, and just great acting. Charlton Heston and Janet Leigh are great, but Orson Wells is at his best!! Plus I love the atmosphere that the movie takes place in (Always exciting and never dull.) And Henry Mancini's music in this movie is second to none. I always watch this, when its on TCM!! Worth Watching!!

[@mulder006]

Watching Charlton Heston in brown face and speaking awful Spanish was hilarious. Welles was brilliant and the way this is filmed, is important to watch but I don't see this as a classic.

[@lbbotpn5429]

Janet Leigh in a motel room... what could go wrong?

[@zooyawk4526]

Joshua.1st let me say That I enjoyed Your take, and commentary About Touch of evil. I wanted to leave a 👍, and subscribe, Unfortunately I Wasn't able to do either. This is the 1st time I've ran into this type of issue. Any advice on how to do both successfully? PS. I am looking forward to watching Your other vids.

[@JoshuaSutlive]

Wow! I really appreciate that! If you are still having the like and subscribe issue, it may be a glitch on KZbin’s end so the best I can figure is to refresh the page or open a new one and try again later.

[@michaeldeforbes2401]

Well done!. While watching the 1998 cut of this film, I was very aware that I was watching something ahead of it's time, your video articulates well what I was intuitively sensing as a creative person myself. Being a visual thinker, I'd love to see you do a video focusing on the photography of Touch of Evil. The famous three and a half minute opening tracking shot, having the camera weave in and around actors and sets, hand held camera work with Welles' favorite low camera perspective shooting up at the actor, deep focus choreographed storytelling, his use of visual humor juxtaposed against a gritty seamy plot, and of course his wonderful use of black and white chiaroscuro.

[@JoshuaSutlive]

Thanks! I’ve actually been tossing around ideas for some video essays that focus in on a specific aspect of a film or a filmmaker so I will definitely keep that in mind!

[@skyeslaton3435]

Love this movie

[@robertjewell9727]

Just discovered your channel today on my KZbin feed. Whenever I'm asked that ridiculous question What's your favorite movie? I answer, Touch of Evil, from which I often get a blank look. But an excellent personal trivia bit for me is when I was working a huge celebrity party for the opening of Universal Studios in Orlando, Florida at a restaurant called Studio Stars, which was the flagship restaurant there and at a 4-top sitting shoulder to shoulder was Charlton Heston and Janet Leigh and I said to them "Touch of Evil!" and Mr. Heston said with a bit of a sheepish grin, "Not many people remember that film." And I said, "Well, they should." And Ms. Leigh just beamed bright. She was very humble and down to Earth and in my opinion amongst all the other stars that were there even more bright.

[@robertjewell9727]

Oh, and by the way I'd say the films that had the biggest influences on me as a very young lad are 2 very different films, John Ford's My Darling Clementine (1946) and Ray Harryhausen's Jason and the Argonauts (1963).

[@JoshuaSutlive]

Wow! What a cool story! I’ve also run into that problem many a time where I bring up Touch of Evil and people don’t know what I’m talking about. Thankfully, it seems to be getting a little more recognition now that classic films are becoming more and more accessible in high quality. Great picks by the way! John Ford’s probably best known for discovering John Wayne but he really made some incredible films with Henry Fonda and of course it’s also hard to go wrong with classic Ray Harryhausen!

[@carlopanno6307]

I heard that Heston believed that Vargas would have tried to eliminate his native accent to appear more cultured in his position. Arguably, a racist reaction in a racist time - but it makes sense. And among the accomplished actors is Akim Tamiroff. Check him out.

[@JoshuaSutlive]

Great point! That explanation definitely makes sense given the time. I also second the Akim Tamiroff appreciation. He blends into his roles so well, particularly in Welles’ films, that I often forget it’s the same person!

[@julietcunningham852]

The story is based on a book, in which the Heston role is an American, but his WIFE is the Mexican. Welles changed that around.

[@TequilaToothpick]

You liked the night porter guy? I thought he ruined every scene he was in.

[@chrisleonard2287]

Yet another great review thank you

[@willieluncheonette5843]

One of my 3 all time favorite noirs and 13 all time favorite films Stone cold masterpiece that still looks as fresh and amazing as it did over 60 years ago.

[@yakk13]

I wish the gimmick that directors use today to be cool of wiggling the camera all over needs to be over. It started as a way to make fight scenes look more dramatic, like in the Bourne series,but now cheap indie movies are using it the entire movie. Ugh. Hate it. What do you think?

[@JoshuaSutlive]

Yeah I agree. It has its uses and can work given the right reasons but I feel it gets used far too often just to speed up productions and hide mistakes/weak choreography.

[@anitarichmond8930]

To wake up and find something new is a gift that , WOW! How long has this been here? And why didn’t I know about sooner? It’s like a first date that’s all exciting& new but with the passing of time is an old friend faithful, and true. 🎬

[@hankworden3850]

You probably never go on dates...

[@sclogse1]

The film is another world. And now, it's time for SNL to do a parody by layering these archetypes onto the Trump administration. Trump as Quinlan, the rest is easy. Jimminy Glick as Captain Quinlan as Trump.