Rating: 
Summary: A dazzling delivery of a compelling message
Review: This one is arguably the most impressive film noir ever made and also Welles' best and most complete work on film. That's right, Citizen Kane pales by comparison. The technical virtuosity of his lens is unmatched. The first time I saw this I hardly noticed the extremely long takes, because the camera work is so fluid and natural. You've heard about the legendary opening sequence, but the interrogation scene is even longer and more impressive, given the cramped setting--I clocked this take at over 5 minutes--amazing! Here is a film that could not be made in color; the impact of the shades of black, white, and gray is exquisite. I've read the book, which is mildly interesting, kind of an OJ-trial story but in the 1950's (actually, it was shot in Venice, California, where you can still see the traces of this film today). But Welles rewrote the script and made it into a compelling statement about the nature of justice and race in America. The acting is impressive. You might be skeptical of casting Charlton Heston as a Mexican government official, but he delivers the goods, and even speaks a credible line or two of dialog in Spanish. Welles is convincing as the subject of the drama, and his clever use of overstepping dialog make the film as realistic as it could be. The "bit players" are magnificent--who would have thought of Marlene Dietrich as a Mexican madam? But here she is in all her glory. Don't miss Dennis Weaver as the rattled motel clerk in what I consider to be his best performance. If you've seen the older version of this film, go buy the new video for sure--it was re-edited per Welles' instructions and now is a much more complete work. The new "director's cut" version gives a more thorough development of Joseph Calleia's character, which is a welcome addition. The screenplay crackles with Welles' vision and stays true to the noir tradition--lines like "I'd like to convince you that I'm not just talking out of the back of my neck" are examples of why Welles' films continue to stand above the crowd. But watch carefully how the camera takes control of your senses. Charlton Heston says that this was the best B-movie ever made. I disagree--it's an A+ all the way.
Rating:
Summary: One of the All-Time Greats
Review: The opening sequence alone is worth the price of the tape
Rating:
Summary: Noir saves the best for last...
Review: Welles shuts the door on the genre known as film noir with this gem. Possibly one of the most impressive looking films ever produced, Touch of Evil communicates a classic Welles dilemma: what is more important, justice or the law? Catch this film just to see the brilliant scene where Welles captures the entire story in one amazing "frame" by juxtaposing Heston as handsome bullfighter and Welles as the doomed, grotesque bull. Don't miss the 1998 re-edited version.
Rating:
Summary: A bizarre, compelling and tense thriller
Review: Set in the sleazy underbelly of a Mexican border town, this film pits good cop Heston against bad cop Welles and sends him over the edge in the process - building up to the finale where a desperate Heston pursues his foe through a backdrop of oil-derricks and wrecked buildings. With its supporting cast of grotesques, its tour-de-force of an opening tracking shot and a chilling performance from Welles himself, this puts modern Hollywood to shame.
Rating:
Summary: Pulp Fiction
Review: Orson Welles may have made the supposed greatest film in history with "Citizen Kane", but the experience virtually ruined him. Ostracised by Hollywood and the press after his insulting portrayal of William Randolph Hearst, he was relegated to making low budget films.Touch of Evil was made in 1958; the last film to be directed by Orson Welles. Unexpectedly given the reins of the film, Welles threw away the script for the planned film, and in just two weeks scratched out a script based on a cheapo pulp fiction novel called "Badge of Evil". The result, as presented now in a restored version (the movie was, like Magnificent Ambersons, butchered by the studio) is quite remarkable. On the one hand, it is definitely pulp, with an extremely rough-and-ready style, gritty elements (this is the only "pot party" you're likely to see in a "great film" from the studio era!) and a very, very low budget. On the other hand, it is a masterpiece. I was extremely impressed by the scene in which (*spoiler!*) Hank Quinlan strangles the Hispanic fellow. I have never seen a movie scene shot like this, especially with the surreal effect of the flashing neon, and the slanting camera.
And who can forget the end of the film, where (spoiler!) Hank Quinlan sits in a pile of garbage in a stream, and tries to cleam blood off his hands? Look at Orson's acting in this scene - truly magnificent. Someone called this the best B film ever made. If you want to see a pulp masterpiece made on the cheap, see Touch of Evil!
Rating:
Summary: 100-Proof Noir
Review: Seedy border town is the setting for this noir classic--justifiably called by a New York Post film critic "The Baroque Cathedral of Film Noir." Orson Welles' entrance as the crass, venal Capt. Quinlan is just one example why this film is a must-see on the big screen--not that this DVD widescreen version is so bad (it's a gem). Quinlan's massive, bloated bulk fills the screen as he climbs out of his car to begin the murder investigation that will soon envelop and taint the film's principal characters--immediately establishing Quinlan as the embodiment of corruption. The breathtaking opening sequence (shot in one take) incorporating the ambient music and sounds of the town's lurid nightlife is a key part of this reedit DVD version, setting right the studio-maimed opening of the original release, which ran opening credits and Henry Mancini's score over this sequence to Welles' fruitless objections, diluting its effectiveness. Respected Mexican police official Miguel "Mike" Vargas (Heston) and his American bride Susan's (Janet Leigh) ("She doesn't look Mexican either," Quinlan sneers) honeymoon is derailed when they become targets first of local crime family boss "Uncle Joe" Grandi (Akim Tamiroff), whose brother is about to be sent to prison because of Vargas, and Grandi's impulsive nephews, and then Quinlan, when Vargas accidentally uncovers the latter's penchant for tampering with crime scenes to ensure a death sentence for the accused--whether guilty or actually innocent. Leigh drips sex and is the perfect pawn for those scheming to wreck her husband's career and their marriage. Joseph Calleia stands out as Pete Menzies, who idolizes Quinlan and painfully must come to terms with his betrayal. Dietricht is enigmatic gypsy Tana (memorable line as she looks over the considerably changed Quinlan and bluntly says: "You're a mess honey.") Mancini score, especially "Tana's Theme" ("Pianola"), is exceptional. One valid complaint about this otherwise beautiful DVD is that the standard version should have been included in addition to the widescreen version for those who have not yet overcome the perception problem of "those black bars." Now for me, widescreen is the best. It is how we see the movie on the big screen. This is how the film was shot, and we see camera angles that are lost when the film has been "reformatted to fit your television screen." Those who put together this DVD should have known better and provided BOTH options--usually standard practice with many DVDs.
Rating:
Summary: The finest "B-movie" ever made
Review: Finally! The restored and reedited version of "Touch of Evil" will be available. I saw the rerelease in the theater twice and can't wait to have it at home. A classic mystery with seedy characters -- the perfect b-movie made by one of cinema's greatest masters. This film is also the proof that Orson Welles never lost any talent or abilities -- Hollywood simply lost out by turning him away. The opening shot is a stunner (Peter Bogdanovich once argued that "Evil" was even more technically accomplished than "Citizen Kane"). There are some great performances here -- Heston is at his finest. This is also Janet Leigh's best performance. And of course, Welles is perfect as the bloated detective Quinlan. Props also go to a well-executed performance from the underrated Akim Tamiroff. Watch for a brief cameo from Joseph Cotten. And an uncredited appearance from Marlene Dietrich. A must for Welles fans and heartily recommended to all lovers of great cinema.
Rating: 
Summary: DVD is a 3-Another Cropped Massacre
Review: This is another example of a studio taking the lazy road. This brilliant film has been cropped for the DVD version. Isn't it nice how cropping works. It gives the studio a chance to get people to buy the title again if they fix it, which they won't. They'll probably release a Special Edition Version, but it probably won't be fixed. For a good review about this cropping of TOUCH OF EVIL read BERKLEY GUY's review. Me I'm too upset. I am sick of cropped DVDs. I'm sick of version after version. It is all a scam and we buy into it every time. I guess Criterion really is the only company that should be doing DVDs.
Rating: 
Summary: DVD version
Review: It is no slight to Universal to admit that this film, since it is such a masterpiece, calls for the kind of treatment only Criterion could give it. While it is true that many who complain about "fake letterboxing" don't seem to understand that theatrical widescreen was often achieved by matting a regular 35 mm frame on the top and bottom, that doesn't mean they don't have a point. The matting one sees on this DVD still doesn't seem right. Another instance of this was Vertigo. Since Vertigo was shot in VistaVision, the matting problem isn't relevant: the VistaVision frame is already a wide-screen frame. However, when I saw the restored version theatrically, it was obvious that there had been some top-bottom cropping to stretch it out for the wider anamorphic ratio. I hoped that this would be fixed by Universal in the DVD release, but unfortunately that seems cropped also. As for Touch of Evil, I have to say that so far I haven't warmed up to this version, whether or not it really conforms to Welles' intentions. I fortunately own the LaserDisc release, and I have to say that works better: it's tighter, more exciting, more sordid, etc. It has better contrast also. And, pace Welles, I even like the Henry Mancini music and the credits over that opening shot. It makes it less conspicuously artsy, and there's a certain poignancy in the mastery of that shot being hidden beneath the usual trappings of a Hollywood movie. Finally, I'm sorry not to find the name of Russell Metty mentioned more prominently. He was simply a genius, and this film is as much his as it is Welles'. Anyone who knows his work for Sirk will immediately perceive and understand his enormous contribution to this film. (Just think how different it would look if it had been shot by a different cinematographer.)
Rating:
Summary: Noir heaven
Review: Poor Orson Welles. My earliest memories of the man come from the 1970s and early 1980s, roughly the last ten or so years of his life. People told me he once had Hollywood in the palm of his hand, that he was a cinematic genius, and that his tempestuous relationships with the studios ruined his career. An impressive list of information pointing to a powerful man, wouldn't you say? Sadly, I heard these things when Welles was doing wine commercials to make ends meet. "We'll sell no wine before its time" doesn't evoke visions of a cinematic genius, that's for sure. Nor did his physical presence impress me all that much. Orson Welles, according to information I have seen, weighed nearly 350 pounds at one point and remained severely obese until the end of his life. I'm not knocking on people with weight problems, but it's just another example of how difficult it was for me to imagine the man as a Hollywood heavyweight (no pun intended). Then I grew up and watched some of his classic films, i.e. "The Third Man," "Citizen Kane," and his spirited noir epic "Touch of Evil." The glowing accolades started making a lot more sense. No wonder filmgoers love this guy's films. They're masterpieces in every way. Well, most ways.
"Touch of Evil" is a story about corruption, murder, and drugs--made in the 1950s! The opening scene, considered a masterpiece of pacing and suspense, sets the wheels of the tale into motion. Mexican narcotics cop Mike Vargas (Charlton Heston) and his newlywed wife Susie (Janet Leigh) nearly perish while crossing from Mexico into the United States when an automobile explodes nearby. Two people die in the blast, which immediately piques Vargas's interest. It soon becomes apparent to the investigators that someone planted a bomb in the car, and the Mexican cop wants to know why. Unfortunately, Captain Hank Quinlan (Orson Welles) arrives on the scene and begins bullying everyone in sight. He's going to take charge of this inquiry, and he doesn't want Mike Vargas anywhere near the scene of the crime. But Vargas, with the innate curiosity of a cop, refuses to back down and inserts himself into the unfolding case whenever possible. No one wants him around, not Quinlan, not Quinlan's sidekick Menzies (Joseph Calleia), and definitely not the district attorney Adair (Ray Collins). Vargas soon learns why Quinlan and his associates don't want him around: good old Hank is as corrupt as they come, and he wants no interference in his various activities.
Meanwhile, Susan Vargas runs into troubles of her own. A mobster named Gardi (Akim Tamiroff) and a gang of drug-addled thugs start shadowing her. In an effort to keep his wife out of sight, Vargas drops her off at a remote motel run by a really odd chap (Dennis Weaver). It isn't too long before the gang locates Susan and begins a campaign of terror that practically gives her a nervous breakdown. As Susan attempts to contact her husband, Mike and Quinlan continue their clashes. Hank always seems to have these "hunches" about the bombing which, with the discreet planting of evidence, turns up leads and suspects. In no time at all, Quinlan pronounces the case closed. But he plans on going further than merely planting evidence if Vargas refuses to back off. Another murder or two isn't out of the question, something the Mexican cop gradually learns. Vargas approaches Menzies with evidence about Quinlan's rampant corruption, corruption the scope of which is substantial and has gone on for years, and manages to convince the American cop to wear a bug during a conversation with his boss. The conclusion to the film is definitely a showdown between two men as much as it is a showdown between two types of cops.
What's not to like in "Touch of Evil"? I thought the whole Susan subplot wasn't nearly as interesting as the battle of wills between Quinlan and Vargas. I also thought the scenes with her at the hotel ran on for a lot longer than necessary. But those are the only problems I saw. Everything else is fantastic. For example, Charlton Heston restrains himself in the role of Vargas, a stunning revelation considering his over the top histrionics in nearly every film he made after this one. Marlene Dietrich even turns up in a small but crucial role as Tanya, the owner of an establishment once frequented by Quinlan. But the real treasure here is Welles as Hank Quinlan. He steals every single scene he's in with his mumbled ramblings, slovenly appearance, and wonderful dialogue. If you took out every other scene except the ones Welles appears in, this would still be a great movie. I enjoyed watching him so much I nearly missed the phenomenal pacing and camera work. That opening scene is as great as they say it is, with a tension so palpable you can cut it with a knife. Yes sir, "Touch of Evil" is much better than my meager review can ever hope to convey.
The DVD I watched is the restored version of the film. Apparently, studio executives weren't very happy with Welles's finished product so they mucked around with it. For instance, they put the opening credits over the wonderful opening scene. Welles didn't care for the hack job, and responded to the cuts with a fifty-eight page letter meticulously outlining how the film should look and sound. Unimpressed, the studio retained the cuts and released the film in a way that hurt its reception by the public. Welles never directed another film in Hollywood again. The Welles memo is on the DVD, along with production notes, a trailer, cast biographies, and trailers for "Psycho" and "Vertigo." If you love movies, you'll love "Touch of Evil."
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