For early Man, life itself was a gamble

March 29, 2013 1:48 AM

Caesar's Guide To Gaming with Orson Welles
posted by Charlemagne In Sweatpants (13 comments total)

One could do FPPs for days consisting entirely of embarrassing Orson Welles projects.
posted by empath at 2:22 AM on March 29, 2013 [4 favorites]

Orson Welles records a commercial for Frozen Peas
posted by empath at 2:29 AM on March 29, 2013 [1 favorite]

1978, when even a simple how-to video required a 2 1/2 minute musical intro.
posted by SkinnerSan at 3:01 AM on March 29, 2013 [2 favorites]

I love it. Caesar's Palace asked him to tell us a little about gaming. "Orson, we know you are busy but you know nobody can explain baccarat like you can".

With that cravat and majestic beard he isn't just explaining how to lose your house, he is delivering a hermeneutical exegesis on civilization itself.
posted by Ad hominem at 3:03 AM on March 29, 2013 [4 favorites]

What are we gonna do tonight, Orson?
posted by cthuljew at 3:40 AM on March 29, 2013 [1 favorite]

Malor's Guide to Gaming with Orson Welles:

First, find a shovel....
posted by Malor at 3:57 AM on March 29, 2013 [2 favorites]

"We know a little casino named Caesar's Palace, in Las Vegas. Every July, people gamble there."
posted by orme at 4:40 AM on March 29, 2013 [7 favorites]

I had to Google it just to make sure, but apparently there's no apostrophe in "Caesars Palace". Now I wish I hadn't bothered, because this fact depresses me.
posted by Prince Lazy I at 5:46 AM on March 29, 2013 [2 favorites]

I had to Google it just to make sure, but apparently there's no apostrophe in "Caesars Palace". Now I wish I hadn't bothered, because this fact depresses me.

Well, Las Vegas is an affront to everything and everyone.
posted by Rustic Etruscan at 6:48 AM on March 29, 2013

Man this is so awesome. Thanks so much for this Charlemagne, talk about hilarious.

What's crazy to me is when they zoom back from Caesar's palace it looks so empty. The 80's Vegas is certainly different than that of today.
posted by Carillon at 7:12 AM on March 29, 2013

My favorite parts are the waiter giving the menu at The Bacchanal, he mentions fettuccine alfredo and double chicken breast and sauteed grapes with suprême sauce. That part made me hungry. The fake laughter after Wells said "And the dice were owned by Zeus!". And the fact that judging by his attitude, Wells thinks Keno sucks.
posted by Ad hominem at 7:44 AM on March 29, 2013

And the fact that judging by his attitude, Wells thinks Keno sucks.

Welles was never very good at hiding his true feelings about anything.

I think this is genius. It's the best kind of advertising, because it tries to teach something, and having Welles deliver the lesson makes the whole thing appear erudite. A classic example of "the more you tell, the more you sell." I know it works, because it's making me nostalgic for 1978.

Holy shit.
posted by rhombus at 8:58 AM on March 29, 2013 [1 favorite]

I was hoping it would have more magic.
posted by benito.strauss at 11:21 AM on March 29, 2013