Need More Proof of Orson Welles' Staggering Brilliance? One Scene From His Iconic Noir Is All It Takes

Any discussion about the genius of Orson Welles' career inevitably turns to his complete mastery of the camera. He insisted on his films being truly cutting edge in his use of angles and deep focus, largely influenced by the work of fellow American cinema titan John Ford. He swam into relatively untested waters in comparison to the dominant conceptions of mise en scène in most other Hollywood films, eager to live up to his wunderkind reputation by flexing his skills with huge setpieces. People love to praise moments like the breakfast table scene from Citizen Kaneor the funhouse mirror sequence in The Lady From Shanghai, but for me,the most impressive camera sequence Welles concocted came from his twisted noir, Touch of Evil. And no, I'm not talking about the iconic opening tracking shot that got shouted out in Robert Altman's The Player.