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5.4/10
Senior Film Conservator
A definitive 5.4/10 rating for a film that redefined the boundaries of cult cinema. The Hearts of Age remains a cornerstone of transgressive art.
If you're a fan of early cinema history or just really like Orson Welles, sure. But if you want a coherent story with a beginning, middle, and end, you’re going to be frustrated. It's basically an art school project that went rogue. Honestly, it's mostly just a curiosity.
It’s only a few minutes long, but it feels like it drags on forever. There's this old lady sitting on a bell, which is just... a choice. I sat there wondering if that’s comfortable. It probably isn't.
The whole thing feels like a weird, moody dream you'd have after eating too much cheese before bed. The guy in blackface is there, and it’s just as uncomfortable as you’d expect for a film from this era. None of it really lands.
It reminds me a bit of the weird, disjointed energy you see in The Speeding Venus, though this is even less concerned with making sense. You can see the seeds of Welles' obsession with decay and death, but it's all very raw and unrefined.
Everything feels like it’s happening on a stage, which makes sense, but it also makes the whole thing feel trapped. It's almost like the movie is trying to be profound by being confusing. Spoiler alert: it's just confusing.
I wouldn't say it's a 'masterpiece' or anything. It's just a guy playing with a camera, trying to see what sticks. Sometimes nothing sticks. 🤷♂️