Citizen Kane Essay - 1194 Words

Citizen Kane Citizen Kane is often called the greatest film ever made. Its use of film techniques often taken for granted nowadays were completely new and had not been done before. Simple things like ceilings on the sets and realistic scenes such as the newsreel, which would not stand out in a modern film, were combined to make a film full of innovative techniques. The director, Orson Welles, developed the use of deep focus to make the flat cinema screen almost become three dimensional, which added a realism that had not been explored before. Right from the start, a viewer can see the innovation displayed by Welles. The opening scene, one of the most famous in the entire film, begins with the†¦show more content†¦This happens just as Kane dies, so it is both a signal that he has passed away, and a metaphor of the light of life going out. The opening scene also contains the first instance of something being viewed through a piece of glass and of just the reflection of what is going on being seen, in this case, both at once. These techniques make the audience unsure of what they are seeing and are used at other times throughout the film. Realism is a major reason why Citizen Kane stands out from other films of the time. However, it is the way realism and theatrical effects are mixed together that truly marks it out as one of the greatest films ever made. Ceilings on the set allowed for scenes lit by normal lightbulbs, giving the appearance of real rooms, but the theatrical spotlights through the windows in the newsreel showing room and the library highlight parts of the scenery, leaving others in shadow. The people working on Citizen Kane went to great lengths to get authentic-looking film for the newsreel. It was degraded using sand to give a grainy look as opposed to the smooth film used for the main picture. Also in the newsreel, the jerky cuts, when Kane spills cement on his coat then is shown clean, give a more genuine feel to the footage. The newsreel scene can also be viewed as a parody of an actual news programme of the time, March of Time. ThisShow MoreRelatedCitizen Kane1211 Words   |  5 PagesWhen I first saw this clip of Citizen Kane (Orson Welles, 1941) my first instinct was that it was comic relief. The extremely frustrated director, Jedediah trying so hard not to fall asleep and of course Bernstein reclining back in his seat more interested in playing with the playbill then watching Susan on stage. While this scene may be rather humorous a lot about both Susan and Kane is revealed through emotions and actions of the two. As the clip progresses it begins to becom e less and less humorousRead More Citizen Kane Essay836 Words   |  4 Pages nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Orson Welles’ cinematic classic, Citizen Kane, is a film that centers on a group of reporter’s investigation into the meaning of Charles Foster Kane’s last word, â€Å"Rosebud.† Through their investigation of his last words, the team of reporters, is presented with an almost, but not quite, complete picture of â€Å"Citizen† Kane’s life. By assuming that the man’s last word was as grandiose as his life, the reporters miss out on the bigger, more holistic picture, which is CharlesRead MoreCitizen Kane Analysis2693 Words   |  11 PagesFilm History Research Citizen Kane Film Essay Orson Welles Citizen Kane Success the first time around is very uncommon. Orson Welless first feature film richly realizes the full potential of excellent craftsmanship. Citizen Kane is almost indisputably the greatest achievement in the history of filming. In 1941, this film was considered by many as the best film ever made. This film is about the enormous conflict between two twentieth-century iconsRead More Citizen Kane Essay981 Words   |  4 Pages The film Citizen Kane, directed by Orson Welles, is a great example of how a man can be corrupted by wealth. Through the characters in the film we can observe how Charles Foster Kane, an idealistic man with principles, can be changed and misguided by wealth and what accompanies wealth. The film takes places during the late 19th century and early 20th century, a time in American history when the world is changing and wealth is a great power to change it with. Through the story telling of Kane’s lifeRead MoreFilm Analysis Of Citizen Kane1299 Words   |   6 PagesCitizen Kane incorporates a well-rounded variety of shots and angles that make the film more entertaining. This movie is significant because the American people will always be able to relate to it. There will always be a rich politician who wants to change things for the better. Sometimes, scandal and broken promises ensue. The American people will always want someone that they can trust to make their lives better. It is interesting to note that this film combines multiple genres, giving it a factorRead MoreRosebud in Citizen Kane Essay1067 Words   |  5 PagesRosebud in Citizen Kane Rosebud is sled, Kanes sled when he was a boy. Rosebud is the foundation of the film of citizen Kane. Rosebud is also Kanes last words. He was a very important man, known globally. Rosebud is the word everyone wants to understand the meaning of, so there is a hunt to find the meaning of the word. This sets the story for the film. Rosebud is a symbol of Kane, in that Rosebud represents his loss of the ability to love and how to love. The filmRead MoreEssay Citizen Kane1284 Words   |  6 Pages Citizen Kane After watching the movie â€Å"Citizen Kane† I realized why this movie was named one of the best films ever. Yellow journalism was in an era from the 1880 to the 1900 and it featured flashy journalism of that time, which made editors write about invented stories. Which went to big headlines on subjects that weren’t true. The two big writers of that time were William Randolph Hearst and Joseph Pulitzer. During the film Kane is depicted as a yellow journalism at different times. One exampleRead MoreOrson Welles And Citizen Kane2180 Words   |  9 Pagesin half between his polar personalities. Charles Foster Kane has recently died and the predicament of interpreting his life and its meaning is left upon a single reporter. â€Å"†¦A group of prominent films critics were asked to list the greatest directors and the greatest films, Orson Welles and Citizen Kane both came in first (Carringer 32).† Orson Welles’ produces, co-wrote, directed, and starred in the great American classic film, Citizen Kane, at the age of 26. Throughout this entire film, the audienceRead MoreCitizen Kane Is A Quarry For Filmmakers1572 Words   |  7 Pages As esteemed film director William Friedkin once said; Citizen Kane is a quarry for filmmakers. It is undeniable that Citizen Kane is the epitome of the great American film. It was initially released in 1941 and was met with great criticism . However, since its release many years ago it is evident that the film ma de advancements in cinema techniques which were well ahead of its time . The foremost reason Citizen Kane is considered one of the great American films ever created is due to the innovativeRead MoreFilm Analysis Of Citizen Kane1143 Words   |  5 PagesCitizen Kane was rife with innovations in cinematic technique and introduced many new and unique aspects of mise-en-scà ¨nà © that would thrive in films to come. Orson Welles was a young visionary whose career had been limited to stage production and radio until his first film, Citizen Kane. Uniquely, as someone new to the film industry, he retained full creative control of his very first project, co-writing, producing, directing, and starring as Kane himself. This unfounded level of trust for a newcomer