1.
The statement “Citizen Kane is one of the most
influential films ever made” has been repeated throughout time among critics.
While the plot, scenes, and performance of the actors makes this film enjoyable
for today’s audiences, the reason it is viewed so highly by today’s critics is
due mostly in part to the experimental and phenomenal innovations of the film. There
were elaborate camera movements and the lighting was dark and low adding a sense
of the film noir genre. Citizen Kane was one of the first movies to employ film
noir techniques which paved the way for the entire film noir genre in later
years. Many long uninterrupted shots were also used. There were many shots that
fade into the next and the camera was held at hundreds of angles providing both
shots from above that swoop down (the shot of Susan Kane in the nightclub) and
shots from below that swoop up (the Xanadu towers). The shots used in Citizen
Kane were without a doubt leaders of the new age of film. They employed fresh
and new concepts and ideas that had not previously been used in film before.
Shots of places and characters were able to convey emotion without any dialogue
needed. Perhaps the scene of Kane reflected in the mirror is one of the best
examples of this. The audience can see just how defeated and unhappy Kane has
become. This is the moment when the audience sees just how little his life
actually amounted to even with all of his fame and supposed ‘success’. The
story of Kane was also told in a non linear manner. The film includes
flashbacks and flash forwards. Many of the characters in the film age
throughout the film and are able to reflect on their past selves. Each
character is responsible for revealing a little bit more of the complex mystery
that was Kane’s life. The story of Kane’s life is extremely segmented in the
film and follows his childhood, youth, adulthood, all the way until his death. The
actors in Citizen Kane were amazing on their own. Each character added good and
bad to Kane’s life and without the skills of the actors, the intense feelings,
both good and bad, would have been lost. Even without considering Orson Wells’
performance, the characters were amazing. Their ability to show emotion both in
the flashbacks and while in the present recounting the past definitely feeds
into making Citizen Kane an influential movie. Citizen Kane was also a combination
of multiple genres. It was a newspaper film, a mystery, and even a fictional
biography. Citizen Kane “transcends
stylistic convention” and created its own style for a new age of film-making
(Belton 22).
2.
While today many 23 year olds are still
struggling with what to do in their lives, Orson Welles was already on his way
to creating one of the greatest films ever made. Welles went to the Gate
Theater in Dublin and it was his attitude that landed him a role on the stage.
The manager of the theater “was impressed
by his brashness and some impassioned quality in his audition”(Wikipedia). He
appeared in the Jew Suss as the Duke. Welles made it to the theaters of New York
and did many roles on the stage. He even worked on a writing project called Everybody’s Shakespeare which gained
fame. He went on to direct and produce for both the Federal Theater project and
the Mercury Theater. His infamous radio broadcast War of the Worlds was one of
the biggest reasons Welles was given control for Citizen Kane. It was a ‘news
bulletin’ episode on the radio that featured H.G. Welles’ book War of the
Worlds. This was one of the most important factors in Orson Welles’ rising
fame. In 1939 Welles was offered artistic control by RKO Radio Pictures president,
George Schaefer. Welles co-wrote, produced, directed, and performed the lead
role for the film. Even with Welles background in theater, film, and radio it
was still pretty amazing for a 23 year old innovative and first time director
to be given control and money to produce his film. Citizen Kane became a
critically acclaimed film but it went through many hardships before it was
released. The film was based on the life of William Hearst and because it did
not cast him and others in a very good light, he sent out to shut the film
down. The battle between the two lasted a while and Citizen Kane was kept out
of commercial viewing until it was rereleased after World War II and found its
recognition.
3.
Perhaps one of the most fascinating scenes is
when Kane and his wife are eating breakfast in their house. The film shows the
same layout of the characters progressing over time. The audience sees multiple
breakfasts between the couple, only they age with each sequence. It is within
this scene that their relationship begins to disintegrate and Kane becomes a
colder and meaner man than ever before. The sequences change when the room
appears to be spinning as if time has been sped up. Time is literally sped up
and the characters, although having breakfast as before, have aged. The
lighting also changes from light to dark as the sequences play out. The light
and bright sequence in the beginning shows the possibility of happiness, but as
time progresses the lighting is darker and shows the despair in Kane’s life and
his marriage. The music in this scene also shows the breakdown in the
relationship and attitude of Kane. It begins light and airy as if life is good
and Kane is in love, then as time progresses the music speeds up and begins to
sound ominous. The dialogue between Kane and his wife also shows the changes
between them. They often argue and seem annoyed by one another. They have changed
from the loving and caring people they once were into harder and colder
versions of themselves. It is just one scene but it is a scene that not only
shows Kane’s transformation into a bitter man, but it is one that employs camera,
lighting, and sound techniques that are ground-breaking.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mg7VUk4DjIk Here is a clip of the breakfast scene between Mr. and Mrs. Kane.
Sources:
Belton,
John. American Cinema/American Culture. 3rd ed. New York: McGraw-Hill,
1994. Print.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mg7VUk4DjIk (clip)
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