...forbidding black wire fence is the first thing we see in Orson Welles' Citizen Kane. Citizen Kane is a movie about perception and projection. Indeed, with the complex theme the whole movie seems to be placed in a kind of psychological trauma for the viewers. Citizen Kane is a portrait of a public and private figure that remains tantalizingly unfinished. Excellent acting was revealed for the first time as these new roles played out. Orson Welles was a director ahead of his time and his portrayal of Kane shows his acting ability. This film is one of the first films to rely heavily on style and visuals; Citizen Kane uses camera, lighting, and set techniques to show Kane's rise and fall from power. The movie as a whole, though as artistically satisfying as a picture can get, also leaves us with certain un-explicated pieces of Kane's life that only we, as viewers of Citizen Kane, can put together for ourselves. There is no doubt that Citizen Kane is a great movie. It is a pioneering film that forever changed filmmaking. Its plot is one of the most creative and original in all of movie history. Citizen Kane is a brilliantly made film. I can't really take the full...
Words: 2707 - Pages: 11
...Citizen Kane has been so beloved in the world of film because of how realistic it felt although being a work of fiction or as the French call it a film à clef (French for Film with a Key) one must pick apart the all the parts that make a movie successful from its actors, lighting, plot, etc. The movie Citizen Kane brings in the audience into the life of Charles Foster Kane who is the main focus of the story and gives information on his life via a parody of the old “March of the Times” newsreels that were commonly used in the 1930’s along with “public” version of Mr. Kane’s very complex private life such as his rise to power, politics and social life which focuses itself on being a exposition as it introduces the audience to Mr. Kane and the important events in his life although using a hint of “Pro Kane” editorials with a very pompous and upbeat narrator with the finishing touch being Thatcher’s testimony before the US Senate that has Thatcher denouncing Kane. At the end of this newsreel the audience is handed a mystery that is on the forefront of their minds which was Charles Kane’s last word before his death “Rosebud” which piques the interest of the audience and makes them curious as to what happens with the absence of a giant such as Mr. Kane and what was the one thing he thought of before his passing. The audience is introduced to a reporter Jerry Thompson who sets off for the answers where is first stop is a club run by Susan Alexander. The audience upon seeing the dark...
Words: 1259 - Pages: 6
...Among many movie critics, filmmakers, and fans, Orson Welles’ Citizen Kane has come to be known as the greatest film ever made. Since its release in 1941 the film has received praise for its innovative mix of cinematography and music, among other theatrical elements. The movie centers on the mysterious legacy of newspaper tycoon Charles Foster Kane, and the meaning of his last words, “rosebud.” Welles’ groundbreaking cinematography and mix of lighting (or lack thereof), low-angle shots, and deep focus, contribute to the audience’s awareness of the important events occurring throughout the movie while simultaneously evoking feelings of curiosity towards the seemingly mysterious and solitary life of Charles Foster Kane. In certain scenes throughout the movie, the lack of lighting, ironically, catches the audience’s eye. The first scene where the lack of lighting really stands out takes place when the few journalists assigned to write about Kane’s death are discussing the possible meanings of his last word, “rosebud.” The first thing the audience is presented with is a room encompassed in darkness, with the exception of two streams of light pouring in from the windows, barely seeming to effectively light up the room. When the men pass by the light, all that is visible are their profiles, and a few puffs of smoke. Although Welles uses a long shot and deep focus for the majority of this scene, the audience really doesn’t get a look into where the characters are spatially located...
Words: 1234 - Pages: 5
...Who is Charles Foster Kane (Orson Welles) and what where the defining moments of his life? These are the questions that lead Thompson (William Alland) and the viewer on a captivating goose chase through the memories of Kane’s closest associates. Like the many possible meanings contained within the word kane, such as the Irish interpretation “little battler”, the Japanese translation of “money” and “gold”, the Welsh’s interpretation of “beautiful”, and the Hawaiian’s definition as “man”, friends and family each had there own interpretations of Charles Foster Kane. Collectively, these views show Kane as a character that was thrown into a position of power and money, and that underneath the façade of glamour and monetary possessions, he was a lonely and complex individual deprived of a normal childhood experience. The down hill relationship between Kane and his best friend Jedediah (Joseph Cotton) parallels the deterioration in the principles and growing self-delusion of Kane. Both men enter the newspaper business as friends and equals and both have the grand idea that they are going to infuse their idealistic principles of equality to become the voice for the American working class. Kane writes down these ideas on a sheet of paper and calls it the “Declaration of Principles”, and he hands the paper to Jedediah for safe keeping. This act symbolizes the climax of their relationship, and also a period where each character’s ideals are both aligned. As the movie progresses...
Words: 843 - Pages: 4
...the time. The film is often praised for its cinematography, sound, and narrative structure. I personally did not love the film because I found it to be a bit boring at times. It felt more like a biography of Kane’s life and not much more. I kept waiting for “it” to happen but no monumental or memorable event really ever occurred. The film begins with Charles Foster Kane on his deathbed as he whispers his last word “rosebud”, before dropping his globe and it shattering everywhere. The rest of the film is essentially a chase by a reporter named Jerry Thompson as he tries to find out what Kane meant by “rosebud”. Through a series of interviews that Thompson conducts, we get an in-depth look at Thompson’s life through flashbacks in the perspective of many people who knew him and were close to him. The setup of the movie was something I did enjoy. The film began at the end of Kane’s life and then progresses through flashbacks. I always find it interesting when movies are set up that way because traditionally a film has a conclusion at the end of a film while Citizen Kane showed us Kane’s fate right away. This film was one of the first to implement a storyline in this manner. Kane’s story unfolds in overlapping segments by different narrators who add information to Kane’s life. Another interesting aspect of the film is that every narrator may have a biased or slewed view or judgment of Kane for a variety of reasons and...
Words: 1681 - Pages: 7
...Nam Tatyana IR – 13016 Citizane Kane. The movie begins with that Charles Foster Kane, the media magnate, dies. He dies in him house. He dropped a glass sphere and said a word "rosebud" in low tones. Newspapers and magazines started writing about it. After we observe Kane's life style. Many people called him the communist and the fascist, they wrote, that he was involved in two wars and at the end of his life he was paralyzed. Also he constructed the castle, its name was Xanadu. He was married two times and Kane stood in governors, but didn't win. The journalist, his name was Thompson received a task "why Kane said before his death the mysterious word "rosebud""? So he began travel and met with different people who knowm anything about Charles Foster Kane. Susan Alexander, the second wife of Kane, refused to speak with Thompson. Then the journalist found the diary of the banker with name Walter Parks Tetcher. We found out that he was given to a Tetcher for an education in the childhood. Then we saw a beginning of the career of Kane in media business. Charles stared to work in style "yellow journalism". Charles Kane married on the niece of the U.S. President. In 21 years, Charles had to become one of the most reachest people in the world. He refused of all his money and he became journalist. He quickly created the empire, which influenced destiny of the nations. He didn't achieve success in policy. Kane wanted that everyone...
Words: 549 - Pages: 3
...sound and cinematography. The story is centered around Charles Foster Kane and his mysterious last words, “Rosebud.” As the audience, we are put in the position to piece together the puzzle from the various stories we are told by different points of views. The narrative structure isn’t in chronological order, but told in a series of flashbacks from 5 confidants of Kane. The passage of time is easy to follow because of the structure and sound of the film. Because the film only shows the opinions of others, we get to see a whole range of different perspectives. The “News on the March” sequence used a range of different voices and newspaper headlines to create buzz and show...
Words: 923 - Pages: 4
...Monday May 27, 2014 Growing Apart: Distance and Loss in Citizen Kane Citizen Kane (Orson Welles, 1941) is an American drama film that narrates the story of a newspaper magnate who gained worldly success in his life, but he lost connection with people around him during this process. With the help of a series of flashbacks, the film illustrates Kane’s personal life. The film starts with the scene where Kane is on his deathbed and says the word ‘Rosebud’ before dying. A newspaper reporter, Thompson gets intrigued by this word, which becomes the motivation for him to learn about the life of Charles Foster Kane and the significance of the word ‘ Rosebud’. The director, Orson Welles depicts the personal life of Kane beautifully in his work through various sequences of the film. Each scene in the film plays an important role in demonstrating the distance Kane is developing with people around him. The gradual withdrawal of Kane from public life is illustrated through two unsuccessful relationships between his two wives. The puzzle sequence in the film in which Susan and Kane have a brief argument over the boring life Susan is having at Kane’s palatial estate, Xanadu displays dramatically the growing distance between Kane and his second wife, Susan. The puzzle sequence in the movie starts by showing Xanadu’s isolated location on the top of the mountain. This sequence gives the palace a gloomy look by having a dark background and not so happy music. In the next scene, Susan is shown...
Words: 677 - Pages: 3
...used correctly can be used to portray the feelings of the characters and to help tell the story. Orson Welles made sure to use the props, actors, and even the camera to use mise-en-scene to tell the story of Charles Foster Kane to its fullest. Character positions, camera angles and music, and framing used to tell the story in Citizen Kane. It’s use of mise-en-scene made it not only ahead of its time, but it made it a masterpiece. Citizen Kane uses mise-en-scene is multiple scenes to help tell the narrative. A perfect example is when the parents of the Charles Kane are speaking with Walter Thatcher in the house. As Kane’s parents are discussing giving Kane over to Thatcher, we see Kane as a boy playing in the snow through the window. This scene represents the innocence that is stolen from him in this exact moment. When he was a child he was pure and innocent and naïve, but we never see him like this again after he is taken and brought up by Thatcher. The boy stays in the middle of the frame the whole scene making this part one of the most import scenes in the movie. As the live changing scene goes on we just watch as Kane plays in innocence, completely oblivious to what is going on in his home. The entire movie is affected by this one scene and links to his dying word, rosebud. This is the sled that he was playing with during that important scene. Without this scene we would not know the importance of the sled at the end of the film. In another scene, we see Kane and his first...
Words: 640 - Pages: 3
...influence and sought infinite power. His objective was to manipulate the news and influence the future thru his newspaper. We see him throughout the film desperately seeking to fill the empty void he feels in his day to day life. But how did he get to that point? An abundance of money and an established career as an influential newspaper magnet eventually left him alone and miserable. When Mr. Thatcher takes Kane from his mother and father to give him an eastern education, his life hits a crossroad. No longer is he surrounded with love, rather, his life becomes solely about wealth. It is this foundation, money, which he builds his life moving forward. Since he was never surrounded with family, he knew no moral or ethical boundaries. “Rosebud” signified his lost childhood. When Kane came into his fortune at 25, he did not have the judgment with which to make sound business decisions. He had no fear of failure or retribution. He knew his fortune was waiting for him and he knew that whatever he did, the power he would acquire would save him. When questioned by...
Words: 1363 - Pages: 6
...4 Cinematography We are affected and defined by light. Light is the most important tool we have to work with, not only as cinematographers, but as people. —Laszlo Kovacs Courtesy Everett Collection Section 4.1 The “Look” of a Scene CHAPTER 4 Chapter Objectives After reading this chapter, students should: • Have a working knowledge of the cinematographer’s job • Understand the difference between cinematography and mise en scène and recognize the importance of each • Understand the importance of color and lighting and how they affect the tone and feel of a film • Be familiar with different methods of photographing a film, and with terms such as panning, tilting, tracking shots, deep focus, and aspect ratios • Understand how different focal length lenses affect the look of a shot • Recognize what special effects can do for a movie—and what they can’t do 4.1 The “Look” of a Scene W hen we are first introduced to Don Vito Corleone in The Godfather, played by Marlon Brando, the Mafia boss is sitting in the study of his home. Along with his consigliore, or adviser, Tom Hagen (Robert Duvall), Corleone is listening to a line of people requesting favors on the day of his daughter’s wedding. Corleone is immensely powerful, as we learn by the scope of the favors he is asked to grant, which in one case includes the desire of a singer to be cast in a film to revive his musical career, and Corleone’s ability to grant them. However, it is not just what...
Words: 13907 - Pages: 56
