Citizen kane is a classic american film that falls in the category of drama tinged with a bit of tragedy. Scene analysis from citizen kane essay example for students. Instead of being told in a linear, completely chronological manner, kanes story unfolds in overlapping segments that add more information as each narrator adds his or her story. Ten were billed as mercury actors, members of the skilled repertory company assembled by welles for the stage and radio performances of the mercury theatre, an independent theater company he founded with houseman in 1937. He paid for voice lessons, built an opera house in chicago cost.
Film analysis at the university of florida robinson, spring 2014. Burger kane ist ein usamerikanisches filmdrama des. He wants to make a sentimental journey back in time. Preparation for an initial viewing of citizen kane task the readers of sight and sound, the british film institutes monthly magazine, regularly vote for citizen kane as being the best film ever made. As all eyes fall on him, he envisions a beautiful future for the newspaper. Orson welles uses staging, shadows, lowkey lighting, deep focus and overlapping dialogue to emphasize various aspects of the film. Film overview citizen kane essay 974 words 4 pages. Citizen kane and the meaning of rosebud film the guardian.
Orson welless citizen kane charts the stratospheric rise and startling fall. However, citizen kane makes it very clear that wealth cannot necessarily buy happiness. If charles foster kane is in itself an impressive well of treasures, the film that depicts him has a very valuable intelligence and talents. The mhm podcast network movie synopsis and film summary of citizen kane 1941 starring orson welles, joseph cotten, and dorothy comingore. Whether a fan of the story or not, every true admirer of movies can appreciate the cinematic techniques utilized by welles to capture the life of his enigmatic. Citizen kane is a movie that can be rewritten and implemented into any film created today. Why citizen kane is the most important american film ever made. Its a classic american tragedy about a man of great passion. Citizen kane is a 1941 drama film directed by orson welles and praised for its innovative sound and editing methods in cinematography.
Analysis on happiness and money if charles foster kane is in itself an impressive well of treasures, the film that depicts him has a very valuable intelligence and talents. Kane tells susan that before he ran into her, he was on his way to a manhattan storage warehouse to look through all the things his mother left behind when she died. Apr 25, 2015 citizen kane has long been acclaimed as a work of genius and endlessly dissected by critics. A summary of filmic elements in orson welless citizen kane. But the meaning starts to emerge if you think about what it means to be a citizen. A landmark work in the history of cinema, citizen kane is acclaimed by many critics as the greatest movie ever made. Citizen kane, american film drama, released in 1941, that was directed, produced, and cowritten by orson welles, who also starred in the lead role. Sound analysis of citizen kane citizen kanes soundtrack is a reason why this movie is considered one of the greatest pictures of all time. The irony is that cinematographer gregg tolands unsettling and idiosyncratic use of the camera may have been part of the reason why citizen kane was not a commercial or. In many ways, the storyline tells us more about ourselves than anything else and it relates to each one of us who has ever wished for a blah blah life. Orson welles, who was cowriter, actor, and director of citizen kane, has said that bernard herrmanns film score was a very important element and accounted for 50% of the success of the film. Among the many great films of the previous century, citizen kane is the one that stands out from the rest due to its original plot and talented acting and directing. The citizen kane film is a biopic of william randolph hearst showing how a millionaire journalist, who was the role model and champion of the underprivileged, becomes also dishonored to desire for power, and wealth.
In the classic film citizen kane, hard lighting and an austere use of shadowing strengthen the emotional intensity of scenes in such gloomy settings seen often. The 1941 film, citizen kane directed by orson welles is a phenomenal example of the exploration of innovative uses in photography, sound and editing. The romantic fragment of orientalism in samuel taylor coleridges kubla khan and citizen kane by orson welles. The fresh, sophisticated, and classic masterpiece, citizen kane 1941, is probably the worlds most famous and highlyrated film, with its many remarkable scenes and performances, cinematic and narrative techniques and experimental innovations in photography, editing, and sound. Then for some reason, we see two monkeys hanging out at the top of the fence, which makes us wonder where this castle is located. It is a gripping story of a man of his epoch who rises and falls, and whose actions impact the society around him making a memorable tale of the period. Perfect for acing essays, tests, and quizzes, as well as for writing lesson plans.
It tells the story of charles foster kane, a newspaper tycoon who died, but left the living with a puzzle. Narrative innovations in citizen kane narrative film technique. Michael aranda will try to help us through both of these. Citizen kane after watching the movie 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. We open the movie with a long panning shot of a huge castle mansion with a big fence around it. The story, along with the revolutionary cinematography, made it a movie years ahead of its time where orson welles, charlie kane, takes several controversial steps on his road to greatness. The camera lingers on a no trespassing sign and a large k wrought on the gate, then gradually makes its way to the house, where it appears to pass through a lit window. The extent of the ingenuity shown by the film citizen kane by orson welles is. Citizen kane is a 1941 american drama film by orson welles, its producer, coscreenwriter, director and star. The film citizen kane is the story of charles foster kane and told using flashbacks from his life and using more that one narrator. The characters seemed very real and believable making this movie very memorable.
Following the death of a publishing tycoon, news reporters scramble to discover the meaning of his final utterance. When it comes to citizen kane, one question eclipses all others. Simple viewing guide with questions that go along with the sequence of the movie. Orson welles directs and also plays the role of the principal character in this movie. Citizen kane is acclaimed by many critics as the greatest movie ever made. Nominated for academy awards in nine categories, it won an academy award for best writing original screenplay by herman j.
Citizen kane has long been acclaimed as a work of genius and. In 2016, donald trump shared his personal thoughts on citizen kane, the iconic film by orson welles. Why citizen kane is the most important american film ever made dan mecca february 10, 2009 because it is timeless, and that statement is more or less inarguable. Citizen kane a masterpiece at 50 roger ebert roger ebert. Learn exactly what happened in this chapter, scene, or section of citizen kane and what it means. An analysis of the accuracy of william randolph hearsts portrayal in the movie citizen kane. Acting almost as a biopic biographical film, citizen kane portrays a long period of time realistically, allowing the characters to age as the story goes on.
The questions have been designed to focus on plot, figurative devices used in the movie, as well as some reflection on the cinematic value of this film. Manipulation of lighting and scene spacing in classical hollywood cinema. Citizen kane has long been acclaimed as a work of genius and endlessly dissected by critics. The movie debuted in 1941, eventually becoming one of rkos most prevalent films of all times. As a landmark work in the history of cinema, it ranks among the few films ever produced for which a remake, in the opinion of most critics, is all but unthinkable. Citizen kane was a rare film in that its principal roles were played by actors new to motion pictures.
Citizen kane, written, produced, directed and played by orson welles, is probably the most exciting film that has come out of hollywood for twentyfive years. This sample paper is done by joseph, whose major is psychology at arizona state university. According to outspoken film critic robert mckee, any greatness of citizen kane must lie in its style. Jul 20, 2015 it has topped bbc cultures list of the greatest american films and many other polls before. Ahead of its release, the hollywood reporter appraised. The technique of telling the story of kane from multiple points of view dispels the illusion that we are learning the truth about. Stewart, who were also accompanied by the composer, bernard herrmann, created the soundtrack for this film. The structure of citizen kane is circular, adding more depth every time it passes over the life. The witnesses all have opinions, but often they disagree, and sometimes they simply throw up their hands in exasperation. Citizen kane essays are academic essays for citation. The movie opens with newsreel obituary footage that briefs us on the life and times of charles foster kane. Now then, the citizen part of citizen kane has a less obvious significance. Citizen kane opens with the camera panning across a spooky, seemingly deserted estate in florida called xanadu. Citizen kane breakfast scene analysis film studies essay.
A formal analysis of citizen kane amber shultz a student in my film experience class at belmont university, fall 20. With its use of deep focus, strange shot angles, and impossible crane shots, the cinematography of citizen kane is justly famous and has been hugely influential. And the movie stands there before them, a towering achievement that cannot be. Orson welles in citizen kane orson welles in citizen kane 1941. Sound analysis of citizen kane uploaded by bdogg on apr 25, 2007.
A film analysis of the movie citizen kane 1656 words 7 pages. Citizen kane citizen kane opens with the camera panning across a spooky, seemingly deserted estate in florida called xanadu. Orson welles directs and also plays the role of the principal character in this. In the final analysis, citizen kane is really like a greek tragedy where the hero is thwarted by his own super ego. The notorious battle was detailed in thomas lennons and michael epsteins oscarnominated documentary the battle over citizen kane 1996, and it was retold in hbos cabletv film rko 281 1999 the films title refers to the project numbering for the film by the studio, before the film was formally titled.
It resembles also a docudrama, told like a biography, peppered with interviews of friends and acquaintances who once knew the man in question, charles foster kane. Its also the last thing he was holding onto on the day mr. Analysis of the film citizen kane citizen kane is an american film written, produce, directed and starring orson welles. Citizen kane was very dramatic and all who took part in the movie played their roles well. Experimenting with creative storytelling techniques and nonlinear plot construction, the director treated the time parameter sensitively, replacing time continuity of real scene by a subjective continuity, controlling the rhythm and pace of all scenes. For any journalist, citizen kane is a glorious, subversive, pessimistic film. Citizen kane is an assembly of beautifully arranged scenes, and one of these days i might write about every single one of them. The work susan stars in is identified as salammbo in the newspaper coverage, but its a fictionalized version the music was written specially for citizen kane. Apr 19, 2020 citizen kane s narrative strategy, in which the whole story is told in flashback from slightly different points of view the equivalent of the unreliable narrator in fiction, was unprecedented in a hollywood film. This film has features that every movie should try to incorporate. We remember that this was kanes childhood sled, taken from him as he was torn from his family and sent east to boarding school. In this sense, rosebud symbolizes everything that kane. All the content of this work is his research and thoughts on citizen kane analysis and can.
These papers were written primarily by students and provide critical analysis of citizen kane directed by orson welles. The extent of the ingenuity shown by the film citizen kane by orson welles is so vast that one cannot draw an exhaustive analysis. Trump identified the film back in 1992 as his alltime favorite movie, and said the. Nov 12, 2019 citizen kane is a 1941 drama film directed by orson welles and praised for its innovative sound and editing methods in cinematography. Having missed the 1991 fiftieth anniversary revival, i had only seen citizen kane on the small. By the end of the movie, kane is completely doomed to isolation, and its only in his final moments that he realizes he isnt a good person at all like abel, but a bad dude like cain. Aug 27, 2014 a formal analysis of citizen kane amber shultz a student in my film experience class at belmont university, fall 20. After his old friend mr bernstein heckles him, kane just smiles. An analysis of the movie citizen kane by orson welles. Never has the fine art of cinematography been so perfectly executed than by orson welles in his perennial film, citizen kane. The noise and the nonsense that have attended the release of citizen kane may for the time being befog the merit of this extraordinary film. Sep 07, 2018 the mhm podcast network movie synopsis and film summary of citizen kane 1941 starring orson welles, joseph cotten, and dorothy comingore. Seconds before his death, kane said the word rosebud. As old and new reporters alike engage in merry conversation, the beloved publisher mr kane stands to make a toast.
And the movie stands there before them, a towering achievement that cannot be explained yet cannot be ignored. We all know what newspaper journalists are supposed to be like in the movies. Jan 11, 2018 michael aranda will try to help us through both of these questions as we take a look at our first film in crash course film criticism, citizen kane. On may 1, 1941, rko radio pictures held the premiere of citizen kane at the palace theatre in new york, garnering raves from local critics. We only find out in the final scene of the movie that rosebud is actually the sled that kane used to play with as a child. Orson welles film citizen kane 1941 is significant in the movie world because of the innovations it made not only in technique, but also in how films were conceptualized. As the reporters investigate further, the viewers see a display of a fascinating mans rise to fame, and how he eventually fell off the top of the world. Kane asks susan how old she is and she answers that shes twentytwo. The film begins with a news reel detailing kanes life for the masses, and then from there, we are shown flashbacks from kanes life.
Scene analysis citizen kane, opening scene xaviers. This scene leads us through kanes estate until we reach charles foster kane on his deathbed. But a mystery still lies at the heart of this masterpiece. In charlies view, hearst was more distressed by the movies insinuation. In this program, mckee skewers the content of cinemas sacred cow and charges orson welles with artistic overkill, dubiously praising the movies cinematic effects as a virtuoso display of camera technique, declamatory symbols.
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