Citizen Kane is a masterpiece. From the extraordinary cinematography to the outstanding acting, Citizen Kane has gone down in history as the most influential film ever made. To begin I want to discuss how absolutely beautiful this film is. Every single shot is taken with care and each of them is complex and interesting in its own way. The story behind the cinematography is quite astonishing: Orson Welles being new to the film industry gave full artistic control of the cinematography to Gregg Toland who was already a veteran filmmaker. I
also felt that the set designers did a wonderful job of working with Toland to insure a perfect
scene. There is never a scene, save for the one at the end which is inside of a warehouse,
where the screen and shot feel cluttered. In every shot, you know exactly what to look for and
it's amazing.
Secondly, the score, while very pretty, isn't very memorable. I don't mind this at times because I really enjoy the film's quieter moments. While on the topic of sound, I think the sound design is also particularly great. There are a couple of scenes, including Kane writing the review, where everything is quiet and there is a very small, but remarkably noticeable sound.
Finally, the acting and story. The acting in this film is some of the best I've ever seen. Orson Welles, Joseph Cotten, Ray Collins, and Everett Sloane absolutely kill it. Ray Collins stood out to me because he literally has like five or so minutes on screen, but he really does an amazing job. Orson Welles does great as well. He really sells Charlie Kane as a character. I also thought that his voice acting was particularly good. The story is a story of politics and an overbearing love for one's self. The story follows Jerry Thompson as he tries to piece together the life and affairs of Charlie Kane so that he might solve the mystery of "Rosebud," which is Kane's dying words. It is an outstanding story and I found it incredibly interesting. I also really loved the ending, it was fantastic.
Overall, an outstanding film. If you're hesitant about watching it because it's old and black & white, please do yourself a favor and watch it.
Plus, Emo Phillips is just adorable as Salvador Dali.
Secondly, the score, while very pretty, isn't very memorable. I don't mind this at times because I really enjoy the film's quieter moments. While on the topic of sound, I think the sound design is also particularly great. There are a couple of scenes, including Kane writing the review, where everything is quiet and there is a very small, but remarkably noticeable sound.
Finally, the acting and story. The acting in this film is some of the best I've ever seen. Orson Welles, Joseph Cotten, Ray Collins, and Everett Sloane absolutely kill it. Ray Collins stood out to me because he literally has like five or so minutes on screen, but he really does an amazing job. Orson Welles does great as well. He really sells Charlie Kane as a character. I also thought that his voice acting was particularly good. The story is a story of politics and an overbearing love for one's self. The story follows Jerry Thompson as he tries to piece together the life and affairs of Charlie Kane so that he might solve the mystery of "Rosebud," which is Kane's dying words. It is an outstanding story and I found it incredibly interesting. I also really loved the ending, it was fantastic.
Overall, an outstanding film. If you're hesitant about watching it because it's old and black & white, please do yourself a favor and watch it.
Plus, Emo Phillips is just adorable as Salvador Dali.
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