A Criticism of Orson Wells Citizen Kane
Citizen Kane
In 1941, the dramatic film Citizen Kane was released by first time director, Orson Welles. Welles once said, “A film is never really good unless the camera is an eye in the head of a poet.” With the attitude Welles had in directing, it brought him heavy burden filled with controversy amongst newspaper mongrel William Randolph Hearst, movie director Howard Hughes and Chicago utilities magnate Samuel Insull for the adaptation of these three personalities in the character, Kane. Upon Citizen Kane release, Hearst unmercifully attacked the film creating a downfall in commercial success at the time. Now, Citizen Kane is viewed as an innovative production in the history of film. “Create your own visual style... let it be unique for yourself and yet identifiable for others,” stated Welles. The style Welles took with Citizen Kane is now looked as a layout for classic film making. Citizen Kane is like a first-class meal; simple ingredients, rich in flavor, and always fresh. What the viewer receives from Citizen Kane is parody on greedy men in big pants and a underlying drama about the complexities of life. Although one cannot sum up a person into a simple word such as ‘Rosebud’ rather looked at as pieces of a jigsaw puzzle. The viewers in this film are consistently reminded that what pieces remain in this temperamental world is filled with goodness and love.
Welles visual style in Citizen Kane had a puzzling style itself. Welles allowed the viewer to think independently and mentally interact with the characters and plot instead of spoon feeding concepts, themes, or symbolism to the viewer. Welles directed the plot of Citizen Kane with his actors spitting out lines that were filled with honesty and reactions that accented the nature of black and white film; bold, simple, and profound. He also combined German and Russian styles of cinematography. Such style develops rich shadows, contrasting light, and a deep focus in each scene. The deep focus that allows
In 1941, the dramatic film Citizen Kane was released by first time director, Orson Welles. Welles once said, “A film is never really good unless the camera is an eye in the head of a poet.” With the attitude Welles had in directing, it brought him heavy burden filled with controversy amongst newspaper mongrel William Randolph Hearst, movie director Howard Hughes and Chicago utilities magnate Samuel Insull for the adaptation of these three personalities in the character, Kane. Upon Citizen Kane release, Hearst unmercifully attacked the film creating a downfall in commercial success at the time. Now, Citizen Kane is viewed as an innovative production in the history of film. “Create your own visual style... let it be unique for yourself and yet identifiable for others,” stated Welles. The style Welles took with Citizen Kane is now looked as a layout for classic film making. Citizen Kane is like a first-class meal; simple ingredients, rich in flavor, and always fresh. What the viewer receives from Citizen Kane is parody on greedy men in big pants and a underlying drama about the complexities of life. Although one cannot sum up a person into a simple word such as ‘Rosebud’ rather looked at as pieces of a jigsaw puzzle. The viewers in this film are consistently reminded that what pieces remain in this temperamental world is filled with goodness and love.
Welles visual style in Citizen Kane had a puzzling style itself. Welles allowed the viewer to think independently and mentally interact with the characters and plot instead of spoon feeding concepts, themes, or symbolism to the viewer. Welles directed the plot of Citizen Kane with his actors spitting out lines that were filled with honesty and reactions that accented the nature of black and white film; bold, simple, and profound. He also combined German and Russian styles of cinematography. Such style develops rich shadows, contrasting light, and a deep focus in each scene. The deep focus that allows