Thoughts on Citizen Kane
Citizen Kane was a decent movie. Storyline-wise, it was not something that would normally have attracted me, but I was absolutely fascinated by the technological advances that the movie made. There were a lot of interesting shots made that are artistic compliments you rarely see in movies today. (I have a small personal vendetta against the “art” behind the movie industry today in case you have noticed. It's not that I dislike the movies coming out now, but I feel like most people in the industry are only sticking to simple filming with “massive action/sexy storylines” and basic formulas that are guaranteed to make money instead of thinking about new and innovative ways to make movies.) Shots like looking through the snowglobe, or the view of watching a news film reel were different than most movies at the time. One particular element that I liked was in the very beginning as they were dissolving through different shots of the Kane's paradise mansion. Up in the right hand corner was a light from the mansion which remained constant through every shot. To me, the many little artistic devices used were what made the movie worth watching.
Of course, I have Orson Wells to thank for that one. Wells was one of the first directors to develop the idea of auteur; that the direct is more than just a manager, that the director is responsible for the overall “feel” and artistic motivation of the movie. Orson Wells really defined what a director should be. Alfred Hitchcock would later develop auteur to mean a director who defines a particular genre. This is part of the reason I wish to explore more of the directing/editing side of filmmaking in my Theatre/Cinema major.
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