Welles said that his character, kane, is based on more than one famous person. The outline of the story is simplicity itself, almost like saying. You will need to consider what qualities go to make a good film. The films construction shows how our lives, after we are gone, survive only in the memories of others, and those memories butt up against the walls we erect and the roles we play. Citizen kane made cinematic advances on many fronts, and its most significant contribution to cinematography came from the use of a technique known as deep focus. The sources for citizen kane, the 1941 american motion picture that marked the feature film debut of orson welles, have been the subject of speculation and controversy since the projects inception.
A fellow will remember a lot of things you wouldnt think hed remember. His second effort, the magnificent ambersons 1942, was taken away from him and recut. In against interpretation 1966 susan sontag challenges the general and traditional notion of art. In one such case in the filming of citizen kane the. The making of citizen kane, revised edition by robert l. It is widely noted that it was cinematographer gregg toland who first contacted orson welles about shooting citizen kane 1941. Citizen kane is perhaps the one american talking picture that seems as fresh now as the day it opened. Rosebud and the glass ball two tricks to the mythmaking of. In 1974s f for fake, he said that kane was going to be based on hughes. Eric blodgett, film 220, professor keating uc santa barbara, 2006 historical analysis, citizen kane. Citizen kane is a 1941 american drama movie, starring orson welles in his first fulllength movie.
We simply compose the shot with the actors head on one side of the frame and the reading matter on the other. Making citizen kane clip season 2 ep 6 852014 using inside information gleaned by screenwriter herman mankiewicz, orson welles makes a movie that sharply criticizes william randolph hearst. For example, in citizen kane extreme deep focus, diverse camera angles including low angles that exposed set ceiling and unusual use of lighting and deep shadows all these techniques were used in the. Citizen kane you buy a bag of peanuts in this town. Orson welles and gregg tolands use of light and shadow enhances the content in citizen kane by focusing on key aspects of the film so the audience knows what to focus on. In the importance of film form we considered the formal elements at the filmmakers command, and the the overall pattern of these elements that make up the films formal system. The making of citizen kane, revised edition revised edition by carringer, robert l. Orson welles waxed philosophical on the subject of citizen kane. The technique of telling the story of kane from multiple points of view dispels the illusion that we are learning the truth about. The making of citizen kane, copiously illustrated with rare photographs and production documents, also provides an indepth view of the operations of the hollywood studio system. The making of citizen kane, revised edition orson welles. Citizen kane simple english wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. There are a number of cinematic techniques that were introduced in citizen kane including low angle shots, multiple dissolves, deep focus, nonlinear storytelling in particular supported by the film editing.
Mankiewicz and orson welles, but theres an ongoing rumor that orson welles didnt write the screenplay for citizen kane, which seems nuts and is hard to prove. Deep focus refers to having everything in the frame, even the background, in focus at the same time, as opposed to having only the people and things in the foreground in focus. Whenever somebody equates shallow depth of field and cinematic look, its important to remember that the opposite is also sometimes true. Many aspects of citizen kanes styleincluding flashbacks, chiaroscuro lighting. 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. Considered by many critics, filmmakers, and fans to be the greatest film ever made, citizen. Its less about being the pinnacle of moviemaking and more about being the start of modern moviemaking in citizen kane, director orson welles revolutionized how films were shot.
In terms of visual style citizen kane features probably every element seen in film noirs of the 40s and 50s altman, 71. But apart from its claim to perpetual glory, critics consider citizen kane a major landmark in the art of film making, due to its use of established conventional techniques, as well as narrative strategies that bestow on them their earlier richness through unorthodox measures. From then on, he took directingforhire work while scrounging up money for his pet projects, many of which never came to fruition. In citizen kane, orson wells and the crew manipulate the characters appearance through costuming and makeup to subtly communicate aspects of a character that may not be so easily noticed through a characters words or actions. The films opening sequence is a shot that looks in through a gate into kanes castle. Citizen kane, widely considered the greatest film ever made, continues to fascinate critics and historians as well as filmgoers. Orson welless citizen kane 1941 whos afraid of charles foster kane. Citizen kane opened at the palace theater in new york on may 1, 1941. Citizen kane is a 1941 american drama film by orson welles, its producer, coscreenwriter, director and star. In the shooting script kane was to be seated on the bed. Citizen kane by orsen wells is nowhere close to being compared to as a mirror because the film is unclear, confusing, and hard to follow. Citizen kane by orson welles presents a hollow ending to a complex film. Cinematography of citizen kane twisted ladder movies. Deep focus photography was rare, but employed for some scenes on occasion in films going back to at.
That all seemed to go away, though, the moment he left home to be raised by mr. Wells achieved believability that his character, kane, has aged by acting as though every move he made required a lot of effort. Citizen kane dorson welles, or, when hollywood wants to make us think orson welles citizen kane. Kane as a mass of contradictions, and rosebud doesnt make sense of. Its director, star, and producer were all the same genius individual orson welles in his film debut at age 25. Citizen kane acting and costuming by miriam sundling on.
In 1940 when most filming took place on what is now stage 19 on the paramount lot in. In narrative structure and film style, welles challenged classical hollywood conventions and opened a path for experimentation in the later 1940s. When you have seen citizen kane, look back at this piece of writing and. Citizen kane was the only film where welles had total creative control. Sarah godek 1941 dramamystery 119 minutes for more mature audiences according to the american film institute, citizen kane is the best film of all time. How fitting that a film about the elusiveness of truth is the subject of endless argument. At the time of its release in 1942, the film lacked critical acclaim. I understand how some people see it as a dance of motor sports tech and human driver interface as a thing of beauty. While credit for its genius has traditionally been attributed solely to its director, orson welles, carringers pioneering study documents the shared creative achievements of welles and his principal collaborators. Citizen kane is an excellent example of sounds but it is also connected to different techniques, such as movements and cinematography technique. The most lauded american movie ever, citizen kane was controversial even before it premiered 75 years ago. Xanadu faint dawn 1940 miniature window, very small in the distance, illuminated. Following the death of publishing tycoon charles foster kane, reporters scramble to uncover the meaning of his final utterance. As a member of the younger generation, i will tell you right now that while citizen kane is ranked so highly, its not exactly something kids these days.
A formal analysis of scenes from citizen kane by ethan ward, a student in my film experience class at belmont university fall 2012. His innovation has made him an idol to anyone who is serious about making a piece of film, and has made his movie, citizen kane, a must see to any one who has respect for great film. Who wrote citizen kane the official screenplay for citizen kane is credited to herman j. It was released nationwide on september 5 of that year.
Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. Costumes in citizen kane media design and criticism. Although the film does not represent a mirror, charles foster kane can be closely connected to the symbolism of a. With a story spanning 60 years, the quasibiographical film examines the life and legacy of charles foster kane, played by welles, a fictional character based in part upon the american newspaper. This post focuses on the elements of film style miseenscene, cinematography, editing, and sound providing a few examples of how welles citizen kane 1941 utilises these elements in and, in doing so.
This is a companion to citizen kane the film that was designed to shock kenneth tynan one of the bestknown movies in the history of hollywood. Citizen kane creating drama and believability teddy mayer acting and costuming 1. In the decades after its release, welless film in spired a generation of young european filmmakers to unleash an explosion of cinematic modernism that val ued. The first thirteen minutes of the film is a retrospective documentary that is in the process of being put together by newsmen in a dark screening room. Not only was it orson welless first film as actor and director but most of the cast were also new to the cinema. 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. In citizen kane toland and welles allow the audience to focus on salient aspects of characters and the core theme of innocence versus corruption. Citizen kane, based on the code established in the very first scene of the movie by the presentation and juxtaposition of two elements.
Creative cow editorinchief tim wilson celebrates the work of gregg toland, asc, born this week in 1904 the first master of extreme depth of field in movies like citizen kane and the grapes of wrath that forever changed what is possible for humans to. Pdf desire, narcissism and crisis in citizen kane researchgate. The following is a college paper for uc berkeley film studies course. Who would ever think to dig a hole in the middle of a studio to get a few seconds of film during the 1940s. Citizen kane, too, is a saga, but a personal one at that. Then, a look at citizen kane will help reveal what such theories can discover about a particular film. All narrative films have a plot, even thosepresented in chronological order, such as thewizard of oz, toy story, or avatar.
It explains what rosebud is, but not what rosebud means. There are rumours that the story of the movie is based on the life of famous businessmen william randolph hearst, howard hughes and samuel insull. This new edition includes a revised preface and overview of criticism. Now, as the camera moves slowly towards the window which is almost a postage stamp in the frame, other forms. Nominated for academy awards in nine categories, it won an academy award for best writing original screenplay by herman j. Write about your expectations of a film voted the best film ever made. The german expressionists were using similar techniques to abstraction and mood lighting. Camera movement citizen kane, directed by orson welles, was an exemplary and groundbreaking work. Particular attention is paid to charles foster kanes appearance and wardrobe, as he appears in every flashback scene in the film. All the techniques in citizen kane were nothing new. Multiple links are listed since a different versions exist and b many scripts posted become unavailable over time. Mirrors are an exact reflection of the objects being portrayed.
And as a symbol, it does a good job of representing the innocence that charles once had as a little boy. With orson welles, joseph cotten, dorothy comingore, agnes moorehead. Citizen kane is also not the film that invented deep focus the mods here sort of informally keep an eye out for prekane uses of deep focus, and i think the earliest example weve come up with was from 1914 almost 30 years prior to kane, it wasnt the first film with visible ceilings this at least goes back to john fords early 30s films. Obviously, lots of people want to claim ownership of the idea. Citizen kane, based on the code established in the very first scene of the. The literally incredible domain of charles foster kane.
Narrative innovations in citizen kane narrative film. A great deal in the movie that was conventional and almost. He also had grey hair and facial hair, which created believability 2. Citizen kanes 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. The making of citizen kane, revised edition revised. Citizen kane revolves around the image of charles kanes childhood sled, rosebud. Listed in a runnerup position in 1952, but ten years later in 1962, citizen kane was in the no. All these are present in citizen kane from charles foster kane as the flawed hero, to emily kane as the typical american housewife, and of course suzan alexander as the woman who breaks his heart. Eric blodgett, film 220, professor keating uc santa. Citizen kane breakfast scene analysis film studies essay. Download the citizen kane script pdf no film school.
One day, back in 1896, i was crossing over to jersey on the ferry, and as we pulled out, there. 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. Citizen kane after watching the movie citizen kane i realized why this movie was named one of the best films ever. The plot of citizen kane is thestructure of events in thompsons investigationand in kanes life as presented in the film. Originally made as an educational tool for an intro to film course, this video essay takes a broad overview of citizen kane s production history, noting how crucial welles collaborators and the. Welles was 25 when he directed, starred in and cowrote kane.