CITIZEN KANE

-Hemanshu Agnihotri Film Theory

CITIZEN KANE: Film Slug

Release date: September 5, 1941 (USA) Director: Orson Welles Running time: 119 minutes Cinematography: Gregg Toland Screenplay: John Houseman, Herman J. Mankiewicz, Orson Welles, Roger Q. Denny, Mollie Kent Starring Orson Welles Joseph Cotten Dorothy Comingore Music by Bernard Herrmann Editing by Robert Wise Distributed by RKO Radio Pictures (original), Paramount Pictures (1991 re-release), Warner Bros. (current) Rank 1 in AFI list of best film of all time

The Pitch
Citizen Kane is a story about a man named Charles Foster Kane, who in simple words, had every materialistic thing a man could possibly hold, yet still feel empty of happiness. This is also the underlined meaning of this story; happiness is within, not in items.

THEORY ASSOCIATED WITH THE FILM

Auteur Film theory applies the best. This means that the film, although shot as a collaboration, is still reflection of one man's ideas. Orson Welles wrote, starred, produced, and also directed this master piece. It should also be noted that this was Orson Welles first feature film. The amount of control he had over this project would usually never be given to most experienced directors by the studios that are producing and distributing.

RELATION TO THE TEXT

Eisenstein's montages make the perfect example for this film. In fact, critics would agree that the montage in this film were done in a creative and a well thought manner. The story tells a tale of a man from his adolescence to his death; montages helped cut out all the boring parts of his life and helped keep the story flowing in a smooth and organized fashion. The montages in this film were done in form of news reel. This was something that was completely new and exciting; especially for 1941.

MEET ORSON WELLS

A pioneer in both film and radio, Orson Welles was born May 6, 1915, in Kenosha, Wisconsin (Bio) He entered entertainment industry around the age 21. His three most notorious works are Caesar (1937)- A Broadway adaptation of Julius Caesar. The War of the Worlds (1938)- One of the most famous radio broadcasts in the history of the radio. Many claim that the story was so real that people really believed that it was an actual news event. Citizen Kane (1941)- American Film Institutes best film ever made. The film was inducted in this list in 1998.

MY VIEW ON THE FILM

I can honestly say that my interest in old films, especially the ones that were made prior to the 70s, was very low. But taking film history changed this. Once I saw Citizen Kane, it immediately became my favorite film. Watching it made me feel as if I was watching a new film, but made in an old fashioned way; meaning that the film is quite timeless. The effects, the story, the acting everything was simply put together in an amazing way. Orson Welles is also such an inspiration. As a perspective filmmaker, I look up to Mr. Welles as an idol. Since the first time I saw Citizen Kane, I make sure to see it at least 2-3 times every year and I can honestly say that my excitement to watch it only increases with passing time.

Sources
Wikipedia "Citizen Kane." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 17 Dec. 2012. Web. 18 Dec. 2012. Biography.com "Orson Welles Biography." Bio.com. A&E Networks Television, n.d. Web. 18 Dec. 2012.

THE END
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