Citizen Kane is considered a great American movie. It is from 1940, but people could not view it without controversy till 1950. It is typical of American films because it is in English, and its production refers to American culture. "The film industry of the 1930's thrived on a felicitous circle of economic dependence on attendance, exhibition, and production." (226). The movie is pointed at William Randolph Hearst and the printing industry. When Hearst learned through gossip of Orson Welles' film, he set out to protect his reputation by shutting the film down. Hollywood executives rallied around Hearst, attempting to buy the film in order to burn the negative. At the same time, Hearst's defenders moved to intimidate exhibitors into refusing to show the movie. Threats of blackmail, smears in the newspapers, and FBI investigations were used in the effort. Hearst's movement was successful. It would be nearly a quarter of a century before Citizen Kane
les would gain acknowledgment for having created one of cinema's great masterpieces.
This movie is unlike Hollywood movies today. It is not a film of pure entertainment. Movies today are made for a different type of society. The majority is not entertained by intelligent puzzling movies. Our society today is entertained by rude, sexual humor. Citizen Kane has depth and intrinsic details that make the movie dimensional and puzzling. It is a story about a real person. Hollywood has stretched the "appearance" of humans. Citizen Kane is a truthful, unforgettable lesson.
re used the surrealism exaggerates the nature of the moment. The lighting technique is in darkness at times - a dim screening room with shadowy faceless figures. The visual effect of Kane's marriage in five takes of a scene is quite descriptive and conclusive. In the final scene Welles did the first overhead tracking shot in films. The camera moves and everything else stays still. "T
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