Have any of you ever seen the film, "Citizen Kane"?
I often see it praised as a classic, and it is supposed to be rated high in the register of greatest American movies. Never struck me as anything that would appeal to me, I like action movies.
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I never cared for Orson Wells either, the cane and goofy cape made him look like a cross between Dracula and Bat Masterson.
Many of the “routine” cinematographic techniques in Citizen Kane, stuff you take for granted in modern movies, had never been done before. And, unlike action movies, Citizen Kane had an intricate plot.
Perhaps a certain depth is necessary to understand what you’re looking at. How old are you, and which films do you recognize as classics?
If you like action movies, then you won’t like it. But I agree with @filmfann. It is a perfect movie in every way.
Saw it in college, in a film appreciation class. I’m glad I saw it in that context because the teacher’s lecture and our discussions really highlighted why it was so great for its time. I’m not sure I would have fully ‘got it’ on my own.
It is important to understand timing and context with any old “classic” movie. They may be the first to accomplish something that we now take for granted — technically, stylistically or in the writing and acting.
Take, for example, the Wizard of Oz. Try to imagine being in the movie theater. You know little about the movie going in. You’ve only seen black & white films before. It starts simply enough. Young farm girl and her family in dusty old Kansas. A storm is coming. Then…COLOR.
You would have been blown away.
@filmfann Better than Lawrence of Arabia? Say it aint so, Joe!
@Nomore_lockout I like Lawrence of Arabia better than Citizen Kane. But they are both 5 star movies.
To really appreciate this film you need to realize what a cinematic jump it made. Orson Welles had never made a film before, and he came in and changed all the rules and language of film.
For my money, Lawrence of Arabia cannot be topped. But then again every one of the David Lean films are absolute masterpieces and exquisite adventure epics.
I love LOA, but remember that it was not initially well received. Many reviewers found it boring, which amazes me.
@filmfann They found L O A boring? But they rave over something like Citizen Kane? Go figure.
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