The film Citizen Kane is a story of a boy in which we see
grow to become a man; as the audience you are able to travel on a journey,
exploring the several themes of love, romance, hatred and loneliness.
This film is viewed by many to be the greatest
achievement in history and in 1941 would have shocked the world because of its
use of cinematography – which represented the endless possibilities the camera
can be used for to capture the subjects in whom the audience is able to feel
the forever changing atmosphere, mood and tone. Along with cinematography the
use of other micro features including lighting and sound intensifies the
experience for the audience making them feel more involved, it also emphasises the
dramatic situations and atmospheres the subjects face.
The opening scene begins with a sequence of dissolving frames;
each one representing a passage through time, this elliptical editing
foreshadows the situations Kane faces; each one getting worse E.g. Mum gives
him up, he moves home and eventually ends up with the majority of the public
hating him, the frames involve dark, mysterious settings with barbwire, mist and
various other negative objects and surroundings.
Citizen Kane had a simple story but the detailed editing
formed an effective outcome, I really enjoyed the scene where you are able to
see the ceiling because before watching this film I had the knowledge that this
was the first ever film in history to have a set involving the ceiling because
previous creations had never used camera shots known as tilt or constructional
devices such as a crane; I feel this new idea that blossomed and grew back then
gives films today the realism of reality and gives the audiences an environment
they can relate to. I also liked the shot involving Susan and the investigator –
the camera gradually slips through a space in the glass roof, I feel this
emphasises the ‘whole room’ idea which also contributes to the idea of realism;
I feel this one frame/ scene has changed the way we see film today because it
was a big step to take, but the outcome was positive and who knows where we
would be in the film industry without the creative and unique ideas Orson
Welles represented throughout the film?
I feel the beginning of the film was a good way to start
because it began by presenting a summary of Kane’s life from beginning to end, the
voice over explained what was happening which demonstrated the narrative and
represented what the audience would see but in more detail. – This is a good
technique to use because I feel there was times in the film I felt lost and
confused but I could still understand the story and what was going on by
referring back to the beginning narrative.
The repetition of the word and investigation ‘Rosebud’
continuously put me on edge in anticipation of discovering the answer behind the
mysterious history and meaning of Kane’s last words.
The lighting is very important throughout the film because
it highlights significant aspects/ objects which would contribute and
foreshadow future events and discoveries. I felt the lighting was especially
important in the scene involving a table and Kane’s mothers letter because the
key light was focused on the centre screen where the table was positioned; the
surroundings are dark - magnifying the focus, the camera then switches to the
letter and follows the words as if you are reading it, I liked this camera
movement because I felt it involved me and put me in the characters position.
Another scene with the important use of lighting involves
Kane and two men. Kane is positioned in the foreground with another man but we
see Kane with a dark shadowing over him; we are unable to see his facial
expressions whereas the other characters are in full light where we are able to
see their facial features and actions. This could be representing the dark,
evil side of Kane and the horrible writing he expresses and publishes to the
world through his newspaper. This lighting technique could also present how he
is lonely and separated from others – the drastic opposition is a good way to
foreshadow this as light and dark are so opposite and are easily noticeable to
the audience.
As I explored the films editing techniques the one that
was continuously repeated throughout is known as a flashback; a scene in the
film set in a time earlier than the main story. At the beginning each flashback
interested me and pulled me into the investigation even more; they all
presented the history of Charles Kane and explored his past in great detail;
but as the film went on the flashbacks became less exciting and more annoying. I
didn’t enjoy the constant use of flashback as they were predictable and in some
cases pointless E.g. Kane smashing his room. I feel this was a downfall and a turn
off in the film but in its time would have been intriguing because the film
industry didn’t have the technology we have today to create breathe taking
effects; so I appreciate that this would have been outstanding!
Throughout the film we constantly see Kane’s past and the
traumatic situations he had to go through from a young age, this character was
played by Orson Welles; I feel he demonstrated the personality, feelings and
opinions of the character really well because he created the character and made
him feel real as if this film had really happened, he had a really good range
of tones in his voice and I feel this was the main thing I noticed when the
mood of Kane changed because it was believable and drew me in. From the
beginning I felt empathy for the character Kane because he had the feeling of
neglect and unloved as his mother sold him at a young age, and even though Kane
grew into a nasty, disrespectful man my empathy continued to grow for him
because as the audience I was able to see it wasn’t his fault for the way he
turned out, it was down to the environment and people he had grown up with. The
neglecting of him at a young age also contributed and reinforced the hate he
felt towards the world because he has never been loved and could seek no
friendship with others because with no example, he had no idea how to. I feel
his collection of statues was a way to seek comfort and to him represented
people, he spent ridiculous amounts on each one because I think he felt it was
a way to show love to them (him having the illusion/ thought they were people.)
The elliptical editing of the scene involving Kane and his first wife begins
with them both at one end of the table expressing their love for each other,
but as the scene continues they get further apart down the table ending with
them at separate ends; this movement represents how their relationship broke
down and the silent atmosphere showed no communication between the characters –
this scene made me empathise with Kane even more because even though he had
more concentration on his newspaper than his wife I feel it was because he was
more comfortable with it and didn’t know how to show her love because he has
never felt it.
The narrative then shows Kane meeting another woman – Susan;
I was immediately able to see they had a connection with their shared sense of
humour, as their relationship continued to blossom the public began to hate her
as much as they hated Kane, this was down to her dreadful singing. I really
enjoyed the visual match cut of Susan singing in an opera theatre to hundreds
of people and the relations it had to the flickering, then eventually exploding
light bulb. I feel this created the idea of her ups and downs with Kane and
then the final outcome of their constantly conflicting and separated relationship.
I feel another scene representing an important message
involved Kane starring into a continuous row of mirrors, this gave the effect
of his reflection presented several times – this created a distorted illusion. I
feel the message of this frame was to express how Kane couldn’t see himself or
know who he is; this whole idea of his identity and who he really was
contributed to the outcome of his last words ‘Rosebud’.
Overall I feel we don’t really know the real character
Charles Foster Kane because throughout the film we see his story being told by
a succession of people with various views and opinions, at no point do we get
to see Kane’s point of view and reasons behind his life and what he did in it. The
discovery at the very end of the mysterious ‘Rosebud’ was presented as his
sledge that we saw at the very beginning of this story, but I don’t feel this
object was the real representation of ‘Rosebud’ but Kane’s childhood and the
only scene we see him happy and having fun, I feel this is all Kane wanted in
his life but unfortunately died a lonely hated man known for his negative
contributions to the world.
Even though there was times through the film I felt bored
I really appreciate how it can be seen as the greatest film ever made and
without it film may not be where it is now, because of contemporary films with
the outstanding effects, emphasised sounds, clear imagery etc. I found the
black and white and dialogue dull with no real expressiveness on the other hand
it was advanced for its time and overall I feel it has had a huge influence on
the movement of film and the continuing ways film is developing.
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