Monday, February 14, 2011

Citizen Kane


I just watched Citizen Kane for the first time. The movie really forces you to pay attention the whole way through to appreciate some of the shots. It felt like almost every scene used a window or a mirror that you should pay attention to because there is almost always something going on. If the scene didn't, there was some use of light and fading in and out and then back in again. I can imagine this being extremely difficult given technology wasn't exactly what it is in 2011.

The attached shot is probably the most perfect shot in the entire movie. It really captured for me what the film intended to do visually and what the actual story was about. Visually, each one of his images is in full focus. The image itself just gives you a clear-cut picture of how alone and sad he is although he has so much material wealth (look at all the columns and elaborate decorations around the huge mirrors). I also struggled to figure out which image was the real Kane. I went through the entire film knowing almost everything about him from his successes to his failures but yet nothing about him personally.

The movie is almost 70 years old and probably has had more written about it than any other movie. I'll leave the discussion open to anyone who wants to discuss it. For those who haven't seen it, I caution that you take your time with it and be an active watcher.

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