Citizen Kane Analysis - 870 Words

Through his 1941 film, Citizen Kane, Orson Welles’ portrays the complex nature of individuals as he explores the defining characteristics of the human condition through the depiction of the protagonist, Charles Foster Kane. The film’s enduring values is attributed to its explorations of relevant contextual concerns present throughout the 20th century and contemporary society. Through Welles’ use of innovative cinematic construction and textual flair, Welles highlights the complexities in shaping an individual’s identity, whilst also exploring the corrupting nature power has on an individual and their relations. Through the fragmented portrayal of Kane, we are positioned to understand the complexity of defining an identity. Welles’†¦show more content†¦Thompson’s epiphany â€Å"I don’t think any word can explain a man’s life†, when he describes Rosebud as â€Å"just a piece of a jigsaw puzzle†, serves as a motif to reflect Kane’s fragmented and incomplete identity, thus presenting Citizen Kane itself as a puzzle, subsequently manifesting as the camera pans out from Xanadu to the â€Å"No Trespassing† sign, completing the cyclic structure of the film emphasising our incapacity to understand Kane’s true identity, thus undermining our efforts to decipher Kane’s world. Thus, the innovation and insight of Citizen Kane engages us through its exploration of the intricacy of human identity. Welles’ commentary on the controversial, yet universal contextual ideal of the American Dream is developed through Kane’s corruptive nature for the pursuit of power. This is exhibited within the â€Å"Declaration of Principles†, which at first, Kane’s youthful self pledges to be â€Å"a fighting and tireless champion for rights†. His use of emotive language, in combination with his white attire symbolises his initial pure determined ethics. However, the use of chiaroscuro lighting overshadows Kane, foreshadowing his eventual downfall. Ultimately, his corruption is subsequently exposed as he tears up the Declaration, mockingly referring it to as an â€Å"antique† revealing Kane’s descent into corruption and its repercussions on his moral integrity. Consequently, his ambition for power is revealed to have transformed his initialShow MoreRelatedCitizen Kane Analysis2693 Words   |  11 PagesFilm History Research Citizen Kane Film Essay Orson Welles Citizen Kane Success the first time around is very uncommon. Orson Welless first feature film richly realizes the full potential of excellent craftsmanship. Citizen Kane is almost indisputably the greatest achievement in the history of filming. In 1941, this film was considered by many as the best film ever made. This film is about the enormous conflict between two twentieth-century iconsRead MoreFilm Analysis Of Citizen Kane1299 Words   |  6 PagesCitizen Kane incorporates a well-rounded variety of shots and angles that make the film more entertaining. This movie is significant because the American people will always be able to relate to it. There will always be a rich politician who wants to change things for the better. Sometimes, scandal and broken promises ensue. The American people will always want someone that they can trust to make their lives better. It is interesting to note that this film combines multiple genres, giving it a factorRead MoreFilm Analysis : Citizen Kane Essay2071 Words   |  9 PagesTo help create his debut film Citizen Kane, Orson Welles assembled a talented group of artists and technicians who together produced a film that redefined cinema forever. During the film’s production process, Welles himself stated that making a film â€Å"is the biggest electric train set any boy ever had.† By this he meant that the production studio was his playground and he intended to use every tool at his disposal. Starting from the film’s very first shot; he proves this to be true. As the filmRead MoreFilm Analysis Of Citizen Kane1143 Words   |  5 PagesCitizen Kane was rife with innovations in cinematic technique and introduced many new and unique aspects of mise-en-scà ¨nà © that would thrive in films to come. Orson Welles was a young visionary whose career had been limited to stage production and radio until his first film, Citizen Kane. Uniquely, as someone new to the film industry, he retained full creative control of his very first project, co-writing, producing, directing, and starring as Kane himself. This unfounded level of trust for a newcomerRead MoreCitizen Kane Film Analysis1347 Words   |  6 Pagescinematic history in 1941 when he produced, co-wrote, directed, and starred in the revolutionary American mystery drama Citizen Kane. The movie follows Kane’s pursuit of power, and the dangers that lay beyond it, as well as Kane’s loss of innocence and the resonating effects that it has on he and his life. Welles’ co-writer Mankiewicz based the outline of the protagonist, Charles Foster Kane, on his former friend William Randolph Hearst. (See Slide ONE) Hearst, who built America’s most expansive newspaperRead MoreCitizen Kane Film Analysis1195 Words   |  5 PagesWelles’s Citizen Kane: The Blackmail Scene (Definite Version) â€Å"There’s only one person in the world to decide what I’m going to do – and that’s me.† – Charles Foster Kane from Orson Welles’ Citizen Kane. Orson Welles’ 1941 classic film Citizen Kane tells the story of Charles Forster Kane. The turning point of the film is when Jim Gettys attempts to blackmail Kane. The scene demonstrates Kane’s fall from grace through pride. His reactions to the other characters in this scene (Mrs. Kane, Susan AlexanderRead MoreAnalysis Of The Film Citizen Kane By Orson Wells1303 Words   |  6 Pagesextract from the film ‘Citizen Kane’, directed by Orson Wells (1941) for this assignment. The technical aspects I have chosen to explore will be the use of both mise-en-scene and editing. Synopsis The clip I have selected from Citizen Kane is a montage scene that shows the protagonist Charles Foster Kane eating breakfast with his wife Emily. The scene is presented in the form of a narrative exposition from the mind of Jedediiah Leland, who is the ex business partner of Kane. The entirety of the sceneRead MoreHistorical Analysis of the Movie, Citizen Kane Essay1699 Words   |  7 Pages Historical Analysis, Citizen Kane: Camera Movement Citizen Kane, directed by Orson Welles, was an exemplary and ground-breaking work. In narrative structure and film style, Welles challenged classical Hollywood conventions and opened a path for experimentation in the later 1940s. Gregg Toland’s deep-focus cinematography and Welles’ use of low-key lighting are often discussed aspects of the movie. True, these were areas of innovation, but when watching the movie in class I was particularlyRead MoreAnalysis Of Orson Wells Citizen Kane1388 Words   |  6 PagesOrson Wells Citizen Kane (1941), is remembered as one of the greatest American films to be made. Its’ revolutionary story line and its new ideas that Orson Welles introduces in the film is what sets it apart from other films created at the time. The film depicts a young man, Charles Kane, who grew up wealthy and who eventually owns a newspaper. Throughout the movie, as hr grows more wealthy and powerful as he ages, he exhibits a distinct weakness that eventu ally leads to his downfall. Although theRead MoreAnalysis Of Orson Welles Citizen Kane1776 Words   |  8 PagesIn 1941, the release of Orson Welles Citizen Kane saw the New York Times label it as the riding crest of perhaps the most provocative publicity wave ever to float a motion picture†. Withstanding against contextual influences and alterations this historically epic melodrama has endured time, continuing to rouse meaning and differing interpretations for the individual of yesterday, today and tomorrows humanity. Setting precedent for a new world of cinematography to arise, Welles utilised the day’s