Citizen Kane
Francois Truffaunt said that Citizen Kane is the film the "probably started the largest number of filmmakers on their careers". What aspects of Citizen Kane do you think would be attractive to an aspiring filmmaker?Francois Truffaunt said that Citizen Kane is the film the "probably started the largest number of filmmakers on their careers"; I also believe this to be true. Although it is not every aspect of Citizen Kane that would have attracted the filmmaker, as I feel that the characterisation and the characters are empty and heartless. It doesn't seem that one emotion is brought over by the actors. Many people say that Citizen Kane is one of the greatest films made, but with no real emotion in the film I feel that this isn't the case. So what is it about Citizen Kane that could have inspired so many filmmakers? The answer to that Question is that the film is packed optical effects and filmed in an original way and it is in this sense, for the time it was made, a very inspiring film. The opening scene is very darkly lit and it is of a big mansion theres a lot of low angle shots to give an impression of the size. The first shot of the mansion the camera is behind a fence and there is one light on in the m
In this scene the camera starts outside of a window looking in on to a picture, the camera tracks in on the in on the picture of the newspaper team until the picture frame becomes the film frame, and then there is a flash and the shot moves across to see somebody taking a picture. All the characters are in focus and the mise-en-scene is balanced in terms of where the characters are placed. I feel that the way in which Welles takes the audience on a ride using inspiring routes with the camera is a lot more effective way of introducing a new place/character. From the opening scene it cuts right into a newsreel. I feel that this scene would have really gripped aspiring filmmakers, as it would have been so original. Once at the house the main character dies and says "rosebud" and the mystery of the film begins. I feel the montage of this sequence of events is excellent, as it all flows as one and you cant see where the match cut is. I think this is possibly why I find these events so inspiring and also I think this is possibly what aspiring filmmakers find attractive, the implied meaning of the way we are taken places with camera angles, moves, optical effects and the montage of the film, and the way Welles sets the Mise-en-scene with light and shadow. The camera moves down towards a broken window this could possibly imply Mrs Kane situation. After the newsreel Welles brings the audience back into a world of mystery once again, using shadows and the way it is placed does this. Wipes are used to link parts of the news reel, the wipes work very effectively here because gives a "Documentary" feel not a film feel and as it is a news reel this would have been the desired effect. Welles then uses anellipsis to start putting the parts of the puzzle together. A frame within a frame is used in this scene too, the window being the other frame, and it is the boy who is in the window. The camera moves down towards the window which is broken, like Mrs Kane's world has crashed down around her and is now broken like the window. It comes as a surprise but it is an image that has stayed in my head and I feel will have stayed with filmmakers and it shows that in film you can use optical effects and montage in original ways that are very effective.
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Acceptance Essays
