In 1941, Citizen Kane, an American drama film, was released. It starred Orson Welles who also directed it. Even today, movie magnates view 'CK' as one of the finest films in movie-making history. It was highly acclaimed for its music, its unique narration, and its ground-breaking cinematography.
Before the film was made, Welles was receiving accolades after his performances with the Mercury Players. He caught the attention of Hollywood moguls through his highly controversial radio program, War of the Worlds, in 1938. The next year he was signed on contract with RKO Pictures.
Although he was a complete rookie when it came to directing, the studio gave him free rein to develop a screenplay and to choose the crew and cast. He was even allowed the privilege of 'final cut'. After making two unsuccessful attempts, he collaborated with Herman Mankiewicz and the screenplay for Citizen Kane was born.
Citizen Kane was filmed in 1940, and released the following year. It dominated the Academy Awards by being nominated in as many as 9 categories. To the delight of Mankiewicz and Welles, it scooped the Best Writing (Original Screenplay) award.
Citizen Kane is a roman a clef (a factual story with the use of fictional characters) that studies the life of Charles Foster Kane. His character was based on the newspaper tycoon, William Randolph Hearst, and on Orson Welles' own life. When the film was released, Hearst did not allow any of his newspapers to even mention it.
Kane started his career in the newspaper publishing industry because he had a passion for journalism. However, over the years, this passion turned into a relentless quest for power. The film is narrated with the use of flashbacks. The story is unfurled through the research of a reporter trying to solve the mystery surrounding Kane's dying word which was simply 'Rosebud'.
Although the movie was critically acclaimed, it was a box office disaster. It faded into oblivion for some years until French movie critics declared it to be outstanding. This sparked new interest and CK enjoyed a major revival in America during 1956. As before, critics agreed that indeed it was 'the greatest film of all time'. It remained on leading film polls for another 50 years.
Historians and film students saw the cinematography as an innovative new way to make films. Most significant was the protracted use of deep focus. In most scenes, the foreground, background and everything in between, is in focus. Gregg Toland, the cinematographer, achieved this by experimenting with lenses and lights.
Another unique element of the movie was the achievement of certain low angle shots. In the film, one can see ceilings in the background. Like all movies at the time, the film was shot on a sound stage which does not have a ceiling. How did they do it in CK?
The crew of Citizen Kane achieved this by draping muslin on the top of the set to create the effect of a room with a ceiling. The microphones were hidden on top of the muslin. Trenches were dug in the floor so that low angle shots could be used in the scene where Kane and Leland meet when after the elections. The role of Kane was played by Welles. - 40728
Before the film was made, Welles was receiving accolades after his performances with the Mercury Players. He caught the attention of Hollywood moguls through his highly controversial radio program, War of the Worlds, in 1938. The next year he was signed on contract with RKO Pictures.
Although he was a complete rookie when it came to directing, the studio gave him free rein to develop a screenplay and to choose the crew and cast. He was even allowed the privilege of 'final cut'. After making two unsuccessful attempts, he collaborated with Herman Mankiewicz and the screenplay for Citizen Kane was born.
Citizen Kane was filmed in 1940, and released the following year. It dominated the Academy Awards by being nominated in as many as 9 categories. To the delight of Mankiewicz and Welles, it scooped the Best Writing (Original Screenplay) award.
Citizen Kane is a roman a clef (a factual story with the use of fictional characters) that studies the life of Charles Foster Kane. His character was based on the newspaper tycoon, William Randolph Hearst, and on Orson Welles' own life. When the film was released, Hearst did not allow any of his newspapers to even mention it.
Kane started his career in the newspaper publishing industry because he had a passion for journalism. However, over the years, this passion turned into a relentless quest for power. The film is narrated with the use of flashbacks. The story is unfurled through the research of a reporter trying to solve the mystery surrounding Kane's dying word which was simply 'Rosebud'.
Although the movie was critically acclaimed, it was a box office disaster. It faded into oblivion for some years until French movie critics declared it to be outstanding. This sparked new interest and CK enjoyed a major revival in America during 1956. As before, critics agreed that indeed it was 'the greatest film of all time'. It remained on leading film polls for another 50 years.
Historians and film students saw the cinematography as an innovative new way to make films. Most significant was the protracted use of deep focus. In most scenes, the foreground, background and everything in between, is in focus. Gregg Toland, the cinematographer, achieved this by experimenting with lenses and lights.
Another unique element of the movie was the achievement of certain low angle shots. In the film, one can see ceilings in the background. Like all movies at the time, the film was shot on a sound stage which does not have a ceiling. How did they do it in CK?
The crew of Citizen Kane achieved this by draping muslin on the top of the set to create the effect of a room with a ceiling. The microphones were hidden on top of the muslin. Trenches were dug in the floor so that low angle shots could be used in the scene where Kane and Leland meet when after the elections. The role of Kane was played by Welles. - 40728
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