Wait a second!
More handpicked essays just for you.
More handpicked essays just for you.
Citizen Kane scene analysis
Citizen Kane Analysis
Cinematography analysis of Citizen Kane
Don’t take our word for it - see why 10 million students trust us with their essay needs.
Recommended: Citizen Kane scene analysis
I first saw Orson Welles’s Citizen Kane when I was eight years old, and I remember complaining to my parents about how boring it was, but I still managed to sit through the whole movie. As I watched the film again for the second time as an adult, I really enjoyed it, because I was able to follow and understand the plot line. Even though I saw the movie about twelve years ago, most of the scenes’ images were still fresh in my memory. As a child I was unable to keep up with the narrative, but certain frames and montages stuck with me, and now I can understand why, because of how carefully and beautifully the scenes were shot, with such attention to detail. There was one part of the plot that I remembered and that was of Kane’s second wife, Susan
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 particularly struck by the use of camera movement, or “mobile framing” as described in Film Art. In this historical analysis, I will take a detailed look at how Welles and Toland use camera movement to develop and challenge the Hollywood style. By referring to other movies viewed in Professor Keating’s class, including The Cheat, Wings, Applause, Double Indemnity, The Last Laugh and Bicycle Thief, this paper traces one aspect of innovation and diffusion in the movie many call the greatest film ever, Citizen Kane.
In cinema, lighting, blocking and panning drastically influence what an audience will notice and take away from a scene. Orson Welles’s 1941 Citizen Kane has numerous examples of effectively using these aspects within mise-en-scène, cinematography and editing to portray the importance of specific events and items in the film. The scene where Kane writes and then publishes his “Declaration of Principles” (37:42-39:42) in the New York Daily Inquirer after buying them focuses on important elements of the film, aiding the audience by combining lighting, blocking and panning to define significant roles and objects that further the movie as a whole.
All directors of major motion pictures have specific styles or signatures that they add in their work. Alfred Hitchcock, one of the greatest directors of all time, has a particularly unique style in the way he creates his films. Film analyzers classify his distinctive style as the “Alfred Hitchcock signature”. Hitchcock’s signatures vary from his cameo appearances to his portrayal of a specific character. Two perfect examples of how Hitchcock implements his infamous “signatures” are in the movies, A Shadow of a Doubt and Vertigo. In these movies, numerous examples show how Hitchcock exclusively develops his imagination in his films.
Alfred Hitchcock’s unique sense of filmmaking and directing has allowed him to become a very famous and well known film maker of his time. He uses similar recurring themes, elements, and techniques in many of his films to engage the viewers in more than just the film, but the meaning and focus behind the story.
Orson Welles ' introduced innovating editing and sound design in the 1940s with Citizen Kane (1941). Welles uses editing and sound to show the audience the passing of time, this is seen the breakfast montage. Welles uses sound bridges during the transitional wipes of fast moving images which fade into the next shot. The sound bridges act as links between the two scenes and make the time difference apparent to the audience. At the beginning of the montage Welles uses a slow zoom combined with romantic music to show the love between Kane and Emily. Both characters appear in the frame together with deep focus and slow paced editing which shows the closeness of the couple in the early years. This is juxtaposed by the end of the montage showing
In your view, how does Welles’ portrayal of the complex nature of happiness contribute to the enduring value of Citizen Kane?
The highly acclaimed Citizen Kane creates drama and suspense to the viewer. Orson Welles designed this film to enhance the viewer’s opinion about light and darkness, staging, proxemics, personal theme development, and materialism. Creating one of the most astounding films to the cinematography world, Welles conveys many stylistic features as well as fundamentals of cinematography. It is an amazing film and will have an everlasting impact on the world of film.
Films are about some topics or themes and involve different types of characters. Many filmmakers use a variety of techniques to convey their messages. The choice on the type of the techniques depends on the theme of the film and how effective the filmmakers want to communicate their ideas. This essay aims at illuminating theme and technique in films basing its argument on Alfred Hitchcock’s movies; Notorious movie, Rope, and Strangers on the Train. Alfred Hitchcock was a director of movies and his place in the film studies is unrivalled. He is famously known due to his brilliant plots, witty dialogue, and his ability to tell stories visually. This unique ability brought a new revolution in the film industry that made him become a very influential person in this industry.
Citizen Kane involved many cinematic advances that transformed movie making. Traditionally, movies were made using a continuity of narrative and event. The plot line was chronological, the story unfolded seamlessly, and the lighting and camera angles highlighted the actors and propelled them into stardom. A studio style was born where a film became known for its linear style. (Lewis, 2008, page 106) Citizen Kane challenged this accepted studio style by rearranging plot sequence, innovating camera angle, lighting, composition, and altering narrative structure.
Citizen Kane is a movie that has been acclaimed by many experts as one of the greatest movie of all-time. Yet there are still many people who have not seen this movie. I think It's not as mainstream as other movies, but still this is a masterpiece.
One of the most defining films in American Film history is Orson Welles' 1941 cult classic, Citizen Kane. While the film is widely regarded for several cinematic elements such as its cinematography and background score, what stands out is the narrative style employed by Welles and co-screenplay writer, Herman J. Mankiewicz. Perhaps, what is most noteworthy was the demand the film made of its audience, to follow and deduce the plot as it unraveled, something we are used to as film viewers of this generation, but for its times was path breaking. The cinematic techniques used such as telling a story through a series of flashbacks, the use of deep focus camera shots, the use of low angles and chiaroscuro lighting enhanced the viewing experience and these remain
American cinema has marveled audiences for over a century and during that timeframe there have been several advancements worthwhile of mentioning. The creation, introduction, and development of the camera is clearly one of the advancements which set the stage for films, beginning with the basic image to those utilizing multiple images in order to create movement. Then came the addition of sound into films which added another element for viewers to enjoy and finally the use of light to enhance the movement being displayed. For the most part, these techniques were rudimentary in nature until 1941 when the film Citizen Kane was released and forever changed the film industry. The remainder of this paper will analyze how Citizen Kane challenged traditional filmmaking techniques to revolutionize and benchmark the film industry for all production studios.
The Academy Award winning film Citizen Kane was directed, co-written and produced by Orson Welles in 1941. The film is an American drama with multiple themes. The two most significant themes are; the loss of childhood innocence and the rags to riches story line both of which are echoed throughout the film. The rags to riches/American Dream theme is a shared idea that everyone who is willing to work hard has the ability and opportunity to become successful and wealthy. The film features Orson Welles as the protagonist, Charles Foster Kane, who started from humble begins and would end up one of the richest men of his time. The theme, loss of innocence is symbolized by the sled from Kane’s childhood and represents the last time Charles was an innocent child. The majority of both past and present film critics agree that Citizen Kane is a classical masterpiece best known for the innovative camera techniques and filming elements. A cinematic review of the filming elements from the sled/boyhood scene that will be discussed are blocking, deep focus and symbols.
Citizen Kane (Welles, 1941) challenged the traditional narrative and technical elements of classic Hollywood cinema through the successful use of mise-en-scene. According to (Wikipedia) traditional narrative focuses on chronological order of history it is event driven and tends to center upon individuals, actions and intentions. Additionally (Wikipedia) also states that the title “Classic Hollywood cinema” were terms used in film history which designates both a visual and sound style for making motion pictures and a mode of production used in the American film industry between 1927-1963. This period is also known as the “Golden age of Hollywood.”
Citizen Kane is among the most critically acclaimed films of all time, and it has been given this place for a good reason. The film tells a complex tale that does not cheat the audience through cheap characters or stale