Tuesday, October 26, 2010

Citizen Kane

Wow, after watching this film - I have a whole new respect for ambiguous, mystery-genre movies.
The directing in this film was so phenomenal. Every little aspect of the film suggested to some bigger purpose!

I loved how all in one scene Kane was portrayed as both large and then puny (image above); almost to represent the FOIL of his character; the irony of his being.

Kane's faces and tone of voice also played a huge role on my opinion of the movie. Though not always, particularly noticeable or over-acted; his face was always the representation of calmness and serenity and then his eyes or his lips would give away the slightest suggestion of what was to come. For example, in the scene when Susan Alexander is sick - his face is filled with such disappointment and agony and dissatisfaction; and all portrayed in the movements of his eyes.

Lastly, my overall impression of the film was very good. I REALLY liked that "rosebud" was just another piece of the puzzle; those last few lines really connected the film for me as a whole. I realized that a man's last words can't be the summation of his whole life. This film had a whole, deep level of deception to it. Kane was a deception with his desperate need of affection. Susan was a deception from first glance to her horrific attitude. The importance of "rosebud" was a deception; a deception that made the viewer think that such a complicated man's life had one simple solution; when in reality that word was just another grain of sand in that man's life.

Much like every word we say is also just a little part of who we are. I really like that this movie had this timeless factor about it.

3 comments:

  1. And I like the way you describe why you liked the film. Very thoughtful comments.

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  2. Knock knock... Hey, anybody home?? I know it's gonna be hard for you to write on Runaway Train, since you spent the whole time under your desk with your eyes covered.

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  3. Hahaha! Even though I was freaking out the whole time - I really grew to the film! I loved it!

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