Citizen Kane is the Grandfather of Innovative Film Technology

Citizen Kane is the grandfather of all films that attempt to equal the aesthetic achievements of Orson Welles' masterpiece. Though often touted as the "greatest film of all time," Citizen Kane initially failed to attain an emotional connection with audiences. At the time of its release, its challenging visual and audio effects left viewers confused, many of those walking out of the theater halfway through the film. Today, those schooled in film aesthetics, as well as the general population, appreciate Citizen Kane.

In March 1941, a Time magazine review designates Citizen Kane as "a work of art created by grown people for grown people." It was recognized early on that Orson Welles intended his film to challenge viewers' perceptions of what a film is suppose to be. Furthermore, the Time magazine review refers to the audience as a jury, while Welles himself is not the judge, but rather provides the evidence. Though the intellectual aura of the film was apparent to many, others in relatively recent decades have regarded the film as a "shallow masterpiece."

Some feel that equating Citizen Kane with that of profound high art, as film critic Pauline Kael notes, "manages to create something aesthetically exciting and durable out of the playfulness of American muckraking satire." However, relegating the film as mere satire ignores the groundbreaking aesthetic, technical and screenwriting achievements of the film. If one were to refer to Jonathan Swift's work (author of Gulliver's Travels) as simple satire, it would disregard the impact his work had on eighteenth century culture as well as the historical insight into class and economic relations it provides scholars with today. By bagging on Orson Welles' supposed failure of attaining what others expected of him, film critics like Pauline Kael overlook what he did accomplish in his lifetime. Welles as a whole is still an icon in the world of film and radio. Though in his later years, young audiences knew him primarily as an overweight product-pusher in mediocre TV commercials, today, through the 60th anniversary release of Citizen Kane on DVD, Welles and his visionary film continue to garner accolades from viewers. Critic Pauline Kael failed to witness this as she passed away shortly before the film's DVD release in 2001.

Orson Welles won his only Oscar for the Citizen Kane screenplay. Welles and collaborator Herman J. Mankiewicz came up with a storyline that challenged viewers to find a connection with its main character Charles Foster Kane. Kane is the anti-hero, and seemingly driven by a greedy desire for riches and success. However, on further examination, and Welles most likely desired such analysis by the viewer, Kane's motives become clear. When Kane's second wife Susan leaves him, the audience is allowed a glimpse into Kane's psyche in a key scene. Though Kane seems to be more upset with Susan for leaving the persona of "Charles Kane" the rejection reverts Kane into a feeling of nostalgia. Kane then whispers "rosebud," while holding a snow globe that represents his lost innocence.

The documentary The Battle Over Citizen Kane portrays Citizen Kane as a scandalous interpretation of William Randolph Hearst's rise and subsequent isolation in Sam Simeon. However, the documentary curtails the more sweeping theme of the film - that of survival. Kane is an emotional survivor. Abandoned by his parents, Kane must cloak his vulnerability. Thus, all that remains is Kane's desire to fill his gaping wound through materialistic means.

Citizen Kane is an amalgam of visual, sound and photographic innovations. The film was so far ahead of its time that it remains impressive to those viewers jaded by the special-effects-filled films of the last two decades. One of the most discussed innovations of the film is the use of deep-focus photography. Collaborating with Welles' vision, cinematographer Gregg Toland created a milieu of extraordinary sequences that demonstrate the interrelationships between characters and situations. In addition, instead of the extensive dialogue and overacting inherent to films of that time, Citizen Kane uses sound to stage a scene's emotional output. Welles utilized his knowledge of radio in order to add an audible complexity to certain scenes, thus inviting the viewer into secret conversations amidst noisy backgrounds that would otherwise be missed.

Overall, Citizen Kane deserves a listing in the top ten films of all time. It is the grandfather of innovative film technology, and in turn, continues to encourage the evolution of artistic film. Citizen Kane is undoubtedly a necessary component of what Martin Scorcese deems as part of the "film literacy" one must know in order to understand the history of filmmaking. Citizen Kane is now enjoyed by a whole new generation of moviegoers fascinated with the art-house feel to the film. Perhaps Orson Welles knew that his film would be everlasting, encouraging subsequent generations to think and live outside of the box.

Sources:

Barsam, Richard. Looking at Movies: An Introduction to Film. New York: W.W. Norton & Co., 2004.

The Battle Over Citizen Kane. Dir. Michael Epstein and Thomas Lennon. DVD. Films Transit International, 1995.

Citizen Kane. Dir. Orson Welles. 1941. DVD. Warner Home Video, 2001.

"Cinema: Kane Case." Time Magazine 17 March 1941.

Ebert, Roger. "Citizen Kane Review" 24 May 1998.

Kael, Pauline. "Raising Kane" The New Yorker 20, 27 February 1971.

Scorcese, Martin, dir. A Personal Journey with Martin Scorcese Through American Movies. DVD. Disney, 1995.