Wednesday, January 23, 2019
Tuesday, January 22, 2019
Thursday, January 17, 2019
Citizen Kane
Citizen Kane is a 1941 black and white Mystery/Drama film directed by Orson Welles. It was released on the 24th January and had a budget of $839,727.
After the death of newspaper businessman, Charles Foster Kane inside his home 'Xanadu'. A reporter is assigned to decode the meaning of Kane's' dying words, 'rosebud'. His investigation unravels the story of Kane's life as he meets with the people who were closest to him such as his friend Jedediah Leland and ex wife Suzan Alexander. We see Kane from his childhood, when his mother sends him away for a better life after inheriting a large amount of money. The audience gets to see how Kane struggles with relationships and the paths in which he chooses to take. We are first properly introduced to Kane when he decides to pursue a career in the newspaper industry after becoming aware that he owns The Inquirer, a small New York morning newspaper. Kanes business ends up a nationwide success and results in him becoming one of the most known men in the country.
At the peak of his success, Kane marries Emily Monroe Norton and they have a son together. Their marriage ends as a result of an affair scandal between Kane and Susan Alexander, a young aspiring opera singer. Soon after the scandal, Kane marries Susan Alexander and devotes his love to her by building her an opera house to help her become a star. However, Susan hates the fame that is attached to her singing resulting in a suicide attempt and eventually her leaving Charles. Charles is devastated when she leaves and ends up destroying all of her belongings before picking up a snow globe and uttering the words 'rosebud'.
By the end of the film the reporter is still unsuccessful in finding out the meaning of Kanes dying words, 'rosebud'. However, when Kanes junk belongings are being burnt the snow sledge from when he was a child lays on top with the words 'rosebud' painted on the front. This gives the impression that Kanes dying words were about a happier time with his parents.
The director of photography for Citizen Kane; Gregg Toland, used deep focus throughout the film. This is a strategy of lighting, composition and lens choice that allow everything in the frame to be in focus. For example, the piano teacher scene uses a deep focus so that Kane is visible in the background. This forces the audience's attention to switch constantly from the foreground and background.
After the death of newspaper businessman, Charles Foster Kane inside his home 'Xanadu'. A reporter is assigned to decode the meaning of Kane's' dying words, 'rosebud'. His investigation unravels the story of Kane's life as he meets with the people who were closest to him such as his friend Jedediah Leland and ex wife Suzan Alexander. We see Kane from his childhood, when his mother sends him away for a better life after inheriting a large amount of money. The audience gets to see how Kane struggles with relationships and the paths in which he chooses to take. We are first properly introduced to Kane when he decides to pursue a career in the newspaper industry after becoming aware that he owns The Inquirer, a small New York morning newspaper. Kanes business ends up a nationwide success and results in him becoming one of the most known men in the country.
At the peak of his success, Kane marries Emily Monroe Norton and they have a son together. Their marriage ends as a result of an affair scandal between Kane and Susan Alexander, a young aspiring opera singer. Soon after the scandal, Kane marries Susan Alexander and devotes his love to her by building her an opera house to help her become a star. However, Susan hates the fame that is attached to her singing resulting in a suicide attempt and eventually her leaving Charles. Charles is devastated when she leaves and ends up destroying all of her belongings before picking up a snow globe and uttering the words 'rosebud'.
By the end of the film the reporter is still unsuccessful in finding out the meaning of Kanes dying words, 'rosebud'. However, when Kanes junk belongings are being burnt the snow sledge from when he was a child lays on top with the words 'rosebud' painted on the front. This gives the impression that Kanes dying words were about a happier time with his parents.
The director of photography for Citizen Kane; Gregg Toland, used deep focus throughout the film. This is a strategy of lighting, composition and lens choice that allow everything in the frame to be in focus. For example, the piano teacher scene uses a deep focus so that Kane is visible in the background. This forces the audience's attention to switch constantly from the foreground and background.
Friday, January 4, 2019
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