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.
Prior to the making of CK, Orson Welles had been enjoying personal acclaim after his success with the Mercury Players. In 1938 his controversial radio show, War of the Worlds, caught the attention of Hollywood. The film studio, RKO Pictures, subsequently signed a contract with Welles in 1939.
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.
Shooting took place in 1940, and RKO released it in 1941. It received no less than 9 nominations in the ensuing Academy Awards. To the delight of Orson Welles and Mankiewicz, CK received the award for Best Writing (Original Screenplay).
The film is a roman a clef, a story about real events and real people under the disguise of fictional characters. It looks at the life of Charles Foster Kane whose character is based on newspaper mogul, William Randolph Hearst, as well as on Welles' life. When CK was released, Hearst was so irate that his newspapers were prohibited from even mentioning it.
Kane began his career in the publishing business because of a passion for the industry. However, over time, the passion became an obsessive desire for power. CK is narrated with flashbacks, and the story is exposed through a reporter attempting to solve the obscurity of Kane's single dying word, 'Rosebud'.
Even though the film was a critical success, it did not recoup costs at the box office. It faded into insignificance until French film critics raved about it some years later. This did much to restore CK's reputation and it enjoyed a sensational American revival in 1956. Again, there was consensus amongst film critics that it was indeed the greatest film of all time. For almost half a century, Citizen Kane stayed on the major film polls.
The cinematography was seen by film historians and scholars as Welles' way of creating a new method of film making. The most unique aspect of CK was the prolonged use of deep focusing. In almost every scene, the background, foreground, and all in between, are in focus. This was achieved by the cinematographer after experimenting with lights and lenses.
Another notable element of the film was the way which low angle film shots were used. Ceilings are visibly seen in the background of numerous scenes. At that time, all movies were filmed on sound stages. It was not possible to show a ceiling because sound stages had no ceilings. So how was it done 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.
Prior to the making of CK, Orson Welles had been enjoying personal acclaim after his success with the Mercury Players. In 1938 his controversial radio show, War of the Worlds, caught the attention of Hollywood. The film studio, RKO Pictures, subsequently signed a contract with Welles in 1939.
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.
Shooting took place in 1940, and RKO released it in 1941. It received no less than 9 nominations in the ensuing Academy Awards. To the delight of Orson Welles and Mankiewicz, CK received the award for Best Writing (Original Screenplay).
The film is a roman a clef, a story about real events and real people under the disguise of fictional characters. It looks at the life of Charles Foster Kane whose character is based on newspaper mogul, William Randolph Hearst, as well as on Welles' life. When CK was released, Hearst was so irate that his newspapers were prohibited from even mentioning it.
Kane began his career in the publishing business because of a passion for the industry. However, over time, the passion became an obsessive desire for power. CK is narrated with flashbacks, and the story is exposed through a reporter attempting to solve the obscurity of Kane's single dying word, 'Rosebud'.
Even though the film was a critical success, it did not recoup costs at the box office. It faded into insignificance until French film critics raved about it some years later. This did much to restore CK's reputation and it enjoyed a sensational American revival in 1956. Again, there was consensus amongst film critics that it was indeed the greatest film of all time. For almost half a century, Citizen Kane stayed on the major film polls.
The cinematography was seen by film historians and scholars as Welles' way of creating a new method of film making. The most unique aspect of CK was the prolonged use of deep focusing. In almost every scene, the background, foreground, and all in between, are in focus. This was achieved by the cinematographer after experimenting with lights and lenses.
Another notable element of the film was the way which low angle film shots were used. Ceilings are visibly seen in the background of numerous scenes. At that time, all movies were filmed on sound stages. It was not possible to show a ceiling because sound stages had no ceilings. So how was it done 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.
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