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Super Contributor
Posts: 375
Registered: ‎07-27-2010

Citizen Kane - Is the movie REALL that GREAT

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It always tops the lists of the BEST, most highly acclaimed movies....REALLY?  For some reason, I’ve never been drawn to see it.

 

P.S.  My votes for great movies include:  Forrest Gump; Shawshank Redemption; Gone with the Wind: Love Actually (cute); The English Patient; The Ten Commandments; and The Thorn Birds (made for TV movie).  Sorry, Titanic did not make the list because I thought Leonardo DiCaprio looked TOO young for Kate Winslet (like a younger brother).

Honored Contributor
Posts: 17,159
Registered: ‎03-10-2010

Re: Citizen Kane - Is the movie REALL that GREAT


@MsCatLuver wrote:

It always tops the lists of the BEST, most highly acclaimed movies....REALLY?  For some reason, I’ve never been drawn to see it.

 

P.S.  My votes for great movies include:  Forrest Gump; Shawshank Redemption; Gone with the Wind: Love Actually (cute); The English Patient; The Ten Commandments; and The Thorn Birds (made for TV movie).  Sorry, Titanic did not make the list because I thought Leonardo DiCaprio looked TOO young for Kate Winslet (like a younger brother).


Well, I've seen it. I have never understood the fal de ral about it. I hated it. I don't like him, nor his directing, nor his disguises, nor anything about him,so that is a big part of it. But the movie? I don't get the 'masterpiece' accolades. Never have.

Esteemed Contributor
Posts: 6,788
Registered: ‎08-18-2016

Re: Citizen Kane - Is the movie REALL that GREAT

Re: Citizen Kane - Is the movie REALL that GREAT?

 

Yes, it is.

It's not only a remarkable piece of storytelling, but it completely revolutionized filmmaking, using techniques that didn't exist before that.

 

The filmmakers who made the movies you listed stand on the shoulders of Orson Welles, Robert Wise, and the rest of that group.

 

Super Contributor
Posts: 375
Registered: ‎07-27-2010

Re: Citizen Kane - Is the movie REALL that GREAT

Thanks for your replies.Woman Very Happy

Honored Contributor
Posts: 18,222
Registered: ‎11-08-2014

Re: Citizen Kane - Is the movie REALL that GREAT

@MsCatLuver,  I agree wholeheartedly with @x Hedge.  Whenever watching "Citizen Kane",  I'm in awe of the writing, the cinematography, just the way "ahead-of-its-time" techniques, uniqueness and driving force of this complex movie.

 

But I love your question.  It's great to question and analyze the 'conventional wisdom' on any work of art.  Even people who sit around spending their whole lives analyzing such things often have major disagreements, and to me, it's helpful to get a bunch of different points of view.

 

While I agree with most critics on "Citizen Kane", it isn't my favorite film to watch, personally.  For some reason, I have a much closer, more gut-level reaction to his flawed (and mangled by the studio) other masterpiece, "The Magnificent Ambersons".  We all have our partialities!  (By the way, I share your feeling about "The English Patient"-- fabulous film.)

 

Good for you for starting an interesting discussion.  I'd love to hear others' opinions on " C.K."  too.

Super Contributor
Posts: 375
Registered: ‎07-27-2010

Re: Citizen Kane - Is the movie REALL that GREAT

@Oznell  Thank you for your reply to my question and your kind words,

Honored Contributor
Posts: 9,329
Registered: ‎02-07-2011

Re: Citizen Kane - Is the movie REALL that GREAT

Yes it is for the reasons others have stated.  Not only the subject matter which is/was controversial but the lighting, the writing, directing, many of which were groundbreaking techniques.

 

Great film but not my favorite which has been and is Casablanca.  That movie IMO had everything.  Great story, great acting, great directing, great music.  Never get tired of watching it.

 

 

Honored Contributor
Posts: 8,317
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: Citizen Kane - Is the movie REALL that GREAT

I find Orson Welles to be fascinating and brilliant. I would have loved to know him. Studios hated him and he felt cursed by creating Citizen Kane at such a young age and how to top it. I highly recommend the Netflix documentary “They’ll Love Me When I’m Dead.”
Honored Contributor
Posts: 8,317
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: Citizen Kane - Is the movie REALL that GREAT

I also prefer Ambersons even though the studio editing mangled it. Ah. The film it could have been!!!