Citizen Kane

                                                 Analysis

1.       In the opening scene of the movie Citizen Kane we can see what looks like a rundown log cabin with Charles Foster Kane playing in the snow outside while his parents are talking over the negotiations of the adoption. In this scene there are several effects which the director played with to give a better understanding on the situation. Kane began in a home with a drunk as a father and a mother who didn’t want him and hence was put up for adoption. This is where his step father comes into the picture, being a wealthy man this is what sets up Kane on his journey to find love, comfort, and control. Money being all that Kane knows this is the key step in his life that shows why he unrolled the way he did.

2.       In the scene where Kane and his wife are eating breakfast the director uses a style known as “dissolve” which is basically a slide show on a recurring event such as the many breakfasts enjoyed by Kane and his wife over the years. In the scene we are shown how the relationship between Kane and his wife is a bland and repetitive one with a continuous back and forth feel.

3.       The revelation of what Kane really meant by Rosebud was one which I hadn’t expected but fit very well. Rosebud was simply the only possession he really owned, being given to him as a child it’s really the only object which holds any moral value to him. This revelation made me feel somewhat sympathetic for Kane it goes to show how money really could not buy happiness.

4.       There is only one hint I noticed that  revealed the identity of Rosebud, after   being shown what Rosebud actually was  and it was the scene where his second wife walks out on him, and after trashing her room he drops the “snow” globe on the  floor as he says Rosebud.

5.The ending of the film was satisfying; it was really the only way to wrap up everything nicely and cohesively. The only possible change I would make is to have of elaborated slightly on Rosebud, explaining maybe why it was important to him or even if Rosebud was actually was a reference to the slay. I felt as if that area remained rather vague.

6.       The idea of taking a person’s life and  playing it out in a movie is something that has been done many times throughout the world of cinema but the way it came out in this movie was like nothing id seen before. The way the movie was shot gave the viewers a much better depth into how everything was unfolding and gave a better grasp on what Kane was feeling. All in all the movie is one I would recommend.

    7.       In the movie many cinematic effects where given thanks to excellent camera play by the director. Many of these elements are said to have of inspired countless other directors. The  effects developed in this movie went on to be   the fundamentals to most special effects some being: flashbacks, time skips, the usage of mirrors, and roofs to add more depth the overall feel   of the movie and many other effects. These effects are what made the movie so good, with them we were able to have a better understanding on the scene that was playing. One for example being when the director wanted to show how powerful Kane was and metaphorically big he was the director dug a hole in the floor to have the ability to look up at Kane giving him a grandiose stature.