Orson Welles was twenty-five years old when he filmed and starred in Citizen Kane. Not only was he only twenty-five, but it was the first film he directed. Not to mention the fact that it's regarded as the greatest film of all-time by many, many critics. But my homie Chris (and this particular homie knows his movies... He's seen 1800+ films—I'm just sayin', homeboy has discriminating taste...) ranks this as among his top favorite films. Homie has discriminating taste—he really knows what he's talking about (and I'm not kidding).
Back to you though.
Oh, so it's like The Beatles... you think to yourself? Just because everyone ranks The Beatles as the greatest band of all-time, even the most amateur music critic (i.e. Rolling Stone's many, many editors who rank Pepper as the greatest album of all-time) will cite them as the greateset of all-time. De lo contrario, mi amigo... I myself must admit to have been one of those Beatles fans. Currently I can't get enough Doors, Metallica, Misfits, of Montreal, Sex Pistols, Frank Sinatra or Velvet Underground to get my fix... Really, from the most objective stance I've ever taken, Citizen Kane really is that good (and yes I realize the irony of the hyperbole... Fuck off).
As for my personal opinion on Citizen Kane, the way I described it to my fellow employees at Charles E. Young Research library today: every movie since Citizen Kane has tried to live up to it in terms of filmography and technique, but never has.
But that's really my only original idea I can convey to you, and it's merely my opinion, a novice film critic's.
Ebert's commentary on Citizen Kane (quintessential film criticism) provides insight to the film technique. (Of course: I did not recognize the following, for I have not stepped to Ebert's level...) I just hope you understand I'm trying to put some perspective on it.
Ebert's commentary explicates the nuances of Kane that only an expert could: how Welles literally scraped film across the floor to imitate the stock footage portrayed in the newsreel, how the newsreel displays the entire movie, yet it plays out as if the ending hadn't already been spoiled for you [compliments of the homie Chris], how the witness to Kane's life never leaves the lower right quadrant, how the opening scene never loses focus on the light in Kane's house before he utters his dying word: "Rosebud". And if you've never heard of Rosebud, please leave my blog immediately (but it was tremendously pleasant to have you).
And really, Citizen Kane is not my favorite movie...
I'm certainly going with Notorious as my favorite film and Humphrey Bogart or Jimmy Stewart as my favorite actor. (If you're curious.)
Lastly, and completely un-relatedly, the Dodgers have won five straight to gain on San Diego... Pitching their worst pitcher against San Diego's best who the Dodgers allowed to play for them (by some cosmic error which evades me). By the end of the weekend, I predict the Dodgers will lead the N.L. West. Trust me.
-DJD
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