Why do people love Citizen Kane?

[Hatchet90]

I'm not going to even get into the tiny details. I'm simply going to say, that you don't have to like it (as we all have a right to our own opinion), but you do have to understand its significance. It's fabulous use of cinematography and editing set the standard during that period and even today.

 

[natster43]

People have opinions. Some opinions are more common. Sometimes those opinions are not the same as your own. It is like asking why people like anything else you don't like. I haven't seen it so I wouldn't know if it was good or not.

 

[Nazulu]

It was the best 'back in those days'. Same with Gone with the Wind and Casablanca. I saw them all a while ago so I can't really go into detail but they were all original in some way (which is a big deal) and back then the acting was considered the best.

Also, usually when they say greatest, they mean by how much it effected the industry (in a good way), not that it was the most entertaining, so it's a fair judgement. Same with music, games, blah blah blah.

 

[neolithic]

having skipped through the thread a little, the primary reason it's so highly touted is the innovations it brought to cinematography at that time. A lot like how Star Wars had to invent a whole lot of technology to make their movie, CK did sort of the same thing.

 

[lukemdizzle]

I love the movie. I can see why some don't but I think it is perfect.

The reason why people universally regard it so highlights because it almost rote the manual on cinematography. If you look closely you will realize that every shot and composition in Citizen Kane has been the influence for every movie to come. the only movie imo that is on the same level as Kane from a cinematography standpoint is 2001 a space odyssey.

another major factor can bee seen when you look at all other films from the time it came out. back in the day actors were "owned" by studios and studios woul build movies around actors ( Humphrey Bougart would always be the Film Noire hero) This led to a stale environment where movies had sort of their own language. the way people talked and acted was off just because thats how it was done back then. Citizen Kane used unknown actors and had dialog that was in the vernacular of the time which made it the most believable movie to date. also the plot is amazing.

in summation it is so widely regarded because of its undeniable influence on just about every movie to follow it.

 

[2xDouble]

I can explain why it disappointed you. Because every movie since then, and dozens of cartoons and comedians have spoiled it. Everything "good" is "the 'Citizen Kane' of x". It's so incorporated into our culture that it's no longer amazing. It doesn't feel new, or even "classic", it feels banal; commonplace.

There's a comic somewhere on the internets... something about kids saying Lord of the Rings wasn't very good because it "ripped off other movies" (movies that specifically stole from the novels). If I find it I'll post it. [sub]*grumble* kids today... *grumble*[/sub]

 

[lacktheknack]

It gets better through nostalgia goggles.

Also, the cinematography, atmosphere and pacing was almost perfect, which goes a long way in film.

 

[SeriousIssues]

I dunno. It looks boring.

 

[lukemdizzle]

2 kubrick films followed by fight club?

i'll give you kubrick who was an artist in his purist form, but whats with the love for fight club?
THAT'S the overrated movie here (not bad but not great),
but i digress, Citizen Kane is one hell of a good movie.
(my personal favorite movie is to Kill A Mocking Bird, if anyone cares.)

Is it as good as the book?

no but still very good

 

[CthulhuRlyeh]

That said, when a movie adds something for seemingly no reason, it can be a bit disconcerting, but I try to give it a chance, even then. (Clockwork Orange does this apparently, although I've never read the book.)

Clockwork Orange misses something vital out though. Alex repents in the end. He rejoins society.

The film makes him succumb to his darker desires. That totally alters the entire story.

Fight Club also makes Tyler accept his alter-ego rather than struggle with it.

Eyes Wide Shut? Acceptance rather than struggle. That's indicative of the film audience rather than the basis of the books.

Citizen Kane? Struggle right to the end.

It's a better film, imho, because it doesn't take the comforting "heroic" way out. Charles Kane suffers due to his excesses, rather than revels in them - like Alex, Tyler or Bill Harford.

The Picture of Dorian Gray wouldn't be the masterpiece it is without Dorian's decline into madness. Same with Frankenstein, Gone with the Wind, Bladerunner, 2001,Dr Jekkyl and Mr Hyde...

Actually, the narrator in Fight Club suffers because of excesses. At first he was a slave of consumerism, and then he was a slave of anti-establishment.

 

[CthulhuRlyeh]

having skipped through the thread a little, the primary reason it's so highly touted is the innovations it brought to cinematography at that time. A lot like how Star Wars had to invent a whole lot of technology to make their movie, CK did sort of the same thing.

People also tend to forget that Star Wars popularized the used future concept, not Alien.

 

[lukemdizzle]

That said, when a movie adds something for seemingly no reason, it can be a bit disconcerting, but I try to give it a chance, even then. (Clockwork Orange does this apparently, although I've never read the book.)

Clockwork Orange misses something vital out though. Alex repents in the end. He rejoins society.

The film makes him succumb to his darker desires. That totally alters the entire story.

Fight Club also makes Tyler accept his alter-ego rather than struggle with it.

Eyes Wide Shut? Acceptance rather than struggle. That's indicative of the film audience rather than the basis of the books.

Citizen Kane? Struggle right to the end.

It's a better film, imho, because it doesn't take the comforting "heroic" way out. Charles Kane suffers due to his excesses, rather than revels in them - like Alex, Tyler or Bill Harford.

The Picture of Dorian Gray wouldn't be the masterpiece it is without Dorian's decline into madness. Same with Frankenstein, Gone with the Wind, Bladerunner, 2001,Dr Jekkyl and Mr Hyde...

Actually, the narrator in Fight Club suffers because of excesses. At first he was a slave of consumerism, and then he was a slave of anti-establishment.

to clear up the Clockwork Orange argument. The movie was based on the version of the book published in America which for whatever reason did not include the last chapter that was included in the British publication. Kubric read the American book and based the movie on that

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Clockwork_Orange#Omission_of_the_final_chapter

 

[OutforEC]

Likely it's already been mentioned numerous times but the cinematography is amazing, the characterization is superb, and the narrative is still relevant.

 

[CthulhuRlyeh]

That said, when a movie adds something for seemingly no reason, it can be a bit disconcerting, but I try to give it a chance, even then. (Clockwork Orange does this apparently, although I've never read the book.)

Clockwork Orange misses something vital out though. Alex repents in the end. He rejoins society.

The film makes him succumb to his darker desires. That totally alters the entire story.

Fight Club also makes Tyler accept his alter-ego rather than struggle with it.

Eyes Wide Shut? Acceptance rather than struggle. That's indicative of the film audience rather than the basis of the books.

Citizen Kane? Struggle right to the end.

It's a better film, imho, because it doesn't take the comforting "heroic" way out. Charles Kane suffers due to his excesses, rather than revels in them - like Alex, Tyler or Bill Harford.

The Picture of Dorian Gray wouldn't be the masterpiece it is without Dorian's decline into madness. Same with Frankenstein, Gone with the Wind, Bladerunner, 2001,Dr Jekkyl and Mr Hyde...

Actually, the narrator in Fight Club suffers because of excesses. At first he was a slave of consumerism, and then he was a slave of anti-establishment.

to clear up the Clockwork Orange argument. The movie was based on the version of the book published in America which for whatever reason did not include the last chapter that was included in the British publication. Kubric read the American book and based the movie on that

Even though I would imagine Kubrick not using the last scene nevertheless.

 

[Trogdor1138]

Most of the cinematography seen in Citizen Kane was the first time it was ever used. It completely changed the way films were made.

This is a big reason, especially to people like me that work in cinematography.

It's basically because Citizen Kane was very important to the future of film, but even now I feel it is still a great movie. I feel most films from this era don't hold up relevance to modern viewing, but Kane is one of the few that I can't really fault in that regard.

It's interesting that it had a bad reaction when it initially came out, lots of controversy about that.

So yeah, you don't have to love it, but I definitely suggest understanding why other people do.

 

[T.D.]

When I watched Citizen Kane, actually whenever I look at aged arts I compare it to other works at the time.

Now Citizen Kane had technology that was brilliant for it's age, BUT beyond that I found it to be a bit of a rip off of Great Expectations. The only big difference (and improvement) was the ending (but I don't give points for that because GE's ending's sucked).

That's what I think Citizen Kane is really, Great Expectations turned into a tragedy. Which in my opinion isn't really worth the large amount of ype it is given.

However Kane himself was very interesting (A man who had everything he could ever want, and then lost it), and it is a good film. Just not one I would put in my top ten.

 

[SeriousIssues]

Fight Club also makes Tyler accept his alter-ego rather than struggle with it.

Didn't the Space Monkeys cut his balls off on a bus? Then he came back to stop them from detonating their bomb even at the cost of his life knowing that them and Tyler would murder him to achieve their goals? He ended up holding himself at gunpoint before finally getting absolving his split personality and deciding to commit sucicide?

Unless you mean how Tyler Durden himself gave into the Narrator after he was mentally overpowered and decieved, which I wouldn't say is acceptance.

 

[Booze Zombie]

Well, it did quite a few things that people found impressive and as time went on, these things became more common-place and Citizen Kane is now a milestone as opposed to still inovative.

 

[The Rockerfly]

I too never got it however I can appreciate that it did change things for the film industry completely for the better. Technically, fucking amazing but I just never entertained me and personally that's more important but I love the ambition of the film but the characters fucking suck and just nothing entertains me.

The thing is, it's legend is also it's massive flaw. Everyone says how amazing it is and anyone who says otherwise is flamed as a moron but I don't know anyone to ever want to watch it for entertainment. The same is with a lot of films though, the godfather series is another one. I personally hated the series, it was boring and maybe it was far more significant then but I can't stand watching them. Let me make this clear I like films that aren't all guns and explosions, The Shawshank Redemption is one of my favourite films along with the Lion King.

Someone is going to think I am a moron who doesn't deserve to watch cinema but you can go fuck yourself because I think you are a prick,if you are the kind of person who insults someone for having an opinion. Will edit grammar and spelling in the morning, I can't sleep well so I'm on here

 

[CthulhuRlyeh]

snip

Great avatar, brah.