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Usenet Posted 21 years ago
Screenwriting
About "Citizen Kane"
So many people I know don't appreciate it.
I think, perhaps, it's because it was so influential.
Was there another film that started without a title sequence?
Think about how it must have appeared to audiences in 194mumble.
It was like a trailer. No opening titles. Then, "News on the March!!!" Like "The March of Time!!" It must have seemed like a screw-up in the projection booth.
It was certainly an homage to Welles' twisting the experience of listening to the radio the night of "The War of the Worlds." If you've heard that broadcast, it starts as another night of dance music "High atop the Hotel Mumble-mumble.." which was interrupted by reports of strange craft landing in New Jersey.
"News on the March" was just another short subject to 40s audiences...except it was the movie!
I wonder how long it took for the audience to realize they were into the feature. There's that "Zelig" moment with Kane and Hitler on the balcony, for example. There are so many other moments; read the books.
Welles understood what the movie-watching experience was. "Citizen Kane" is of its time. And immortal.
Joe Myers
"There'll be no war."
I think, perhaps, it's because it was so influential.
Was there another film that started without a title sequence?
Think about how it must have appeared to audiences in 194mumble.
It was like a trailer. No opening titles. Then, "News on the March!!!" Like "The March of Time!!" It must have seemed like a screw-up in the projection booth.
It was certainly an homage to Welles' twisting the experience of listening to the radio the night of "The War of the Worlds." If you've heard that broadcast, it starts as another night of dance music "High atop the Hotel Mumble-mumble.." which was interrupted by reports of strange craft landing in New Jersey.
"News on the March" was just another short subject to 40s audiences...except it was the movie!
I wonder how long it took for the audience to realize they were into the feature. There's that "Zelig" moment with Kane and Hitler on the balcony, for example. There are so many other moments; read the books.
Welles understood what the movie-watching experience was. "Citizen Kane" is of its time. And immortal.
Joe Myers
"There'll be no war."
Top answer
I can see how those gimmicks might have surprised audiences back in the day, but they don't hold the same meaning for today's audiences. And doesn't it say something that what originally made "Kane" exciting was gimmicks as opposed to story? " You don't have to know anything about the moviegoing experience of those days in order to appreciate those films.
- I can see how those gimmicks might have surprised audiences back in the day, but they don't hold the same meaning for today's audiences.
- And doesn't it say something that what originally made "Kane" exciting was gimmicks as opposed to story?
- " You don't have to know anything about the moviegoing experience of those days in order to appreciate those films.
- The stories still work today.
- Lois
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8 Answers
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I can see how those gimmicks might have surprised audiences back in the day, but they don't hold the same meaning for today's audiences. And doesn't it say something that what originally made "Kane" exciting was gimmicks as opposed to story?
Unlike, say, "Casablanca," "It's a Wonderful Life" or "Wizard of Oz." You don't have to know anything about the moviegoing experience of those days in ord
Unlike, say, "Casablanca," "It's a Wonderful Life" or "Wizard of Oz." You don't have to know anything about the moviegoing experience of those days in ord
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[nq:1]I can see how those gimmicks might have surprised audiences back in the day, but they don't hold the same meaning for today's audiences. And doesn't it say something that what originally made "Kane" exciting was gimmicks as opposed to story?[/nq]
What made CK exciting was story, Lois. And characters.
jaybee
What made CK exciting was story, Lois. And characters.
jaybee
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[nq:1]So many people I know don't appreciate it. I think, perhaps, it's because it was so influential. Was there another ... understood what the movie-watching experience was. "Citizen Kane" is of its time. And immortal. Joe Myers "There'll be no war."[/nq]
Not to burst your bubble or anything but that's not how Kane started it begins with the long series of dissolves moving in on the lone ill
Not to burst your bubble or anything but that's not how Kane started it begins with the long series of dissolves moving in on the lone ill
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[nq:1]Not to burst your bubble or anything but that's not how Kane started it begins with the long ... aren't any opening credits, nobody watching the movie would have been confused about whether the feature had begun or not.[/nq]
Well, actually, there is an opening title. You have the RKO radio pictures logo (the transmitter on the globe) then you have a title card that says "A Mercury Produc
Well, actually, there is an opening title. You have the RKO radio pictures logo (the transmitter on the globe) then you have a title card that says "A Mercury Produc
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I think Citizen Kane is brilliant. From it's cutting edge technology at the time to it's sort of frantic story-telling and highly flammable subject matter to it's tragic ending (all the elements of good filmmaking).
It comes in as no. one. Casablanca comes in as no. two, and I love it wondermously but I can sort of see how Casablanca is the people's choice and Citizen Kane is the critic's choi
It comes in as no. one. Casablanca comes in as no. two, and I love it wondermously but I can sort of see how Casablanca is the people's choice and Citizen Kane is the critic's choi
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@reader1.panix.com:
[nq:1]I think Citizen Kane is brilliant. From it's cutting edge technology at the time to it's sort of frantic story-telling ... but I can sort of see how Casablanca is the people's choice and Citizen Kane is the critic's choice. Rosebud...[/nq]
I still wonder how the movie happens if no one is there when he dies to hear him whisper that.
;>
cd
The d
[nq:1]I think Citizen Kane is brilliant. From it's cutting edge technology at the time to it's sort of frantic story-telling ... but I can sort of see how Casablanca is the people's choice and Citizen Kane is the critic's choice. Rosebud...[/nq]
I still wonder how the movie happens if no one is there when he dies to hear him whisper that.
;>
cd
The d
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Some people hate it because they've had it crammed down their throat in film school. I read somewhere that a secretary on the lot taught Welles how to write in screenplay format..
I loved the movie, but the first time I saw it whole was at the Oakland Paramount after earthquake restoration, with a great uncut Warner Bros cartoon in front. The whole experience was magical.
What I like
I loved the movie, but the first time I saw it whole was at the Oakland Paramount after earthquake restoration, with a great uncut Warner Bros cartoon in front. The whole experience was magical.
What I like
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[nq:1]@reader1.panix.com:[/nq]
[nq:2]I think Citizen Kane is brilliant. From it's cutting edge ... people's choice and Citizen Kane is the critic's choice. Rosebud...[/nq]
[nq:1]I still wonder how the movie happens if no one is there when he dies to hear him whisper that. ;> cd The difference between immorality and immortality is "T". I like Earl Grey.[/nq]
I don't remember whether
[nq:2]I think Citizen Kane is brilliant. From it's cutting edge ... people's choice and Citizen Kane is the critic's choice. Rosebud...[/nq]
[nq:1]I still wonder how the movie happens if no one is there when he dies to hear him whisper that. ;> cd The difference between immorality and immortality is "T". I like Earl Grey.[/nq]
I don't remember whether
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