#WednesdayMovie# Issue 09 "Manke" Part2
Recommended star: Samsung
Key words: startled; stunned; daze
If you want to ask which part of "The Legend of the Demon Cat" is the most impressive, I believe most people will mention the drunken Li Bai in "The Feast of Bliss". Fascinated. And the most recent film "Mank" also portrays such a literary genius: Herman Mankiewicz, the main screenwriter of "Citizen Kane".
There's so much to say about the legendary Citizen Kane, both onstage and behind the scenes, that Orson Welles' genius is beyond doubt. But Herman Mankiewicz, the main screenwriter, or even the sole screenwriter, has been unfairly treated for turning media mogul Hearst into the most famous figure in film history, newspaper mogul Kane.
Surprised - Miracles always need an extraordinary beginning
Orson Welles may be the luckiest and least fortunate director in the world. At the age of 28, he was given the greatest power a director can have by the production company. Themes, any collaborations, and retains the final editing power, thus creating a film history miracle.
The camera inside is avant-garde and the art is unique, but the most memorable thing should be its story connotation and telling method. And the movie aligns with it to some extent. The title part of the film, as well as the dust, creases, and even the spots that remind you to change the reel, are all imitating the film as much as possible, making it feel like an old-time movie.
In order not to be as complicated as the timeline of Citizen Kane, the film basically runs in two parallel lines: one line, Mankiewicz in the suburban cottage, writing the screenplay of "Citizen Kane". This line is developed in normal chronological order, reminded by variations in manuscript thickness. Another line, some of Mankiewicz's important experiences that hide the secrets of "Citizen Kane", mainly begins with the introductory subtitles of the script's scene.
Shocked - How can ninety minutes be enough to sum up life?
With the clues sorted out, we can look at the topic discussed in the film - filmmaking. In Hollywood, screenwriters are often not a single individual, they work in groups. Everyone is designated, decided by the boss. The importance of screenwriting has never been underestimated.
The only thing your boss values is market feedback. It’s important to need feedback, and it’s important to not need feedback. This sounds contradictory, but it is completely true under different circumstances. By listening to other people's feedback, you can know the orientation of the market, and it is easier and more convenient to create popularity. At the same time, the market will also limit your development, so that the creator's talents cannot be freely displayed.
So in the eyes of the producers who really control all the movies, movies are just an entertainment commodity, a commodity that should be strictly controlled. What people come to the cinema to pursue is illusion, excitement, and happiness. What economic benefits can it bring to make people work hard on movies? But Citizen Kane broke that.
In a daze - the end of the story should give enough aftertaste
Only by understanding the routines can you break the routines. If anyone knows best, it must be Mankiewicz and Hearst. Mankiewicz was a bit of a tongue-in-cheek and a witty guy. His jokes often point to the pain points and absurdities of others. So many people like him, and many more people hate him.
Hirst doesn't appear much in the film, but he undoubtedly has the most discourse power, and he has power that Mankiewicz can't have. Although Hirst was born with a golden spoon in his mouth and was cynical, his excellent sense of human nature must have been acquired after many collisions.
His news focuses on sensationalism and edge balls, giving people a new dependence on the media. Later, it can even sway public opinion and politics. These make Mankiewicz feel afraid. When his jokes can no longer be a weapon against the world, what is the point of a writer, a warrior who inspires and influences others with his ideas ?
So, at the final banquet, Mankiewicz's helpless cry turned into a drunken gaffe and a weak counterattack against idealism.
Mankiewicz was very calm. He told the story of a "monkey in a street performer", which became Mankiewicz's confession, and also became the confession of "Citizen Kane". The ideal can never see the face of the giant. So finally defeated. The boy who slaughtered the dragon eventually became a dragon under the expectations of others.
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