"Citizen Kane" is a masterpiece written, directed, and acted by the American director Orson Welles, who is known as the "movie prodigy". The film was released in the United States on May 1, 1941, and was nominated for seven Academy Awards at the 14th Academy Awards, winning the award for Best Original Screenplay. Andre Bazin, a well-known French film theorist, once commented on the film: "Orson Welles should be immortalized with his "Citizen Kane", and he should be in any Arc de Triomphe that honors the heroes of film history. It occupies a prominent position in the film industry.” The reason why it left such a high reputation in the history of film is that, in addition to its profound meaning and smooth use of audio-visual language, it is more important than it is very different from the Hollywood concept of film at that time.
1. What is a "genre film"?
Since we want to talk about the difference between Citizen Kane and genre movies, we should first understand genre movies.
Genre films refer to different film paradigms formed by different themes or techniques. It has three distinctive features: one is a formulaic plot, the other is a stereotyped character, and the third is a graphic visual image. Our common types of film modes include musicals, comedies, westerns, robber films, etc. All of these are dramatic narrative modes, that is, linear narratives, emphasizing plot to win.
2. About Citizen Kane
The narrative structure of "Citizen Kane" is extremely complex. At the beginning of the film, it subtly enters the film's narrative from the documentary "News on the Go", which was made by journalists about the newspaper king Kane.
After that, the film explores Kane's last words "Rosebud" through journalists as if to reveal the secrets, and further in-depth narration is carried out by visiting five characters who had a close relationship with Kane during his lifetime: Kane's adoptive father Thatcher Er, Kane's close friend Bernstein, Kane's soul confidant Li Lan, Kane's second wife Susan, and the housekeeper Raymond who accompanied him through the end of his life, these people recalled the past with Kane and finally formed a group. The image of Kane leaves the audience with a long-term reflection on Kane. From this, it is not difficult to see that Citizen Kane is completely different from the dramatic narrative mode of Hollywood-type films, and does not belong to any type of type film.
The theme of the film also leaves critics and audiences to think differently, but the root is "Lost Paradise". "Rosebud", as a plot gimmick, reveals to the audience the impact of childhood trauma on one's life. When he was a child, Kane, who was carefree playing sleds on the snow, had his fate negotiated by his parents and the banker.
It is worth mentioning that the film was once titled "The American" and later renamed "Citizen Kane". In the film, Kane himself said "I was and always will be an American". From a certain point of view, it can be considered that this film shows the life of a typical American, and it is also a demonstration of the "American Dream". Such a profound theme is rare in previous Hollywood movies.
What impresses me the most in terms of shooting skills are the moving shots of the elevator at the beginning and end of the film. In the middle of the night, the cold moon is in the sky, the solemn and gloomy Xiannadu Manor, with the word "No Entry" on the door plate, which is full of metaphors. Kane in the snow, a helpless father, a determined mother, and banker Thatcher are included in a large depth of field shot that Andre Bazan calls "giving democracy to the audience". All kinds of features reflect the classics of this movie.
People call Orson Welles "Hollywood's rebel", and it is precise because of his unique perspective, his ingenious ideas, and his true love that Citizen Kane will be famous in film history and become a classic. "Rosebud" also inspired generations of moviegoers to think about themselves and the rare beauty in life.
Quoting "The Value Reflection and Willing Pursuit of Personal First—On the American Dream from "Citizen Kane", Peng Qian, School of Film and Television, Nanjing University of the Arts
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