Orson Welles, 1941.Citizen Kane commonly regarded as the best film ever made. I disagree, although it is definitely a very good movie that is well worth watching. Maybe it is the best American film ever made? The story is about the life of fictional media magnate Charles Foster Kane played by Orson Welles, told in a series of flashbacks after his death. The character was inspired by the original media tycoon William Randolph Hearst, and is one of the main inspirations for Mr. Burns’s character in the Simpsons. Orson Welles does an excellent job playing Kane, whose life sheds light on the emptiness of materialism and the ego.
2 comments:
Just like the poster says "it's terrific", exactly what old hollywood film makers stood for: large, grandiose, morally righteous, over dramatic films (save Howard Hawks). The French did something very different at the time. Small scale, casual, realistic. This trend continued even through the New Wave. I'll take Rio Bravo any day.
Interesting comment, I think that the difference is mainly a result of the huge difference in cultural context. After the war ended, much of Europe lay in ruins. The majority of resources where directed into rebuilding cities not movie sets and studios. This Forced directors to use what ever was available to them, commenting on the difficult economic and social conditions found in post war Europe. This style based on necessity gave birth to Neo-realism, and later inspired the French New Wave. While in Hollywood, majority of the films reflected the general attitude of superiority, moral righteousness, and economic prosperity found in America due to the favorable outcome of the war. I really want to see Rio Bravo, but am having troubles finding it. Sam Fuller is another exception to above Hollywood generalization.
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