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In Reply to: Re: Your opinion/My opinion? posted by caa on December 15, 2001 at 18:36:41:
>>> "Kane is greatest only for its originality." <<<If that were ALL, it would still be AMONG the greatest.
>>> "To say its the best among modern time's greatests is a bit far fetched." <<<
As I recall this thread wasn't limited to modern films, dependent upon one's opinion of what's modern. Nevertheless, Kane IS among the greatest of all time even though some may consider it lower on the list. BTW, assessing it as number one isn't far fetched at all, IMHO.
>>> "A great film must be judged on several fronts: originality, photographic quality, acting skills and the chemistry among the actors, story and the manner in which it is told, and musics, among others." <<<
Okay, limiting the assessment to just those barest parameters, let's see how well Kane has aged:
Originality - I believe we've covered that; Citizen Kane was certainly an original concept in both theme and style, and quite daring for it's day. By just about any standards it was and IS high art, influenced by but not imitating German expressionist films of the silent era by Lang, Murnau, Pabst, et al.
Photographic quality - Citizen Kane's cinematography is exquisite, from it's scene transitions to the incredible angles, close-ups, and distance shots chosen to provide a symbolic context to the lives of the characters. In capturing Welle's vision on film Greg Toland seems to have accomplished the impossible.
Acting skills - Just about every actor in Citizen Kane received a career boost from the film. The performances were so good that even those actors who had only appeared on radio and/or stage in Welle's Mercury Theater productions became stars virtually overnight.
Chemistry among the actors - Where is the chemistry lacking? Isn't Joseph Cotton believeable as Kane's collegue and as a former friend? How about the women in Kane's life who grow distant from him with the passing years? Even the secondary actors put in first rate performances which are quite memorable.
Story and the manner in which it's told - The screenplay won an Academy Award, split between Orson Welles and Herman Mankiewicz, in spite of the fact that the William Randolph Hearst tried to have the film destroyed. This was a major accomplishment and an indication of just how much more praise and success this film would've probably received had the story been less controversial and it's brilliantly scribed ironies watered down for public consumption.
and musics - What? You don't care for Bernard Herrmann's ominously brooding score? Shame on you!
>>> "If you're falling asleep, it can't be the greatest." <<<
That's just silly. Children often whine and fall asleep in movies targeted to an adult audience; why should Citizen Kane be downgraded because there might be someone suffering from somnambulism in the audience?
AuPh
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Follow Ups
- Time to raise Kane: - Audiophilander 23:45:08 12/15/01 (0)
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