Cinematic Techniques In Citizen Kane

From the man who brought you the radio staging of “War of the Worlds,” comes his first public film “Citizen Kane.” Orson Welles stuns audiences once again with his unprecedented production. However, not all were eager for the release of this movie. William Randolph Hearst, newspaper publishing extraordinaire, was not impressed by the obvious parallels between himself and main character Charles Foster Kane. Despite Hearst’s efforts to keep “Citizen Kane” from the public, it was released on Sept. 5. “Citizen Kane” is a unique movie, from the cinematography to the cast, the creativity is endless. Most of the principal actors were new to motion pictures including- Joseph Cotten, Everett Sloane, Ray Collins, Agnes Moorehead, Ruth Warrick, and Welles himself. As for the cinematography, Welles teamed up with Gregg Toland to create a never-before-seen cinematic experience. The movie opens up with several approaching shots of Kane’s self-made castle called Xanadu accompanied by suspenseful music which crescendos then halts as soon as it reaches the window of the room that …show more content…
As you watch the film, you notice shadows, chaos, and depth. Cameraman Toland brought deep scope, which adds extra dimensions to the scene, possibly to show Kane’s self-worth and isolation over the people in his life. When watching the film, notice how scenes are broken up and spaced out through things like a desk, a column, and even just a piece of paper. Look to the background for more understanding of how Kane feels about the world around him. Watch as the shadows cast over the characters and the chaos of their lives play out on screen. I believe “Citizen Kane” would not be the cinematic masterpiece that it is without the previous elements mentioned. Welles and Toland managed to redefine the popular phrase- “lights, camera, action-” to something more complex and