Comparison Of Citizen Kane And City Lights

Citizen Kane follows a group of reporters as they follow the life story of Charles Foster Kane, a millionaire newspaper tycoon. They look for any clues that may explain Charles Foster Kane's final words before dying: "Rosebud." Watching Citizen Kane in class was my first time viewing the film. Personally I disliked the film, mostly because it seemed too long. The story didn't interest me as much, although the ending was amusing. Although the group of reporters never find out what "Rosebud" meant, the audience finds out it relates to the last few memories of playing in the snow before his bank-trustee appointed guardian, Mr Thatcher, takes him away to prepare him for his new isolated life. The film is held with high regard, even 75 years after it was released. In the documentary of old Hollywood, that we watched in class, Citizen Kane was mentioned multiple times, along with a few other classic films. Perhaps it was the unusual narrative structure or Gregg Toland's cinematography which people today still praise. Although I stand by my earlier statement and do not think it was as spectacular as I had came to believe it would be. On the other hand, City Lights by Charlie Chaplin, was a magnificent film. The silent film follows the tramp, who falls in love with a blind woman that believes he is a rich man, …show more content…
Gregg Toland's cinematography impressed me the most. He wasn't afraid to try something different and that is something I admire. In the beginning when they film the adults taking inside and young Charles outside playing in the snow was something that differed in that time. Or the scene where they showed time passing with Charles and his first wife, as they sat at the table and grew less and less interested in each other. The costumes did seemed to be brilliantly chosen, not to mention Orson Welles aging makeup. For it's time, the make up was skillfully