√ Critically Analysing Citizen Kane | Orson Welles

Summary

This video offers a detailed analysis of Orson Welles' groundbreaking film, *Citizen Kane*. It examines key themes and innovative techniques, such as deep focus, flashbacks, and unique camera angles, which help shape the film's narrative. The video explores the film’s use of symbolism, characterization, and power dynamics, highlighting Kane’s internal conflicts and the contrast between his public persona and private struggles. It also emphasizes the significance of stage actors in enhancing the depth of performance, contributing to the film's lasting impact on cinematic techniques.

Takeaways

• 🎬 The film 'Citizen Kane' by Orson Welles is renowned for its pioneering techniques and significant influence on cinematic storytelling.
• 📽️ 'Citizen Kane' employs a non-linear narrative style, utilizing flashbacks and testimonials to explore the life of the main character, Charles Foster Kane.
• 🔎 The film's deep focus technique allows both foreground and background to be in focus simultaneously, enhancing spatial depth and character isolation.
• 📈 Welles' innovative filming technique for crowd scenes involved repeating a small group of people to create the illusion of a large crowd.
• 👥 The characters in 'Citizen Kane' are portrayed by stage actors, which contributes to the film's dynamic and emotionally resonant performances.
• 🏡 The film uses the setting of Xanadu to symbolize Kane's character, reflecting his grand yet unfulfilled ambitions and the emptiness of his life.
• 🖼️ Symbolism, such as the snow globe and the sled, are used to represent Kane's desire for control and his ultimate inability to capture his lost childhood.
• 🎭 The film's use of high and low camera angles, as well as unique framing, serves to emphasize themes of power and the dynamics between characters.
• 🔙 Flashbacks are central to the narrative structure, revealing different facets of Kane's life and providing a contrast between his younger and older years.
• 🤔 The film invites viewers to consider the nature of power, success, and the American Dream, as well as the personal cost of ambition.

Q & A

What is the main focus of the analysis on 'Citizen Kane'?

The analysis focuses on breaking down the film into its components, examining its pioneering film techniques, narrative structure, themes, and characterization to form a thoughtful response.

Why is 'Citizen Kane' considered a pioneering film in cinematic history?

'Citizen Kane' is pioneering because it introduced several new film techniques, such as deep focus and innovative camera angles, which were not commonly used in cinema at the time. These techniques greatly influenced future filmmaking.

What is deep focus, and why was it important in 'Citizen Kane'?

Deep focus is a technique where both the foreground and background are in focus simultaneously. In 'Citizen Kane', it was used to emphasize space, power dynamics, and isolation, providing visual depth and enhancing the story's themes.

How does the film use high and low camera shots to convey power?

High and low shots are frequently used in 'Citizen Kane' to emphasize power dynamics, especially Kane's dominance and the power struggles between characters. These angles visually reinforce themes of control and authority.

What role do flashbacks play in 'Citizen Kane'?

Flashbacks are central to the film's non-linear narrative structure. They help contrast Kane's younger and older selves, providing multiple perspectives on his life and revealing layers of his character through the eyes of different narrators.

How do the stage actors in 'Citizen Kane' contribute to the film's dynamic performances?

The stage actors, being familiar with projection and presence, add emotional depth and dynamic performance styles to the film. Their previous rapport as part of the Mercury Theatre Company helped them build natural relationships on-screen.

What symbolic significance does the snow globe hold in 'Citizen Kane'?

The snow globe symbolizes Kane's lost childhood and his inability to control the world around him. Its shattering reflects Kane's emotional collapse and the idea that despite his power, he remains unfulfilled and unhappy.

How is the American Dream critiqued through the depiction of Xanadu?

Xanadu, Kane's opulent yet unfinished mansion, symbolizes the emptiness of the American Dream. Despite its grandeur, it is hollow and uninhabitable, reflecting Kane's desire for more, yet his inability to find personal satisfaction or fulfillment.

What does the mirror scene signify about Kane's inner conflict?

The mirror scene represents Kane's introspection and self-reflection, showing his dissatisfaction with his public persona. Although he has power and wealth, his reflection reveals a sad, unfulfilled man who remains haunted by his lost childhood.

Why is it important to analyze 'Citizen Kane' beyond its simplicity?

'Citizen Kane' may seem simple on the surface, but it requires deep analysis to fully appreciate its complex techniques and thematic elements. Going into depth about its use of film techniques, symbolism, and narrative structure is crucial to understanding its lasting impact on cinema.

Outlines

00:00

🎬 Analyzing Citizen Kane's Film Techniques

This paragraph introduces the process of analyzing the film Citizen Kane by Orson Welles. It emphasizes the importance of examining the film's themes and techniques, such as deep focus, high and low shots, and unique angles, which were pioneering at the time. The paragraph also mentions the film's narrative style, which uses flashbacks and testimonials to contrast the character of Charles Foster Kane at different stages of his life. The analysis encourages viewers to consider the film's techniques and how they support the film's themes and character development.

05:04

🌟 The Innovative Techniques of Citizen Kane

The second paragraph delves into the innovative camera techniques used in Citizen Kane, such as crane shots that transition from wide to close-up, and the use of framing to convey intimacy and power dynamics between characters. It discusses the film's narrative structure, which is heavily reliant on flashbacks and multiple narrators, providing a multifaceted view of the protagonist. The paragraph also touches on the casting of stage actors, which contributed to the film's unique style and the actors' ability to project their performances effectively in deep focus shots.

10:05

🎭 The Impact of Stage Acting on Citizen Kane

This paragraph explores how the use of stage actors in Citizen Kane influenced the film's style and the portrayal of characters. It highlights the actors' ability to project their personalities and emotions from a distance, which was well-suited to the film's deep focus technique. The paragraph also discusses the organic sense of filmmaking that emerged from the actors' stage backgrounds, allowing for a dynamic and emotionally rich performance style. Additionally, it touches on the film's use of symbols and contrasts, such as the snow globe and the theme of having everything and nothing, to reinforce key ideas about the protagonist's character and the American Dream.

15:05

🏡 Symbolism and Characterization in Citizen Kane

The final paragraph focuses on the symbolism and characterization in Citizen Kane, particularly the use of the snow globe and the mansion Xanadu to reflect the protagonist's inner turmoil and the emptiness of material wealth. It discusses the film's central theme of a man who has everything yet lacks personal value, and the paradox of Kane's character, who is powerful yet tormented by his past. The paragraph also emphasizes the importance of analyzing the film's techniques and themes in depth, suggesting that while Citizen Kane is a film that is easy to discuss, it requires a thorough and insightful analysis to fully appreciate its complexity.

Keywords

💡Citizen Kane

Citizen Kane is a 1941 American mystery drama film directed by and starring Orson Welles. It is renowned for its innovative narrative structure, cinematography, and use of film techniques. In the video, the film is analyzed for its pioneering techniques and its influence on modern cinema. The script discusses how Citizen Kane revolutionized film techniques and storytelling, making it a seminal work in the history of film.

💡Film Techniques

Film techniques refer to the methods and tools used in filmmaking to tell a story visually. The script highlights techniques such as deep focus, high and low shots, and unique camera angles. These techniques are crucial to Citizen Kane as they contribute to the film's distinctive style and narrative depth, allowing for a more immersive and dynamic viewing experience.

💡Deep Focus

Deep focus is a cinematographic technique where both the foreground and background are in sharp focus simultaneously. This technique was pioneering in Citizen Kane and is discussed in the script as a way to create a sense of space and isolation, particularly for the character of Charles Foster Kane. It allows for a more complex visual storytelling, enabling the audience to perceive multiple layers of action within a single frame.

💡Characterization

Characterization is the process of revealing the personality and background of a character in a narrative. The script emphasizes the strong characterization in Citizen Kane, achieved through the use of flashbacks and testimonials. This technique helps to develop the characters and contrast their different stages of life, contributing to the film's depth and complexity.

💡Flashbacks

Flashbacks are narrative devices used to present scenes from a character's past. In Citizen Kane, flashbacks are central to the storytelling, as they reveal the life of Charles Foster Kane from different perspectives. The script discusses how flashbacks are used to explore Kane's character and his evolution over time, providing a non-linear narrative structure that adds depth to the film.

💡Stage Actors

The use of stage actors in Citizen Kane is noted in the script as a deliberate choice that influenced the film's style. Stage actors are accustomed to projecting their performances to reach an audience, which aligns with the film's deep focus technique. Their experience in the Mercury Theatre Company also contributed to the natural rapport seen on screen, enhancing the film's character dynamics.

💡Symbols and Motifs

Symbols and motifs are recurring themes or objects that represent particular ideas or concepts. The script mentions symbols like the snow globe and the sled, which are used to represent Kane's power, his desire for control, and his ultimate inability to capture his lost childhood. These symbols are integral to understanding the film's themes of the American Dream and the emptiness of material success.

💡American Dream

The American Dream is a national ethos that suggests anyone can achieve success and prosperity through hard work and determination. The script discusses how Citizen Kane critiques the American Dream through the character of Charles Foster Kane, who despite his wealth and power, remains unfulfilled and isolated, suggesting that material success does not guarantee happiness.

💡Narrative Structure

Narrative structure refers to the arrangement of events and the order in which they are presented in a story. Citizen Kane's narrative structure is non-linear, using flashbacks and multiple narrators to tell Kane's story. The script explains how this structure contributes to the film's exploration of Kane's life, allowing for a more complex and nuanced portrayal of his character.

💡Orson Welles

Orson Welles was a multifaceted artist known for his work in film, theater, and radio. As the director and star of Citizen Kane, Welles is central to the film's innovative techniques and its thematic exploration. The script discusses Welles' pioneering work in the film, highlighting his influence on cinematic storytelling and his portrayal of the complex character of Charles Foster Kane.

Highlights

Analyzing Citizen Kane by Orson Welles, focusing on film techniques and elements.

Using film techniques to support responses and understanding of the film's themes.

Citizen Kane was pioneering in its use of film techniques that were new at the time.

The film's techniques are exaggerated to match the overstated themes and motifs.

Welles pioneered a technique for filming crowd scenes with a small number of people.

Emphasis on characterization and narrative development through non-linear storytelling.

Deep focus technique was a significant innovation, keeping foreground and background in focus.

High and low shots are used to convey power dynamics.

Unique angles and crane shots were experimented with to show different ideas.

Framing and the distance between characters are used to show intimacy and power.

Flashbacks and multiple narrators provide different perspectives on Charles Foster Kane.

Stage actors were used, bringing a larger-than-life presence to the film.

Symbols like the snow globe and the sled represent key themes of the film.

Contrasts between the young and old Kane highlight the film's character development.

The setting of Xanadu reflects Kane's character and the critique of the American Dream.

The film explores the paradox of a man who has everything but lacks personal value.

Citizen Kane's power and self-importance are contrasted with his inner emptiness.

The film invites a deep analysis of its techniques and themes.

Transcripts

hello welcome we're gonna be looking at

in this fair as we're going to be

looking at taking all the pieces of

Citizen Kane by Orson Welles and we're

going to start looking at being able to

analyze them and certainly looking at a

few film techniques a few elements have

note about the film which you can then

start to use to form your response so

you've after going through the various

themes of the film after going through

the main ideas then staying too I guess

attach them to some various art filming

techniques to various aspects of the

film which are important and certainly

help to backup and support your response

all right now it is a film which has

which was pioneering and its day and

certainly a lot of the film techniques

which are used in Citizen Kane a film

techniques that had never been used

before and certainly it's one that's

quite influential on a lot of cinematic

techniques they use now and so when

you're looking at film techniques now a

lot of them again are quite exaggerated

and I sort of follow along with the

over-the-top and often overstated

aspects of some of the other parts of

the film so the overstated themes and

motifs all those sorts of things are

symbols which are used in the film and

certainly the techniques used to make

the film are quite all overstated and

certainly they bring the film quite a

lot to life now some of these Phelps

film techniques are quite interesting

and one which I don't go through in this

video but when I like to share with you

to start with is there was one technique

which wasn't really mastered to a number

of years later which was able to

actually film crowd scenes when there

are a number of crowd scenes in the film

we've only a small number of people now

before if you wanted to shoot those

sorts of crowd scenes you had to get

thousands of extras to come in whereas

wells was able to pioneer a technique

where you could actually film 20 people

over and over again and be able to sort

of

piece them together in the sense that

you would get them appear like they're

one big crowd and this is one technique

which is used quite frequently today and

certainly a lot of the crowd shots that

you will see in light and films are

usually a handful of people who are

repeated over and over again there's

also a film when you're looking at which

places an emphasis on characterization

and certainly the characters in this

film are quite strong and we'll go

through some different things about that

later and it uses narrative as a mean of

showing development and contrast rather

than using and linear style so I should

explain that what that means is

essentially because it uses flashbacks

and it uses testimonials from various

characters in the film what it does is

it helps to show a contrast between Kane

and the younger years and Kanan as much

older years and even though it does sort

of still follow a linear style and that

the flashbacks are in order from I guess

from from the beginning of his life to

the end they don't they don't sort of

reflect linear style in the sense that

we sort of can see a jump from his older

stories younger self to his older self

and certainly we also see that through

to makeup and special effects

particularly which are used on on

wellses face as he is playing the main

character now let's look at some camera

techniques to start with and certainly

as I mentioned before that uses a couple

of techniques over again and some which

are quite important for the film now the

most important technique to this film

sort of pioneered or was the first time

it was used for a major film anyway it

was deep focus where basically

foreground and background were in focus

at the same time and one that helped us

or sho space and particularly the

isolation of Canaan was a technique

which required a lot of effort to put

together and certainly normally when you

film something you'll have something in

the foreground which is in focus and in

the background which is out of focus

whereas through the the lenses in the

lighting which have been used for this

film it was possible to have them both

in focus at the same time and this

certainly helps to have different

characters play more of a role and

certainly in some of the images that you

see in the film you see a great great

examples of this focus being used

high low shots use quite often as this

is a film about power and certainly a

film about Cannes power so we often get

like this shot on my right here you do

get a lot of shots which doing the Cape

power and certainly not only power came

but also the power of other people and

in the film as well and certainly the

way that they they sort of try and exert

themselves over others so high and low

shots of some some of the shots to say

that are quite common in the film and

certainly ones you'll come across quite

a lot and unique angles are also

something which are quite important to

film it was a film that experimented a

lot with Cameron certainly a lot with um

sort of crane shots and some which moved

from a really long wide shot really up

close up to a close up shot so it was a

film that used particularly crane shots

in the number of different ways and

certainly it helps to sort of show

different ideas and certainly have to

look at particularly some of the ones

which moved from very long to a close up

shot you still have to look at what it

is framing and why it is important to

the film those things are framed so for

instance one of the scenes I'm thinking

of is the scene where Cain is giving his

election speech or his candidacy special

say and it sort of starts from a wide

shot to show how many people are sort of

fanatically following him up to a close

shot where we start to see the man

exerting his power exerting his wit all

those sorts of things so that camera

shot really helps to show this this

transition quite well we also get quite

they're framing in these characters and

certainly the distance between

characters is quite often used and the

way these these camera shots are frames

it's like it likes to show the intimacy

of the characters and certainly helps

the characterizations sort of grow a

little bit beyond what they just are in

terms of purely enacting sense and so

when we're looking at what Citizen Kane

offers in terms of being a film about

character a lot of it has to be has to

do show us a with the way

the camera is framed in the way the

shots are all framed okay let's move on

flashback is obviously another technique

that you're going to be looking at quite

extensively when you're looking at the

film Citizen Kane as it is entitled

pretty much entirely through flashbacks

and it does it's one of those films that

starts with the end and it starts as I

said with his childhood and then sort of

moves on to the woods the end of his

life the technique also makes you some

multiple narrators and it's certainly

through the flashbacks that the multiple

narrators come into an effect where by

interviewing all these people who had a

role in Cannes life we start to discover

new perspectives about him and certainly

we can cover more about him through

these other people then if we were just

to follow k'naan on our own and it gives

basically away from not to completely

dominate as a character and so not every

shot is filled with the sight of Kane

doing what he does best so by telling

the story through flashbacks we start to

see different sides of him we start to

take different veneers and different

covers of him to sort of see what lies

underneath and certainly through a lot

of these portraits they're painted of

him by different people we start to

really uncover the true him as opposed

to probably his public persona which is

very brash and arrogant and doesn't

really appear to be phased by anything

when quite clearly he is a technique

also allows the story to be broken up

and clearly shows physically Cain's age

progression certainly that transition

and contrast between his younger years

and certainly also he's much older years

so when you have a look at those sorts

of things in depth of flashback

techniques which you used I used to

effect their not just placed together as

a way of telling the story they are a

way of telling the story with the effect

that the director and certainly those

involved with the production of the film

wanted the film to come across as okay

let's move on the characters now the

characters are quite unique in this film

in that pretty much all of them were

stage actors they weren't screen actors

and this ties in

with a couple of key ideas in the film

first of all they are large and

lifestyle characters in which screen

actors were very used to looking good on

camera but weren't able to project

themselves in such way the stage actor

was and also that all the VA's actors

knew each other quite well they'll part

of the Mercury Theatre Company who and

had worked together quite extensively

before so there's already require

rapport between the various actors and

so they were able to form more against

natural relationships with each other

than probably what they would have

otherwise if they were just in the

sambal cars which they just saw through

together they're also much better suited

to this digg focused technique that was

because it sort of matches the depth of

a stage and that even on the stage you

get a foreground a middle ground in the

background and so by being used to the

various positions they have on the stage

they could be far more in I guess suited

to being in multiple places and still

having to to play a role on camera and

certainly they bear able to make use of

that extra space they get for a deep

focus certainly a lot of the films at

the time I guess the lie film stole our

were a lot about close-up shots and

certainly actors had to be very very

good at playing close up shots whereas

in this case they were made to do sort

of close-up types of scenes from a

number of different distances away and

certainly it gives a personas much

greater presence then by just giving

them a close-up shot every now and then

to show their reactions to things and

certainly is a technique that sort of

really did persist for quite a long time

and certainly now we start to see a bit

more of an organic sense of filmmaking

and acting and this is why of course now

a lot of actors do come from the stage

and the screen and Vice 1st they sort of

jumping back and forth again all right

and they're also able to project

themselves far more dynamically and that

they're able convey a greater level of

emotional depth as I saw mentioned

before in conjunction with the style of

film so as I said but the fact that they

had worked together before but also

because they were stage actors used to

projecting their voice and particularly

because of it it's if you're performing

a play in front of a large audience you

have to be used to be able to project

your personality from a distance and

this is something which is quite unique

to the stage actor especially because

you want people in the back row to be

able to to see that you're upset and all

these sorts of things and so in the film

they're able to sort of show off their

personality from a wider distance from

the camera now while one may sort of

argued that this sort of makes the film

a little bit pantomime in the sense that

it becomes more like a stage play that's

being filmed rather than a film it's

done so also in a way where you can sort

of see various film elements blending in

with it and so even though it is sort of

criticised to that a little bit and

certainly being over-the-top as it is it

still is something that works quite well

especially for this film and seeing as

Kenya's and over-the-top kind of

character and awesome wells is an

over-the-top kind of film makeup it fits

quite well now symbols and contrast

sadia of things which you use quite

frequently in the film and certainly

having everything and nothing being a

prominent idea in the film is a strong

indicator for why these various symbols

and contrasts are quite important

certainly the contrast between the young

and old cane his public persona and his

private persona the various symbols such

as the snow globe and the UM the sled

which are used in the film all these

sorts of things having the world and

one's hands certainly really reinforce a

lot of the key ideas of the film and

certainly when you're discussing what

rolled the contrasts and symbols of this

film have you will be discussing it in

regards to that now the snow globe for

instance is one such symbol and to have

a smash this all suggested nature Kate

power and then he has all this is power

and yet almost himself he has the world

in his hand he smashes it because of the

fact that he is miserable he can't

control everything and to have this a

device at the beginning of the film sort

of indicates this this world of his is

collapsing on itself and that's mostly

because of him we also get this idea of

it in Xanadu for instance

and its opulent and yet it's also still

unfinished and it sort of makes a very a

smart sort of suggestion about the

American dream in it it's always about

wanting more and never being satisfied

with having it and that's basically what

we get with Senator we get something

that which is almost bigger than

Buckingham Palace and yet it is still

unfinished he still wants to add more to

it and make it bigger and grander and

that sort of thing and even when it

closes this door it seems like this big

empty shell of what the American Dream

bought but yet it wasn't at home at all

it was a big mansion with stuff in it

and that's basically the way that Kane

looks at it and so the use of location

setting also reinforces this method of

characterization and particularly of

Cain so the house represents his

character there's this big grand over

the tops of husk which is filled with

nothing in sight nothing of value

nothing of worth and certainly it

reflects kind character as much as does

anything else and certainly all these

contrasts and symbols as like as I

mentioned before have an effect of being

able to establish the kind of character

of the cane is now what do we know about

Charles Foster Kane now this is

something where because this film is

primarily centered around him and

certainly about the man his mystique and

his power there is a still certain

enigma to him and this is also

representing various symbolic ways not

least of which is the image to my right

there and certainly that scene where he

is in the almost the in financial

mirrors that know it precisely what

those are that mirror effect is called

but having him sitting or standing there

sort of reflects this man who's

constantly reflecting himself in and

constantly not liking what he sees and

being able to to look at himself and go

do I like what I see do I not like what

I see and I think we know what the

answer is the various motifs and

emphasis on reflection focus on

knowingly Kane sense of power and

self-importance but the value of it and

then he has this almost as element where

he wants to appear powerful and yet

every time he looks in the mirror he

sees a sad little boy still

and so the value of this power is

ultimately belittle when he looks at

himself and even though he has it all

and he can project it they has he'll has

it all the moment he looks at himself in

the mirror and goes what have I become

that's when this sort of introspective

haunting of him of his childhood of the

childhood he lost sort of comes before a

little bit and here it is the pre much

the paradox of the film a man who owns

everything in here has nothing of

personal value and certainly you would

think we'll cut wealth by something a

personal valuable in this case no it

can't because the one thing that he

tries to buy it is a time of his life

and he can't buy that he can't have it

in any way shape or form apart from the

fact that he's lost it and he can never

have it back again and this tormented

child or one where he's almost ripped

from the arms of his parents suggests a

who or a man who is still a boy who

wants to be with mum and dad and playing

with a sled in the backyard or in in the

snow show us a and that's pretty much

the key idea of the film is is knowing

this character this husk of a person who

has power has this ability to change the

way that people look at things and yet

is still very much empty in and

certainly as much as everything he does

is is based on self-interest and even

though he does things which I guess for

the good of others there's still this

boy who wants to and it is boy inside of

him he wants to be loved by his parents

not sent away and and to live a normal

and happy life and ultimately that is

the main starting point for where you

should be looking for citizen kane of so

the main process now is about dissecting

all these various film techniques

putting emphasis on what you think the

most relevant points of the film are and

then start to think about the film in

ways where you can are able to compose a

response in such a way where you reflect

these sorts of ideas now as i mentioned

before it is a simple film to to talk

about and to discuss but that doesn't

necessarily mean that you can go and

state the obvious without backing it up

with anything you need to be able to go

to depth about these sorts of ideas so

something that you need to really make

sure that you do when you're looking at

this film and display despite its

simplicity in terms of being able

discussing on the technique in

informatik level it still requires you

to go into depth and to pursue the

analysis even deeper and as far as you

can go but otherwise that's about it for

Citizen Kane until next time I'll see

you later