the audience applauded

i must have seen a different film!!

I don't have all the words right now but this film is a work of art.

Very good movie overall, highly recommended. Most of the negative reviews don't have any merit and are all pollitically based. Give this movie a chance at least, and it might give you a different perspective.

Finally, I got to watch Citizen Kane, and there is no confusion about why this is commonly considered one of the greatest films of all-time. I watched many movies that have been described as "Revolutionary" and "Game-changing". But besides that Citizen Kane really deserve to be called so more than any movie I've watched in my life, it's could be the oldest movie that is as influential as it is timeless. I felt I was watching a movie the has been released couple years ago, except it's shot in black and white. An ecstasy of light and shadow, of clashing textures and graphic forms. A haunting cinematography that makes Citizen Kane one of the best-looking movies to date. an exuberant use of camera placement and movement and inventive lighting. Yes, it's above all a visual achievement. But all these innovative techniques shouldn't be questioned whether they still hold up or not. Because they don't just hold up to this day, but they are as fresh and contemporary as they were in 1941. But all that is from the technical standpoint, so what about the screenplay, the narrative, the story?As Orson Welles took many risks directing Citizen Kane he also took risks writing it's Oscar-winning script with Herman J. Mankiewicz. And of course by risks I mean the unprecedented use of flashbacks, and the non-linear storytelling. And While I can't say this way of storytelling paid off perfectly, I have to admit that this structure has changes the game forever in film-making. It took me a while to be engaged with the characters, and the story itself. That's because the pacing was confusingly fast at the beginning, and some important aspects and details in the story needed to be more focused on. It also dragged, and almost lost me a couple of times. As I mentioned above, the build up for the titular character could've been way better, at least to make me invested in the character from the start.With that being said, the more the time goes, the more I became engaged with the story, and invested in all the characters, not only Charles Kane. And I couldn't help but hope for some explanation about the fate of Kane. After some more minutes, I realized that Citizen Kane is a character study, actually, a very complex and compelling one. The story became more poignant and moving. By the way, if you still haven't watched Citizen Kane because you think it's a pretty serious and bleak film, you better watch it ASAP. Because it's actually funny! Yes, sometimes it's funny in a cynical way, but it is always a light-hearted movie, and easy to watch. But that doesn't mean it's a feel-good movie at all. As I mentioned, it the story becomes more touching and emotional as it proceeds, and it's represented in a flashback structure to reveal some mysteries about a publishing tycoon's rise and fall who dies corrupt and alone. So I think you get the point.All the performances are impeccable, and Orson Welles' performance is as terrific as his direction. Also, Joseph Cotten is great as always. Also, the dialogue is so clever, and there are a fair share of very subtle lines.Citizen Kane is far from perfect, IMO. Nevertheless, it somehow lives up to its reputation as a landmark achievement in film. But what's striking now is how utterly modern it is in direction. (8/10)

Following the death of Charles Foster Kane, a wealthy newspaper magnate, his final word - 'Rosebud' - sparks a national hunt for its meaning. To explain why Citizen Kane is a great film is to articulate why you should never head-butt door-mounted coat hooks - it's something everyone already knows and doesn't need to be rammed into their brains any more. So, instead of a proper review, this is going to be some of the more unsung reasons why you need to watch it (if you haven't already) or rewatch it (if you have).The story starts with the death of Kane and his last word, 'Rosebud', the origin of which we won't discover until the final shot of the film unless you're privy to one of the best-known cinematic reveals. The film then jumps between the present time to past moments in Kane's life via flashbacks as a character gives their story to the plot-framing journalist seeking answers. The way it hops all over the place might seem common to us now (even clichéd with flashbacks) but at the time it would've been their equivalent of watching Christopher Nolan's Memento for the first time.The use of highly contrasted areas of light and dark within single shots, coupled with especially high and low camera angles gives Welles the power to make Kane appear like a beloved god, a feared dictator or a pitiful loner. Citizen Kane was a decade ahead of the curve when it came to using more technical aspects of filmmaking such as these to tell the story rather than rely solely on script.The make-up to age the 23-year-old Welles (for that is how old he was when he made this masterpiece!) was deemed by the man himself as the most important aspect to achieve the feel of a biographical film ... and boy did they deliver! It's never weird or obvious; just subtly adding crow's feet, removing hair or doubling chins.It's likely to be one of the first films (after Gone with the Wind) to have a real 'whammy' ending where the audience is equally shocked, surprised and perhaps saddened by the outcome - it makes you rethink everything you've just seen and repaint Kane as a different man the next time you watch it knowing the ending. It's also one of those endings that you probably already know as it's the fourth most-spoiled film twists after 'I am your father!', 'You blew it up!' and Bruce Willis in The Sixth Sense.While watching it, you'd be forgiven to listing a half-dozen films which might be a better in each category of filmmaking but few are as well rounded to such a high degree as Citizen Kane is. Having (re)watched it with all of the above in mind, it'll be easier to appreciate why (even after 75 years) Citizen Kane is still rated one of the best films ever made - followed closely by The Room of course.Best Quote: "Old age. It's the only disease, Mr. Thompson, that you don't look forward to being cured of."

They say it was a pioneer in many cinema aspects. Who cares? What is it about? A total waste of celluloid.

"The greatest film of all time". "The most influential piece of cinema ever". "Orson Welles is the best actor to have ever lived". "Technically flawless". Can we just take the time to appreciate the praise this film has acquired since 1941. It is undeniably rare for a silver screen picture to stand the test of time, but Citizen Kane has. However, the monumental rave for this classic naturally heightened my expectations to astronomical heights. Chronicling the life of the fictitious tycoonist Charles Foster Kane, a journalist attempts to uncover the meaning of his last word "Rosebud". There's so much to admire about Orson Welles. To have the audacity and confidence to direct, produce, co-write and act in his first motion picture is impressive to say the least. His transition from theatre to screen felt seamless. Technically, this film is masterful. Welles' use of lighting to create shadows, symmetry, long takes and innovative tracking shots have clearly influenced many films since its release. The flashback narrative structure was pristinely incorporated to create a cohesive story about a man who slowly becomes corrupted with money and power. Acting was superb, particularly from Welles, considering this was a screen debut for the majority of cast members. There's nothing much I can add that every critic hasn't already raved about. But. I must profess. I personally do not think this is perfect. The story, for me, just didn't keep me engaged consistently. Several scenes dragged on forever to a point where I started becoming distracted by my own surroundings. The showgirl dance scene, Susan's singing rehearsals and even the introduction which simply slowly zooms in on Xanadu. Maybe it's because I'm fairly new to classic films, or maybe I just found Kane to be an uninteresting character. We could all endlessly dissect this piece of art and write a dissertation on how perfect it is, and it is without a doubt technically perfect. But I shan't give it full marks just because every film critic has.