Wednesday, October 17, 2007

Sad

Orson Welles' only Oscar, for Citizen Kane, is going under the hammer.

I love Citizen Kane. I'm typing this right now under a fabulous UK quad poster for the film's re-release a few years ago.

I think Orson Welles was a genius, and I'm saddened that he declined into a joke in his later years. Tragic, really.

The guy was freaking brilliant.



5 comments:

Anonymous said...

At least Citezen Kane isn't going under the knife!

Yes, Orson "we will sell no wine before it's time" Welles did have a less-than-ideal later career, but history has given him a lot of respect already...

Beech

J.M. Tewkesbury said...

OK, I'll just say it up front and I'll say it quickly, as I fear this comment will end our friendship: Iseriouslydon'tunderstandwhy
thisisconsideredthegreatestfilm
ofalltime.

There. I've said it. Are we still friends?

OK, in fairness, I've seen Citizen Kane and I know it was groundbreaking in terms of direction and innovative for its lighting and camera angles and use of music, but beyond that, I honestly did not like this film.

Maybe I need to see it again, since the first time I saw it was in college. Hm.

FWIW, I did like Welles as Harry Lime in The Third Man. Excellent film!

In the meantime, someone please, please enlighten me as to why CK is so great. I fear I'm missing something vital here. And, to top it off, I'm shallow. I want to stay friends with those who adore it.

Merujo said...

I first saw Citizen Kane in college, too - in a film analysis class. That was the first film I learned to deconstruct and see as elements, and how each element was used to craft the overall product. I think I really love the movie because of what it meant for the art of cinema. It was a film at the crossroads of theatre and true cinema. Also, at the core, I liked the central character, despite his enormous flaws. There is a sadness and emptiness to him as he ages and becomes ever wealthier. "...if I hadn't been very rich, I might have been a really great man." I cannot ever imagine becoming insanely rich, but I can relate to the feeling of the loss of myself, and the desire for something that hearkens back to the simplicity of childhood.

And... I think young Orson Welles was pretty hot. (Yes, I'm deeply shallow, too.)

Chuck said...

I unfortunately have to admit I've never seen this film.

J.M. Tewkesbury said...

I think I'll have to see it again. I saw it as a class I took in college, but mine was "Music in Motion Pictures" and I took it to fill my art credit. It was actually a fun class, but we deconstructed from the standpoint of the use of sound and music. I'll add this one to my Netflix queue.