1 / 15

SYNTHESIS

SYNTHESIS. Citizen Kane: “a discourse on method”. Charles Foster Kane New York Inquirer Multi-millionaire newspaper publisher Aspiring political figure – runs for NY Governor Palatial Florida mansion called Xanadu filled with priceless art objects

bozica
Download Presentation

SYNTHESIS

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. SYNTHESIS Citizen Kane: “a discourse on method”

  2. Charles Foster Kane New York Inquirer Multi-millionaire newspaper publisher Aspiring political figure – runs for NY Governor Palatial Florida mansion called Xanadu filled with priceless art objects Affair with Susan Alexander, a talentless singer Buys Susan an opera house William Randolf Hearst San Francisco Examiner, New York Journal Multi-millionaire newspaper publisher Aspiring political figure, NY Governor “The Ranch” palace in CA with priceless art collection Mistress – actress Marion Davies Bought Davies a film studio to promote stardom Kane and Hearst

  3. Photography • Lighting • High key • Kane’s youth and as a young publisher • Becomes darker, more harshly contrasting as Kane ages and grows more cynical • Spotlights • Used in closer shots for symbolic effects • Deep-focus photography • Symbolism of separation, alienation, and loneliness

  4. Photography cont. • 80% of movie required some kind of special effects work • Scratched lines on film to make footage seem old • Matte shots • Double and multiple exposures • Reprinting

  5. Mis en Scene • Most of the images are tightly framed and in closed forms • Proxemic patterns • Layering of mis en scene is a visual accusation

  6. Movement • Kinetic principles • Camera movement is equated with the vitality and energy of youth • High spirits • Brisk traveling shots parallel the protagonist’s movements • Static camera • Illness, old age, death

  7. Editing • Parallel editing • Classical editing • Thematic montage

  8. Sound • Sounds used to evoke images • Almost every visual technique has a sound equivalent • Sounds can be dissolved and overlapped • Musical motifs • Rosebud • Leitmotif

  9. Drama • The live theater was Welles’ first love. • Costumes • Kane as young publisher • Favors white • Later in life • Black business suits and ties

  10. Story • Rosebud motif • Prologue • Xanadu, Kane’s death • Newsreel • Premise • Flashback • Flashback • Bernstein • Jed Leland • Susan Alexander • Raymond, butler at Xanadu • Coda • Revelation of Rosebud

  11. Writing • At this time a director was not allowed any writing credits unless he contributed 50% or more of the screenplay. • Last line on credit as an actor • Welles attracted to classic tragedy • Welles considered himself a moralist • 5 different storytellers • Thatcher Susan • Bernstein Raymond • Leland

  12. Writing cont. • Symbolic motifs • Low camera angles • Fences • Rosebud and Fragmentation • 1st movie to have a dramatic story effect

  13. Ideology • Welles was a liberal • Citizen Kane is classified as liberal • Film is filled with the messy contradictions of life • Kane believes that environment is a stronger force than heredity • Jed Leland represents the moral conscience of the film, Kane’s idealistic alter ego

  14. Ideology cont. • As a young man • Kane displays nothing but contempt for tradition, the past, and authority figures • As an older man • No longer consults his colleagues • Feminist in sympathies • Mary Kane • Emily Norton Kane • Susan Alexander Kane

  15. Critique • Masterpiece of formalism • Promotional poster • Sparked by controversy • William Randolf Hearst • Received rave reviews • 9 Academy Award nominations • Won for screenplay • Consistently is in the top 10 greatest films

More Related