Citizen Kane Essay

The adopt Citizen Kane (1941), directed and write by Orson well and Herman Mankiewicz, is an Ameri thunder mug consume drama that use various choose techniques to elaborate themes, attitudes, and the setment of a story. Welles use of camera angles, inflammationing, movement, symbolism and construction al abject the consultation to comprehend and assure the themes such(prenominal) as originator and victimization that be present in this photo a huge with many different themes that allude to the life of the important character, Charles Foster Kane. many an(prenominal) of the geting techniques that atomic number 18 used in this film illustrate Kane and his feelings and transitions by dint of and near his life. Citizen Kane is a film that demonstrates the immenseness of how wide depiction techniques can help set a story.After viewing the film, the hearing comes to understand that the main theme of the pic is centered around the importance of childhood. end-t o-end the video, symbolism is used to reinforce the theme. Thompson, the reporter, attempts to puzzle divulge out the meaning of the word rosebud, Kanes last words before perfunctory international. Kanes life sees to be a mystery to some mint, and the word rosebud is that lacking make-up to Kanes life. Thompson never figures out what rosebud means, al unrivalled at the end of the movie we see the word rosebud on the sleigh that was thrown into the fire. At this usher the listening understands that rosebud is indeed symbolic of his childhood and the lacking piece of his life. Earlier in the movie, Kane is impertinent playing with that same sled mend his parents are discussing a plan to channel him away. Rosebud can nowadays be connected to the snow globe which represents his childhood in Colorado. Thomson said that rosebud was a missing piece in a jigsaw puzzle. He is illustrating that Kane invariably felt that he wooly his childhood and himself. All he had to l evel for it was that sled and the snow globe.Further importance on the theme of his childhood is illustrated with lighting when Thomson the reporter investigates Tatcher to get a better catch of Kanes childhood. When he enters the room at that place is a precise apparent, glowing light that is angled in such away that it pointes on a book containing information about Kanes childhood. Right away, we see the importance of Kanes childhood in the developing plot. To promote emphasize this importance, when Thomson opens the book, the earshot nonices the real distinct contrast amid the bright light on the book and the dark knowledge base surrounding the book. throughout the movie, the coach is hinting to the audience that his childhood is symbolic of something very definitive which besides force be the declaration to the question, What/who is Rosebud?By now the audience understands that that Kane was unable to have a normal childhood due to a lack of enounce and indic ant. This is illustrated using a depth and taper effect. In the early parts of the film there is a scene in which Kane is outside playing while his parents and banker are negotiating his fate. The actors are ordered in such a way that the mother is always in front line, followed by the banker, Kanes father, and because Kane. Kanes mother seems to have the power due to her position in this scene. It is material to notice that although Kane is in the far depths, he is still in localize, hardly with particular power. As we transition done the movie, Kane gains power and is in the front of this scene still there is always depth and focus in the pearlescent to illustrate a hierarchy of power. other theme in the movie that is reinforced by this technique of depth focusing is kinships. As Kane develops through with(predicate) the movie, the audience recognizes that he is losing his power and his failing leads to broken kins. When he takes control of the Inquirer, he is const antly surrounded by people and they are not physically contrasted from him, but as his status on the hierarchical system dwindles overmatch, he begins to outstrip himself from others in scenes. When Kane fires Leland, we see a prominent deal of depth and distance between the two but both persevere in focus. In this same scene Bernstein is standing in the doorway at a distance away from Kane but he has no significance. The way the actors are positioned illustrate how Kane is developing as individual and with other people around him.When Kane gets taken away by Tatcher at a very young age, his life is transitioning into one of power and corruption. When his employees and partners welcome him for the first meter at the Inquirer, all the pearlescents are low angle shots. The angle also makes it seem as though Kane is significantly big than everyone else in the subsequent scenes. It is as though the audience is looking up to him just as his employees are, illustrating the theme of power that Kane now holds.Exploitation is a theme that begins to develop after Kane has taken control of the Inquirer. His direct for power continues to grow and he becomes to a greater extent and more(prenominal) corrupt. Not only is there corruption within his company, but he comes to exploit other peoples thoughts and ideas. As Kane obtains more power and greed, he gets the idea to gallop for governor, but in the process he gets exploited in regards to his developing kinship with Susan. This is where the movie transitions from power to weakness. Up until this point there has been many low-angle shots to illustrate Kanes growing power. When Kane loses the election, the film moves transitions into high-angle shots.Prior to anyone notwithstanding saying that the election was over, the scene fit clearly illustrates that the election was lost. Even though the office looks like it is a mess, it is very empty. No campaign crew, no feeling. The shot then moves to Kane. During t his scene Kane speaks with two contrary people but his face is down and hidden from the audience. The camera is constantly at a low angle illustrating Kanes diminishing power. Furthermore, this is the first scene with Kane in which there is limiting lighting in the room, which reinforces the concept of an empty feeling.As mentioned before, the conductor uses deep center shots to illustrate a hierarchy of power. Throughout the movie, deep focused shots are also used to assign significance on a proper(postnominal) actor. In the deep focused shots, actors are usually separated by long distances, like in the scene where Kane is talking to Susan across a long corridor with Thompson as the interviewer. When either Kane or Susan speak, the camera shot is always focused in front of them to draw attention to what they are saying. Another technique used to put focus on Kane throughout the movie is by drawing in on Kane by passing through and object or person through a persisting shot. Th is filming technique is used in the first scene of the movie.The scene begins with the audience closing in on a No Trespassing sign, and then passes through the sign to reveal a place with light coming from one window. This might not be a significant amount of light, but the lighting does illustrate the importance of what lies beyond those windows. The scene continues through a garden, over fences, etc. but the whole time the lighted window stays in the same position, continuously bringing a attention to its significance. Of head for the hills as the scene continues it is that of Kane passing away and revealing the mystery which follows throughout the film. The director attempts to always keep the attention on Kane even when it seems as though he is fading out of the discussion.The audience can always find a relationship between the characters of a story/film and the main themes. In the film Citizen Kane, the relationship between the characters and strategic themes are illustra ted by filming techniques that range from camera angles to symbolism. Throughout the movie symbolism played an important role in determining the main theme and what rosebud meant. Kanes development as a person and place in society was illustrated through camera angles, lighting, and depth. These techniques not only assists the audience in understanding Kane, but also understanding other characters and the relationship Kane had with them.