Citizen Kane notes?? (1 Viewer)

[~dEjA vOuX~]

I have an assessment task on thurday, and I have absolutely no info on Citizen Kane...my teacher is hopeless, and doesnt know how to teach us. Does anybody have any notes at all, or links to websites? I've already been to the main page, and there are only one set of notes there, and they aren't extensive enough to satisfy the requirements of my assessment. Please...anything is greatly appreciated!!!

 

[Gregor Samsa]

Hmmm... What exactly is your assessment question? Would be easier to help from there.

 

[hipsta_jess]

sorry, i had heaps, but i threw them out at the end of last year

your best bet is to re-watch the film (murder, i know)

 

[~dEjA vOuX~]

We don't have a specific question. We basically have to write an essay in 40 minutes. The teacher told us what we need to know, but she hasn't taught it to us!!
She said we need to know the different interpretations and theory e.g. tragedy, mystery, satire, feminist, psychoanalytic, and Marxist. She also said we have to know the context, such as Orson Welles' personal conext e.g. how he had a great love for Shakespeare and how he wrote a book on Shakespearean tragedy, Roosevelt and the new deal, the sapnish american war, WWI and II, radio etc...
There's so much to learn, and the stuff on the internet is hopeless. I've watched the movie sooo many times, and I'm sick of it. Oh and she said we have to concentrate heavily on language and film techniques, but I think I have that bit covered.

 

[Gregor Samsa]

Originally posted by ~dEjA vOuX~
We don't have a specific question. We basically have to write an essay in 40 minutes. The teacher told us what we need to know, but she hasn't taught it to us!!
She said we need to know the different interpretations and theory e.g. tragedy, mystery, satire, feminist, psychoanalytic, and Marxist. She also said we have to know the context, such as Orson Welles' personal conext e.g. how he had a great love for Shakespeare and how he wrote a book on Shakespearean tragedy, Roosevelt and the new deal, the sapnish american war, WWI and II, radio etc...
There's so much to learn, and the stuff on the internet is hopeless. I've watched the movie sooo many times, and I'm sick of it. Oh and she said we have to concentrate heavily on language and film techniques, but I think I have that bit covered.

Ouch. Having no question beyond that makes it awkward.. Do you have to invent your own question to 'answer'?

Anyway, a couple of elements that I think could be useful;

Context:William Randolph Hearst.. Hearst is the generally accepted source for Charles Foster Kane, and was a very powerful newspaper magnate in the early twentieth century. Among other things, he is famous for fabricating a pretext for the Spanish-American War, living in isolated opulence (His San Simeon was the inspiration for Welle's Xanadu), and for his
power through his media influence.

Ironically, this power is also reflected in the Hearst media's criticism and ignorance of Citizen Kane, as a result of the similarities between Hearst and Kane. (First publicised by columnist Hedda Hopper.)

As such, Kane is in part a satire. (An obvious example of this is the 'News On The March' newsreel parodying 'The March Of Time'.)

Indeed, Citizen Kane is virtually a multi-generic film, including tragedy, mystery, musical comedy (There is a man...A certain man.), a film that is emblematic of the context, (Kane's original title was simply American.) and one that resonates with multiple disperate audiences and contexts.. Ie; Voted #1 Film by Sight And Sound polls 1962-2002.

Also may be useful to briefly refer to Welle's meteroric rise through the Mercury Theatre, his Shakespearean productions, (Including his 1935 'Voodoo Macbeth', with an all African-American cast, and his 'Contemporary' [1937, Mussolini..] reworking of Julius Caesar) and 'The War Of The Worlds'.

Athough I didn't have to study it, I think Citizen Kane is a brilliant film. Hope my ramblings prove helpful.

 

[~dEjA vOuX~]

Originally posted by Gregor Samsa
Ouch. Having no question beyond that makes it awkward.. Do you have to invent your own question to 'answer'?

Anyway, a couple of elements that I think could be useful;

Context:William Randolph Hearst.. Hearst is the generally accepted source for Charles Foster Kane, and was a very powerful newspaper magnate in the early twentieth century. Among other things, he is famous for fabricating a pretext for the Spanish-American War, living in isolated opulence (His San Simeon was the inspiration for Welle's Xanadu), and for his
power through his media influence.

Ironically, this power is also reflected in the Hearst media's criticism and ignorance of Citizen Kane, as a result of the similarities between Hearst and Kane. (First publicised by columnist Hedda Hopper.)

As such, Kane is in part a satire. (An obvious example of this is the 'News On The March' newsreel parodying 'The March Of Time'.)

Indeed, Citizen Kane is virtually a multi-generic film, including tragedy, mystery, musical comedy (There is a man...A certain man.), a film that is emblematic of the context, (Kane's original title was simply American.) and one that resonates with multiple disperate audiences and contexts.. Ie; Voted #1 Film by Sight And Sound polls 1962-2002.

Also may be useful to briefly refer to Welle's meteroric rise through the Mercury Theatre, his Shakespearean productions, (Including his 1935 'Voodoo Macbeth', with an all African-American cast, and his 'Contemporary' [1937, Mussolini..] reworking of Julius Caesar) and 'The War Of The Worlds'.

Athough I didn't have to study it, I think Citizen Kane is a brilliant film. Hope my ramblings prove helpful.

Thankyou so much!