Greatest Movie Ever -- and who's to argue

Rating: 10/10 (13 August 2002)

For all of those who feel The Godfather is the greatest movie ever, give yourself a knock on the head with a blackjack. If it wasn't for Orson Welles lavish and sometimes eccentric film, none of the conventions used in this film would have ever been utilized elsewhere. Citizen Kane not only changed the face of Hollywood with a story that encapsulated a grand story into two hours, it also helped usher in a whole new perspective of looking at film, discovering different forms which never would have been conceived. Not only was the story engrossing, the technical aspects of the film proved to be a cut above the rest, still looking contemporary in this world of split second edits and explosions. No film has ever captured a self actualized person like Kane, a man who has everything and can do virtually anything he wanted. In a way, it is a telling tale of our current media ills, allowing one person or one organization to own too much, creating his own slant on the news for his own wishes. It's a shame Welles had to wait so long before receiving acclaim for this film.