Splinter Of The Mind's Eye

Rating: 10/10 (28 March 2006)

Most filmmakers take on simple subjects. Most finished works have defined edges, they fit within a comprehensible space. The finished picture is usually just a beginning/middle/happy ending formula. To present it, the whole is jigged into 'parts', usually just those 3 pieces which effortlessly snap together in the mind. From my previous comments you can probably glean what filmmakers are on that end of the spectrum.
The young Welles was special, a revolutionary. He's on the opposite end of that spectrum with Kubrick, Kurosawa, Ridley Scott, most of Woody Allen's work, among others. The 'Kane' puzzle seemingly is a simple end product -- but it's jigsawed into at least 1000 pieces. The final 'piece' (Rosebud) eludes us, driving us mad.
The opening sequence is like the box of pieces strewn on the table -- what are we seeing? The most common way to solve a puzzle is to first find the edges; Welles defines those edges in a 'newsreel', with movie footage interspersed among historical newsreels and fictional 'newsreels'. This gives us the parameters within which to figure out the middle. Try to imagine "JFK", for example, without this influence.
Along the way, Welles plays with story narrative; who can complete the story? the diary? the second wife? the major-domo? the estranged friend? Kane's office lieutenant? We seem to go in circles, and yet we keep pushing forward, because we're convinced the piece is there, somewhere. Our surrogate in the story has to put this all together for us. We see what the investigator sees, just slightly more because of our perspective; over his shoulder, or while he lurks undefined in the shadows.
But far more important is the visual narrative. The compositions of light, camera stance, motion of the eye, previously unheard of perspectives...it all literally draws us into a different world -- the mind of not just a story teller, the mind of a filmmaker. There's so much detail, so much to appreciate and just languish in. This, by God, is a movie.
There are many reasons Kane ranks at or near the top of every list of greats. Think of all of the movies that have borrowed from this...it's staggering. That says it all...