Unmatched

Rating: 10/10 (20 June 2009)

This is my favorite film. Biblical flicks are in a category all its own.
It's screenplay uses elements from every movie genre except sci-fi as its reaching beyond imagination. But in terms of imagery it takes a little bit of everything. The beginning plays as an early Hollywood horror story; darkness, fog; the later Hitchcock film Psycho brings to mind Kane's castle "Xandu" it's featureless house, other than its dark shape, looming in the moonlight. Don't touch it's cinematography; it'd be akin to making Gone With the Wind black and white.
The ending left me a pleasant mishmash of emotions. It's a deliciously fragmented piece the outer manifestation of the story telling, Susan's obsession with puzzles and the gradual corruption of Kane's personality is pieced together by those he came in contact with. Neither are finished--but that's the the aspect of this masterpiece that sets it apart; Welles keeps his characters unperceptive of what made him tick. In his divulging the film's nagging question, Welles concludes its ending opposite of the style he had employed throughout--successfully drawing the "Rosebud" mystery away from the compilation of putting together by the characters then waving the answer in front his face--It's impact upon me was a jumble, none of it "lame": bowled over how the answer had indeed been provided albeit fleeting much earlier. It's a touch of sadness; for the reporter's quest remaining unsolved and those in contact with Kane never understood him. He was an enigma.
Between creepy beginning and mind-blowing ending, poignant, touches of comedy, those in Kane's life (especially promoting his "singing" second wife) and the title character's slide; from champion of the people to absorption of his infallibility.
Concerned over repeating myself and not describing it to the digress I want without spoiling it, I'm closing it by recommending While watching it (and please watch it; it'd be worth one's while) Keep those reminiscing about Kane as separate puzzle pieces while watching.