overrated

Rating: 4/10 (5 December 2013)

As you sit in your office, room or coffee shop, as you read this excellent review, you could quiet easily walk out the front door, and stop any passerby and ask them a simple question 'what is the greatest film of all time?' Some would say the Godfather, others would say Casablanca, but the majority would point to Citizen Kane. Is there a joke the world gets that I don't? Is there a massive party that I simply didn't get an invasion too? Because I can understand the 'some' and the 'others'- but I although I would rather point their attentions to Chinatown or Manhattan for title of greatest ever. But I'll let them off just this once. But the overwhelming inclusion of Citizen Kane on lists of the greatest films of all, is frankly ludicrous and a complete and utter head scratcher! Such was the extent of the head scratching I almost bore a hole into my skull. For me Citizen Kane is no more of the greatest film of all time, as much as you could say Zack Effron is great actor. Citizen Kane is simply the most over hyped film in the history of the universe.
Orson Welles produces, writes, directs in this picture as well as playing the title character Charles Foster Kane. A newspaper tycoon who dies almost at the start of the film, and through the eyes of reporters, Kane's life is slowly unravelled before our eyes via an anti- chronological narrative. Driven by the desires to discover the significance and meaning behind 'Rosebud', the one word Kane utters on his death bed.
Don't get me wrong. Citizen Kane on a purely technical endeavour is absolutely superb. With the effective use of innovative angles and stunning manipulation of deep focus lenses too represent the various viewpoints of Citizen Kane on a visual plane is absolutely staggering and ingenious. But despite this people seem to forget that film making is the art of storytelling. I repeat film making is the art of STORYTELLING. True it relies heavily on aesthetics and visuals representation of conveying of said story, but story is still the main event of any film. Narrative is substance and A list stardom whereas the visuals are merely the supporting act.
Although I have to credit Welles on his heavy handed involvement in the film, but I feel the film would have reached greatest heights in my eyes, if he were to have relinquished some of the roles to people of greater experience, because don't forget the fact that Orson Welles was merely 25 at the time (Looks like need to get a move on). A fact I believe that might have been the bases of the reasoning behind the decision by American Film Institute (AFI) to place Citizen Kane at number one on their list of 100 greatest American films of all time. Which is insane, just because he was young doesn't mean he should receive any preferential treatment. Just because a kid in primary school makes a finger painting, doesn't mean is should stand in an art gallery next to a painting by Picasso.
But if Citizen Kane were to still remain on the list of 100 greatest, long after I'm gone. I'm adamant it will be of no heroics on Welles part and the story behind Citizen Kane, but more from the hard work of the likes of Gregg Toland (cinematographer) and Robert Wise (Editor) and there technical achievements, that have acted as magicians and tricked the whole world into believing that Citizen Kane is the greatest film of all time – Dynamo and David Blaine takes some notes, that's what I call real magic!