Originally posted by PalynkaI used to really dislike Beethoven's 9th symphony, until Gerard Schwartz of the Seattle Symphony explained what was going on and I had an appreciation of it that I didn't have before. It's still not my favorite but it's not the drivel that it was before.
Citizen Kane.
Same with Citizen Kane - I don't think anyone can appreciate the movie without knowing about William Randolf Hearst, Jr. In the absence of that awareness then the movie is drivel. I think the movie is genius on a lot of levels. Best movie ever? Probably not on my list but it would be in the top 5 or 10.
Originally posted by BadwaterI know what in your saying, but......I saw a documentary on the making of Citizen Kane on PBS. It was so interesting I watched the movie.
I used to really dislike Beethoven's 9th symphony, until Gerard Schwartz of the Seattle Symphony explained what was going on and I had an appreciation of it that I didn't have before. It's still not my favorite but it's not the drivel that it was before.
Same with Citizen Kane - I don't think anyone can appreciate the movie without knowing about William ...[text shortened]... lot of levels. Best movie ever? Probably not on my list but it would be in the top 5 or 10.
The documentary was much better. Kane makes the top of almost every critics "greatest movie of all time" list. I just don't see it. Maybe I'm missing something but the whole Rosebud thing just comes off as silly.
Still, you have a point. A study of art really helps when they explain what to look (listen) for. I would have loved to hear the explanation of Beethoven's 9th.
Sorry I mistakenly referred to Hearst as Jr, it was the father.
So, let me give a couple of examples on Citizen Kane:
- Rosebud was what Hearst called the clitoris of his mistress, Marion Davies. Now tell me you'll think of Rosebud the same way. (Did PBS mention that? 😛)
- There's a scene when he's in his office and the set is raised so that the camera looks up at Orson Welles from floor level. It's a very clever shot and the first of its kind, where visually you have a sense of the largesse of Hearst. Also note that Sergio Leone borrows this kind of shot in his Eastwood westerns; during the gunfight you have a closeup of a boot at ground level with the opponent in the distance of the shot. Artistically it's doing different things but still borrowing the same technique from Citizen Kane.
Originally posted by BadwaterThey certainly did NOT mention that!
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- Rosebud was what Hearst called the clitoris of his mistress, Marion Davies. Now tell me you'll think of Rosebud the same way. (Did PBS mention that? 😛)
They did talk about the camera angles and the lighting quite a bit. It was a good piece on the film.
Still, I just didn't think it was as great of a movie as everyone else seems to. But I DID say I might be missing something. Perhaps there's more.