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Author Topic: Citizen Kane Greatest of all Time ?  (Read 5050 times)

Sam the Cinema Snob

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Re: Citizen Kane Greatest of all Time ?
« Reply #10 on: June 21, 2010, 12:33:22 PM »
I certainley don't understand the notion that Citizen Kane is dull, although it is a thing I hear commonly. Ive always been riveted, even moreso upon rewatches.
Neither do I. Each time I find it more and more entertaining. The dialogue is so funny.

GothamCity151

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Re: Citizen Kane Greatest of all Time ?
« Reply #11 on: June 21, 2010, 12:36:30 PM »
It is the greatest film of all time.  That's my story, and I'm sticking to it.

Yes it is. Period.

sdedalus

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Re: Citizen Kane Greatest of all Time ?
« Reply #12 on: June 21, 2010, 12:58:27 PM »
It is most definitely a film that can be watched again and again.  I wouldn't say it gets better every time I see it, but every time I do, I remember just how great it really is and how much I love it.

Still, everyone knows Seven Samurai is the greatest movie of all-time.
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smirnoff

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Re: Citizen Kane Greatest of all Time ?
« Reply #13 on: June 21, 2010, 01:03:53 PM »
After Bloodsport.

Jared

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Re: Citizen Kane Greatest of all Time ?
« Reply #14 on: June 21, 2010, 01:07:18 PM »
rewatched Bloodsport recently and I would have to agree.

of course, this is because JCVDs friend kind of looks like Ben Rothlesberger and seeing him getting his ass kicked was nice.

nudebuddha

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Re: Citizen Kane Greatest of all Time ?
« Reply #15 on: June 21, 2010, 04:55:35 PM »
One major reason for CK being the GOAT is that it was the first to pretty much establish what we have known as film grammar to this date.  That's not to say it was necessarily the first to do things like deep focus, etc.  But it was the first to do it intentionally as a storytelling technique.  As it was said before, watch the Ebert commentary.  I had already seen the film many times and coming from film school, had already read about it and discussed it many times by the time I saw the commentary, and I still learned things I never knew. 

As for the entertaining aspect, I completely agree that a film should be entertaining.  However, entertaining is really a completely subjective idea.  That's what makes trying to rank films pretty much impossible.  But I do think CK is very entertaining and I don't find it dull at all.  So, yeah, on my list, it's pretty much between Kane and Goodfellas.  But I named my dog Kane. 

Beavermoose

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Re: Citizen Kane Greatest of all Time ?
« Reply #16 on: June 21, 2010, 05:51:46 PM »
Listening to the commentary or reading up on Citizen Kane might not make you enjoy it more but it will definitely allow you to appreciate it more, and really that's the most one can ask for.

Verite

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Re: Citizen Kane Greatest of all Time ?
« Reply #17 on: June 21, 2010, 05:53:02 PM »
One major reason for CK being the GOAT is that it was the first to pretty much establish what we have known as film grammar to this date.

"Film grammar"-wise, Citizen Kane used principles established before it.

That's not to say it was necessarily the first to do things like deep focus, etc.  But it was the first to do it intentionally as a storytelling technique.

I think that can be said of many of the previous instances of deep focus prior to CK.
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agenator

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Re: Citizen Kane Greatest of all Time ?
« Reply #18 on: June 21, 2010, 07:35:52 PM »
Thanks for all the fantastic replies.
I will definitely check out the commentary on it. I think I subscribe more to the idea that the Greatest movie ever should be subjective to each person and his/her taste. I certainly appreciate why someone would consider CK to be one of the greatest of all time, it just wasn't in my opinion. I did really like how the entire point of the movie (or at least a great deal of the point of the movie) was revealed in the burning of the sled at the end. I must say, that was some awfully good story telling.

michael x

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Re: Citizen Kane Greatest of all Time ?
« Reply #19 on: June 22, 2010, 01:07:22 PM »
The best movie of all time is probably 8½, but of course that can't make the AFI list. I found Citizen Kane to be a fantastic movie, but the subject matter was handled a bit too seriously for my taste. I didn't find it dull, but gravitas is oozing out of every pore of the film. That works in a few films, but it's slightly the wrong note for Citizen Kane.