Certain movies are comparable to fine wines — they just get better with age. Perhaps the best example of such a case is Orson Welles’ 1941 classic, Citizen Kane. Many film critics hailed Citizen Kane as the greatest movie ever created. Others said it was the most groundbreaking film in history due to its clever use of lighting, camera angles and storytelling. Whatever draws people to the movie, it is undeniably the most studied film in Hollywood history.
In honor of the film’s 60th anniversary, the movie is finally available on DVD. So for this week’s DVD recommendation, I choose Citizen Kane.
The Movie
Perhaps the most interesting aspect of the film is how the story is told. The film mostly consists of flashbacks of Charles Foster Kane’s life, following him from his days as a successful newspaper editor all the way to his death.
The film begins with a newsreel indicating that the newspaper mogul has died. Shortly before his death, Kane uttered the final, cryptic word “Rosebud.” After his death, magazine editors are trying to determine what or who was this “Rosebud,” and why it was so important to Kane.
Aside from the way the story unfolds, Citizen Kane is well known for its revolutionary cinematic style. While many of the techniques used in the film are now commonplace, for its time, the film broke new ground with its imaginative use of shadows, creative camera shots and deep-focus shots in both the foreground and background.
The Video
For this older movie, seeing the film on DVD is like seeing it for the very first time. The video is as sharp as ever, with no film grain present except intentional grain during the newsreel scenes. Although this may not be the best-looking DVD ever, it is still an impressive looking movie.
The Audio
As with the video, the audio is equally impressive. Although the movie is still in mono sound rather than stereo or surround sound, the audio is clear and precise and doesn’t detract from the film in any way.
The Extras
For its 60th anniversary, Citizen Kane is released as a two-disc set, loaded with extras. For fans who can’t get enough of the film, there are two audio commentaries, one by director Peter Bogdanovich and another by film critic Roger Ebert.
In addition to the commentaries, other extras available are still galleries, studio call sheets and a movie documentary entitled The Battle for Citizen Kane. The documentary tells the story of the behind-the-scenes controversy between Welles, William Randolph Hearst (who the film is said to be loosely based on) and RKO Pictures regarding the release of the film. For any Citizen Kane lover, it is something that should definitely be checked out.
Yes, the movie is over 60 years old, and yes, it is in black and white, but don’t let that stop you from watching it. For anyone out there who has passed up Citizen Kane, there is no better time to check out what the American Film Institute has called the best movie of all time. For DVD fanciers, this is definitely one that should be added to the collection.
