Introduction Scene In Citizen Kane

 

Been off this blog for a few days, my head feels exhausted. Have been exploring through old movies because it's my recent obsession lately. 

You can explore my letterboxd for feature length films I have watched last year in 2025 and currently this year. So far I watched 14 movies this year. And one of them is considered the "best" of Old Hollywood's cinematic achievements. Yes, this is Citizen Kane, most specifically it's opening scene.

I have talked about one of Orson Welles's lesser-known films a few weeks ago called Mr. Arkadin (1955) and it's incredible camera angles. What's so astounding about Citizen Kane in particular is that this is Welles's first film he ever made. Just about 25 years old, he mastered cinematography, acting and character development. Now I wouldn't say this a masterpiece or anything but it's still a really solid movie nonetheless.

I absolutely love the atmosphere in this opening scene where we get the whole view of the mansion. It reminds me of alot of the asylum in Aqua Teen Hunger Force. It's got great attention to environment and anticipation.

We get introduced to Charles Foster Kane who holds onto a snow globe, it's cute. A close-up shot done perfectly well.

What eventually happens to Kane utters his final words, "Rosebud" and dies. We get the most extremely close-up frames I ever seen in a movie. Usually filmmakers would be appropriate showing a close-up of someone's face, but the MOUTH? It's bizarre at first but it's iconic. 

Then unexpectedly Kane dies, and we get this impressive frame of the snowglobe drops on the floor.

Citizen Kane is one of those films that whether you like it or don't, there's something about it that appeals the right value of how movies should work. It's just interesting, creative and understandable. It's actually hard to pull off a "good film" entirely because people might not relate to all of the dialogue-heavy characters or interactions. I think it just depends on just the actors and the premise.