Greatest Movies of All Time

[El Gato Pollo Loco!!!]

Monty Python and the Holy Grail

[traxx]

I've seen Citizen Kane a few times and think it's a good movie. But can someone tell me why it's considered the greatest movie by many critics. I understand that it pioneered alot of the cinema language that many modern movies now use, but what thing specifically did it innovate that we now take for granted. I'm just wondering because I often hear that it's the greatest movie with no explanation why.

BTW, I have different faves for different moods. A few of my faves are Untouchables, Once Upon A Time In The West, Shawshank, Star Wars (original trilogy), Matrix (original), etc., etc.

[traxx]

I've seen Citizen Kane a few times and think it's a good movie. But can someone tell me why it's considered the greatest movie by many critics. I understand that it pioneered alot of the cinema language that many modern movies now use, but what things specifically did it innovate that we now take for granted. I'm just wondering because I often hear that it's the greatest movie with no explanation why.

BTW, I have different faves for different moods. A few of my faves are Untouchables, Once Upon A Time In The West, Shawshank, Star Wars (original trilogy), Matrix (original), etc., etc.

[traxx]

Sorry for the double post. Had a glitch with my browser.

[Bobby H]

It is difficult to put a finger on just any one specific innovation that makes Citizen Kane so different and pioneering of a movie.

If you watch a lot of movies made throughout the 1930s you'll see a lot of very straightforward linear conventions in storytelling. Kane threw out much of that with its very non-linear method. The main character dies in the film's first scene.

Citizen Kane was groundbreaking in its use of lighting and "deep focus" cinematography. The show had a more visually dramatic style to it and seems a lot more modern looking from other films made in the same period. Many people think of Hitchcock when it comes to wild camera angles, but Kane laid the foundation for thinking outside of those boundaries.

Perhaps the greatest thing about Citizen Kane was the balls it took to make the film. There was a LOT of political controversy surrounding this film -made by a guy merely in his early 20s (Orson Welles). William Randolph Hurst (the living inspiration of Kane's character) was doing all he could to keep the film from being shown. He almost succeeded too.

The 2-disc DVD of Citizen Kane has a fascinating 2 hour documentary about how the film was made, the controversy surrounding it, how it became regarded by critics as the best movie ever made and what "Rosebud" really means. Hehe.

[traxx]

Yeah I've heard the thing about Rosebud and once you know the dirty little secret you're like "That makes sense."

I may have to pick up that DVD. I love watching all the extras and commentaries, however my wife hates all that stuff so I have to watch by myself.