close
Thursday March 28, 2024

PNCA screening ‘Citizen Kane’ tomorrow

By Aijaz Gul
July 19, 2017

Islamabad :Director, Producer, Co-Screenwriter: Orson Welles

Camera: Cregg Toland

Cast: Orson Welles, Joseph Cotten, Ruth Warrick, Agnes Moorehead  

Film Club of PNCA (Pakistan National Council of the Arts) unspools Orson Welles' 1941 classic ‘Citizen Kane’ from 1941 tomorrow (Thursday), at 6 p.m in Lecture Hall.

No words are sufficient to explain the admiration of ‘Citizen Kane’. From its dramatic screenplay to powerful acting to amazing make-up to art direction to music to editing to sound to cinematography- everything at his best. The film won nine academy awards in all nine major disciplines. It is one of the most respectable film ever made.

Without disclosing the plot details, ‘Citizen Kane’ is the story of one man and his entire world. A reporter deputed to find out the details and the last words of that man. The man who rose to power and then everything was destroyed in bits and pieces. This is the story from obscurity to fame and enormous wealth. The mystery is "Rosebud" remains a mystery.

Orson Welles (producer, director, co-screenwriter and star) must be credited for this larger-than-life drama which was applauded and admired longer after its making. ‘Citizen Kane’ has been described by many film critics, film historians and movie enthusiasts as one of the best film s of all times. Praises have been showered by British Film Institute, Sight and Sound magazine and American Film Institute. It is part of the curriculum in film schools and universities worldwide.

The life of Kane is partly based on the life of newspaper magnet William Randolph Hearst. When the film came out Hearst went all the way to oppose and ban the film. Title of the film or any reference of it was prohibited in all newspapers and press owned by Hearst. This did damage the film in its initial run at the box office. The film is seen through flashbacks as we go through the research to solve the mystery of Kane who won and lost the world. The word "Rosebud" is memorable uttered on the deathbed-a scar from the unforgettable childhood memory.

Citizen Kane apart from its exceptional biographical drama, excels in all cinema disciplines. Extended use of deep focus in its cinematography, can be counted as one of the major highlights of the film. The foreground, background and everything in between is in sharp focus. Cinematographer Cregg Toland achieved this feat with experiments in selection of lenses and lighting. Low-angle shots showed us he point of view with ceiling visible in the background of many scenes. Every set was built with ceiling. Camera showed what the eyes saw Citizen Kane broke through theatrical tradition and convention that there was no ceiling. Even dull interiors looked impressive. The camerawork was so dynamic and appealing that director owed a lot to Cregg Toland. Welles said "Cregg was superb and best director of Photography that ever existed. Sets, make up, music, special effects and sound were other highlights here. Even in editing, montage was used for time and space. The breakdown of Kane's marriage(sixteen years of story time are seen on screen in two minutes and long dissolves are well edited to show the passage of time and its impact on characters.

Do not miss this classic. Admission free

 

aijazzgul@gmail.com