1) Relate what was discussed in class or the text to the screening.
Citizen Kane was a film directed and written by Orson Welles that was introduced to the public in 1941. It was a commercial failure and actually almost never was going to be released. The film was based off of real life newspaper mogul William Randolph Hearst. Just like Kane in the film, Hearst own and operated his own newspaper business; worlds largest newspaper chain! The film closely resembled the life of Hearst, not only from the similarities of his businesses, but by his own love life and where he lived . Just like the character of Susan Alexander Kane, Hearst had his own love affair with actress Marion Davis. Kane's mansion was named Xanadu, while Hearst was named San Simeon.
Lightening played a big roll in the Citizen Kane. This was one of the things that made Citizen Kane such an ideal film to look back on as a film student. Welles would create different lightening with different scenes and different periods of time. When Kane was a younger fellow Welles would tend to shot with high key lightening. Whenever the scenes of Kane was when he was older tended to be very low key lightening. The darker shades and contrasts would emphasis the power Kane had gain throughout the years.
2) Find a related article and summarize the content.
This article explains the battle between newspaper mogul William Randolph Hearst and Orson Welles. The film Citizen Kane was about William Hearst's real life. When the news that the film was coming out Hearst tried doing whatever means possible to destroy the film and make sure no one would possibly ever see it! He tried blackmailing and intimating exhibitors. Welles was only 24 when he created a masterpiece of a film; however, Hearst was very successfully with trying to shut down the viewing of the film and because of that a lot of people did not get to see it when it came out. It took people a while before they got to see such a climatic masterpiece like Citizen Kane. Even though the movie never debuted the way Welles wanted it too, the film ended up making Welles career skyrocketed. Just like the article says, "Welles made a career out of generating controversy." Just like the War of the Worlds Radio show.
3) Apply the article to the film screened in class.
In class we discussed the battle Hearst and Welles had. As someone watching the film, Citizen Kane, you can see why anyone would not want a film like that about you being screened. Kane did not seem like a great person to work or be with. He had a lot of secrets and feelings that we being hidden and with all that power definitely came some anger. If the film was anything like they said Hearst was like then as Hearst I would try not to have the film shown either; who could blame him! After finally getting to watch the film as a viewing in the 1940s/50s, I would have really enjoyed it and could really get a better understanding of who Hearst was really like.
4) Write a critical analysis of the film, including your personal opinion, formed as a result of the screening, class discussions, text material and the article.
Orson Welles took a big leap of faith while making this movie. He was only 24 years old when he made such a big film that people still today watch to learn more about film. He took a risk when making this film because he knew that backlash from the media he would get by going up against a big newspaper mogul. The film had a great amount of meaning; however the way the film was produced with the lightening and all the technical work that when into is is how the film really will be remembered.
Checklist for Plagiarism
(x) I have not handed in this assignment for any other class.
(x) I have not handed in this assignment for any other class.
(x) If I reused any information from other papers I have written for other classes,
I clearly explain that in the paper.
(x) If I used any passages word for word, I put quotations around those words,
or used indentation and citation within the text.
(x) I have not padded the bibliography. I have used all sources cited
in the bibliography in the text of the paper.
(x) I have cited in the bibliography only the pages I personally read.
(x) I have used direct quotations only in cases where it could not be stated
in another way. I cited the source within the paper and in the bibliography.
(x) I did not so over-use direct quotations that the paper lacks
interpretation or originality.
(x) I checked yes on steps 1-7 and therefore have been fully
transparent about the research and ideas used in my paper.
Colleen McGovern
11/6/13
