 
|
Audio Asylum Thread Printer Get a view of an entire thread on one page |
For Sale Ads |
|
|
Audio Asylum Thread Printer Get a view of an entire thread on one page |
For Sale Ads |
In Reply to: Most Overrated/Most Unerrated of All Time? posted by highendman on December 13, 2001 at 12:44:14:
Just teasin'! ;^)Seriously, in my informed opinion Citizen Kane isn't overrated at all! At the time of it's release Kane was major step forward for sound motion pictures, from it's visually stunning cinematography (i.e., Welle's had obviously been influenced by all-but-forgotten Expressionist styles which had been explored by silent era filmmakers at Germany's UFA studios) to it's inspired pseudo-documentary storytelling technique complete with fake newsreel footage, all of which culminates in the brilliant allegorical conclusion to which the audience is sole voyeur.
No, Citizen Kane has had an undeniable impact on filmmaking as an art form even though it was unappreciated by much of the viewing public at the time of it's release. Most film aficionados now acknowledge it's greatness and even those who don't like the movie because of it's subject matter, or whatever, usually respect it's genius. So, I guess one could say that Citizen Kane WAS one of the most underrated films, but for those with a discriminating palate it has aged quite well.
As for the other two films you mentioned: Even though I like Titanic, I'm forced to agree with you that it probably is a bit overrated (i.e., in this case by the viewing public more than the critics), but aside from that I still admire its period grandeur and epic quality; all in all, a very moving film.
BTW, I don't recall having seen Loch Ness, but I'll make a point of checking it out!
Cheers,
AuPh
Follow Ups:
I don't know how you could possibly call Citizen Kane UNDERRATED when many critics hail it as the greatest movie of all time. The greatest movie of all time and an utter bore to the population at large (rightly or wrongly)I appreciate you expressing well informed points, however. Perhaps I'll give it another watch. I haven't seen it in many years.
Another UNDERRATED pick: Groundhog Day. wonderful story. doesn't go over on the under 30 crowd.
Loch Ness is dismissed by many because it has Ted Danson in it. He does an excellent job as does the rest of the cast, especially Ian Holm. People also dismiss it entirely due to the subject matter. If you don't have a problem with the subject matter, Loch Ness is a magnificent film with absolutely beautiful cinematography.
> > > .......The greatest movie of all time and an utter bore to the population at large ......you got that one right. Kane is the greatest only for its originality. To say its the best among modern time's greatests is a bit farfetched. These days, watching it with pleasures is like listening to a piece of music strictly for the pin-point imaging. A great film must be judged on several fronts: originality, photographic quality, acting skills and the chemistry among the actors, story and the manner in which it is told, and musics, among others.
If youre falling asleep, it can't be the greatest.
> > > "Kane is greatest only for its originality." < < <If that were ALL, it would still be AMONG the greatest.
> > > "To say its the best among modern time's greatests is a bit far fetched." < < <
As I recall this thread wasn't limited to modern films, dependent upon one's opinion of what's modern. Nevertheless, Kane IS among the greatest of all time even though some may consider it lower on the list. BTW, assessing it as number one isn't far fetched at all, IMHO.
> > > "A great film must be judged on several fronts: originality, photographic quality, acting skills and the chemistry among the actors, story and the manner in which it is told, and musics, among others." < < <
Okay, limiting the assessment to just those barest parameters, let's see how well Kane has aged:
Originality - I believe we've covered that; Citizen Kane was certainly an original concept in both theme and style, and quite daring for it's day. By just about any standards it was and IS high art, influenced by but not imitating German expressionist films of the silent era by Lang, Murnau, Pabst, et al.
Photographic quality - Citizen Kane's cinematography is exquisite, from it's scene transitions to the incredible angles, close-ups, and distance shots chosen to provide a symbolic context to the lives of the characters. In capturing Welle's vision on film Greg Toland seems to have accomplished the impossible.
Acting skills - Just about every actor in Citizen Kane received a career boost from the film. The performances were so good that even those actors who had only appeared on radio and/or stage in Welle's Mercury Theater productions became stars virtually overnight.
Chemistry among the actors - Where is the chemistry lacking? Isn't Joseph Cotton believeable as Kane's collegue and as a former friend? How about the women in Kane's life who grow distant from him with the passing years? Even the secondary actors put in first rate performances which are quite memorable.
Story and the manner in which it's told - The screenplay won an Academy Award, split between Orson Welles and Herman Mankiewicz, in spite of the fact that the William Randolph Hearst tried to have the film destroyed. This was a major accomplishment and an indication of just how much more praise and success this film would've probably received had the story been less controversial and it's brilliantly scribed ironies watered down for public consumption.
and musics - What? You don't care for Bernard Herrmann's ominously brooding score? Shame on you!
> > > "If you're falling asleep, it can't be the greatest." < < <
That's just silly. Children often whine and fall asleep in movies targeted to an adult audience; why should Citizen Kane be downgraded because there might be someone suffering from somnambulism in the audience?
AuPh
> > > "I don't know how you could possibly call Citizen Kane UNDERRATED when many critics hail it as the greatest movie of all time." < < <Well, it isn't underrated now, but during it's first run it couldn't find an audience in spite of much critical praise for it's cinematography. Of course that praise wasn't from critics working for Hearst papers, since his papers refused to run ads for the film. BTW, I don't actually believe Kane has ever been overrated.
> > > "The greatest movie of all time and an utter bore to the population at large (rightly or wrongly)." < < <
When I first saw Kane back in my college days as part of a film studies program I was far from bored; I was mesmerized! Of course audiences today are far less accepting of B&W films and the stagier dramatic styles prevalent in earlier eras. That doesn't mean that I'm taking a slap at the stark realism of today's cinema, but as a society I think that we'll have lost a great deal if we ever reach a point where we can't view classic films in the context of when they were made without classifying them as quaint novelties.
> > > "Perhaps I'll give it another watch. I haven't seen it in many years." < < <
The best way to watch Citizen Kane is to try clearing your mind of the Rosebud "McGuffin" the reporter is chasing. Focus instead on the story as a tragic tale of a life wasted in poverty, not poverty in respect to the wealth Kane never had to seriously concern himself with, but rather poverty in regards to having his humanity stripped from him as a child and growing to adulthood without ever again experiencing parental love and compassion. On this level the film becomes more of a human allegory with contemporary applications rather than a thinly veiled semi-biographical one about Hearst.
> > > "Another UNDERRATED pick: Groundhog Day. wonderful story." < < <
Hey, if you can watch Groundhog Day over and over again, you should be able to resurrect a little Kane too! ;^)
FTR, I will definitely be checking out Loch Ness. And thanks, highendman, for sharing your thoughts!
Cheers,
AuPh
This post is made possible by the generous support of people like you and our sponsors:
Top of Page ]
[ Contact Us ]
[ Support/Wish List ]
[ Copyright © 2025, Audio Asylum, all rights reserved ]
