As most of you have noticed there's a lot of Top100 or Top50 best movie of all time lists out there. And 90% of them have Citizen Kane as their chart topper, if not it's bound to be somwhere in the Top5.

So that makes me think. Since this movie is supposed to be so great and all, have most of our fellow DVDTalk members ever seen it, or is it the kind of movie you know it's supposed to be good, but you don't want to bother watching it.

And for those who have seen it:
Does it live up to the hype?
Is it overrated?
What's sooooo good about it?
And if it's that good why didn't it win an oscar for best picture then?

EDIT => I'm aware that it's not 3 hours long, sorry for the mistake.

I haven't seen it, but not because I don't want to. Because I live in the middle of nowhere and I can't find anywhere to rent it. This happens with a lot of the "classic" movies that I wish I could see.

Get a few "shitty" DVDs post them on the Exchange Forum, and tell them that u're looking for Citizen Kane, and you're bound to get an answer shortly. At least that's how I got mine!

Of course, it should be required viewing for anyone with an interest in film of any type.

Does it live up to the hype? Yes, and then some.

Is it overrated? Not at all.

What's sooooo good about it? The story, acting, direction, cinematography, impact it had on Hollywood, changed the way films were made.

And if it's that good why didn't it win an oscar for best picture then? Watch the documentary... It was a VERY controversial film at the time and the powers that be wanted to bury it, burn the negative and run Welles out of Hollywood.

Is it my favorite, no. Do I consider it the best, no. However, Citizen Kane deserves, without question, to be on any top 10 films list, if not top 5, and is without a doubt one of the greatest American films ever made...

FYI, its not three hours long. Its right around two hours.

Ooops, just checked my DVD and u're right. I think I might have confused the running time of Gone With the Wind (over 3hrs) with this one. Thanks.

First of all, Citizen Kane is not 3 hours long.

It probably doesn't live up to the hype of greatest film ever - at least on the initial viewing. Part of the reason it is so highly regarded is, the film breached new ground technically and narratively and so watching it now probably needs some perspective. However if you are a student of film, you can appreciate it fully. I personally don't have it in my top 10, but its probably in my top 25. And the reason why it didn't win Best Picture is (as is the case for many deserving films not winning even today) - Politics. There's a two hour documentary on the DVD that details the whole story. It should be considered mandatory viewing for first time Kane viewers.

Of course I've seen it, do u think I've been living under a rock?

I shoud have expected something like that from you.

Seldom, if ever, does the best picture of the year actually win "Best Picture of the Year."

As for Citizen Kane, I'll see it if and when Warner gives it the proper treatment: anamorphic widescreen and DTS.

Yes it does.

Definitely not!

The story is great because it displays the American Dream by showing one character growing old through the search for Rosebud as we all know. But it is more complex than this because it covers a wide varietyu of human behavior need for belonging, need for love, greed, moral issues and much much more. There are books written on this film if you want to know more. It is maybe not the best film in American History for me, but overall I think this film can be one of the best ever made.

The introduction shots of Xanadu in the distance and then the shots to get closer until the glass sphere with the snowing falls to the floor is pure film history and superb cinematography.


Politics and Orson Wells is known for not being liked due to his straight bluntness and I believe that this could have hurt them. In addition, most of the characters in the film were not in the film industri prior this film.

DVD SMURF

I finally saw it this past January and I liked it. It's in my DVD collection and it's interesting both being a great movie and having a really fascinating story behind the making of. The PBS documentary was great.

Best film of all-time? No, but then I don't think one can be agreed upon. This is a great film, nonetheless, that lives up to the hype fairly well.

Oh I do hope you are just kidding.

Of course I've seen it. Great movie. And what a commentary too. Ebert has the best commentary I've ever heard.

IMO, it IS the best film ever made. Don't forget Welles was like 24 when he made it.

24!

Why didn't it win? It's been covered here pretty good. Taking on Hurst was a total balls to the walls action by Welles, unfortantley his career suffered for it.


For those that have seen the making of disc...does the last 10 seconds bring a tear to your eye? I teared up when after it was over.

Definitely not underrated. It gets better every time I see it.

Yes I have seen it.

It IS arguably the best film ever made...ever. The cinematography, direction and cut-over dialogue was/is groundbreaking and every movie that we see in theatres today owes everything to the brilliant mind of Orson Welles.

Fantastic DVD too.

I bought the DVD sight unseen and have to say I was not disappointed.

I wouldn't place it in my Top ten list but I can understand and appreciate why it is so many other Top Ten lists.

Not much more i can say that hasn't been posted before.

P.S. The picture quality on the DVD is amazing!

I also bought the DVD sight unseen, and I loved it. I've probably watched it five times since then, which is much more than I've watched almost any of my discs. I think it deserves to be called the greatest film ever made...

It more than holds up, even today, in this cynicall generation.

Just look at the scene with Welles as the older Kane when he's thrashing about the room. Look at the way he moves, at his face and expressions - he was only 25 (with very little makeup)!!!

I don't know if it is the greatest movie of all time, but then I don't know what I consider the best movie of all time. I watch Touch of Evil more often, higher entertainment value or maybe the acting, who knows.

Like I worte in previous thread, I haven't seen it yet but I'm sure I'll get around to it soon.

Very true!

I'll add my consent to the heaps of praise Citizen Kane has been getting. This film was not only groundbreaking, but a hell of a lot of fun. Welles never topped this. The DVD does look great, but I find myself going to the Criterion laserdisc a lot, too, I'm surprised at how well it holds up, since it came out in the early 90s (I obviously didn't buy the 80s Criterion release).