Citizen Kane Cinematic Techniques

One of the most defining films in American Film history is Orson Welles' 1941 cult classic, Citizen Kane. While the film is widely regarded for several cinematic elements such as its cinematography and background score, what stands out is the narrative style employed by Welles and co-screenplay writer, Herman J. Mankiewicz. Perhaps, what is most noteworthy was the demand the film made of its audience, to follow and deduce the plot as it unraveled, something we are used to as film viewers of this generation, but for its times was path breaking. The cinematic techniques used such as telling a story through a series of flashbacks, the use of deep focus camera shots, the use of low angles and chiaroscuro lighting enhanced the viewing experience and these remain

To begin with, in Citizen Kane, it is relatively easier to distinguish between story and plot as it is not set in chronological order. In summary, the story follows reporter Jerry Thompson's (played by William Alland) investigation of media mogul Charles Foster Kane's (played by Orson Welles) dying words 'Rosebud'. The audience finally learns through a series of interviews and events that Rosebud was the name of Kane's sled from his boyhood, a reference to his happier times. The most significant deviation in the way this plot was written was the use of five flashbacks in its nine sequence plot, which involved placing together current events by means of Thompson's interviews of various characters with past events of Kane's life.

First use of several cinematic techniques Welles' cinematographer for the film, Gregg Toland, introduced the audience to several technical firsts. Most significantly, the use of deep focus camera shots with the use of special film, lenses and lighting, allowed Toland to showcase every element in a frame including the foreground and background. For instance, in the scene where the audience sees a young Kane for the first time,