I have shown "Citizen Kane" several times to my film classes, and the result is universally the same: So what?
And they're right. While the film may have broken ground in its day, like Kane himself it's aging not-so-gracefully in the 21st century.
The acting is stilted especially Joseph Cotton's. The scenes sometimes go on way too long. The music is ponderous.
As film history it's still a gem. But as measured by current cinema standards it's getting a bit senile. I look forward to the day it slowly slides from "10 best" lists so that I no longer feel compelled to show it to introductory film students.
UPDATE (12/26/07)
That day has come that is, I know longer show "Citizen Kane" to introductory film students, though sometimes I allow them extra credit for viewing it on their own. The film I show instead from the same era is "Casablanca", which receives much better reviews from this generation of audiences, especially young women.
And they're right. While the film may have broken ground in its day, like Kane himself it's aging not-so-gracefully in the 21st century.
The acting is stilted especially Joseph Cotton's. The scenes sometimes go on way too long. The music is ponderous.
As film history it's still a gem. But as measured by current cinema standards it's getting a bit senile. I look forward to the day it slowly slides from "10 best" lists so that I no longer feel compelled to show it to introductory film students.
UPDATE (12/26/07)
That day has come that is, I know longer show "Citizen Kane" to introductory film students, though sometimes I allow them extra credit for viewing it on their own. The film I show instead from the same era is "Casablanca", which receives much better reviews from this generation of audiences, especially young women.