Citizen Kane

I’m Julian iliev and Im an independent filmmaker and film historian.

I’m inviting you to join my course Citizen Kane the best film ever made. In this class we will examine all the aspects of the film and I will explain why Citizen Kane is considered the best film ever made. We will look at the political situation in 1940s and how we bring our expectations to the movie theater. I will cover genre conventions and movement, the films structure and shooting style. Further, we will talk about the script and the collaboration with Herman Mankiewicz, the collaboration with the cinematographer Greg Toland, and the set designer Perry Ferguson, and the collaboration with the composer Bernard Hermann. Of course we are going to talk about the snow globe and Rosebud, and the parallels between the film and real life. Last, but not least we will talk about the innovations in sound design, special effects and the editing of the film. We will cover the struggle to release the film and the reaction of William Randolph Hearst.

This is probably the film that is most studied in college and university classes. Citizen Kane also became the base for the auteur theory which started in France in the late 1940s and its still prevalent today.

We will learn how the many different techniques Orson Welles incorporated in this film change cinema forever. If you are a film professional you will learn how to make your films better. If you are regular viewer understanding Citizen Kane will allow you to have a new grasp on the mastery of storytelling.

If you haven’t seen the film, do not worry. I will supply you with a web link where you can watch the picture at your leisure.

If you like movies this class is for you.

I look forward to seeing you in my course.