Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #16644 in DVD
• Released on: 2003-07-21
• Rating: Universal, suitable for all
• Aspect ratio: 1.33:1
• Number of discs: 2
• Formats: Black & White, Full Screen, PAL, Special Edition
• Original language: English
• Subtitled in: English
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 115 minutes

Amazon.co.uk Review
The most acclaimed film in cinema history, Citizen Kane receives extra bolstering each time it tops a "greatest films ever" list. As a piece of filmmaking it ticks all the right boxes: a precociously talented director and lead actor in Orson Welles, Gregg Toland's innovative cinematography, a strong screenplay by Welles and Herman J Mankiewicz, rich scoring from Bernard Herrmann, and so on. For its time, it was technically groundbreaking, and laid out a blueprint for Hollywood filmmaking that's still influential. But, most importantly, as a viewing experience it's still one of the most mesmerising and beautiful films in existence. From its opening scenes--Kane's eerie Gothic mansion, his lone figure muttering the word "Rosebud" as he dies, journalists discussing the newsreel footage of his obituary--Kane lays out an enigma: who exactly was this man? Looping flashbacks build up a portrait of a contradictory figure who, despite living in the public eye, remained a mystery at heart.

A testament to the corrupting influence of money, fame and the media and at its centre the tale of a man in search of love, Citizen Kane is a personal tragedy on an epic scale. Technically, it's a lesson in filmmaking in itself whose daring aesthetics nonetheless remain unobtrusive. It's doubtful that a debut director will ever be given such free reign by a studio again and even if this happened, it's doubtful that such a masterpiece would be created.

On the DVD: Citizen Kane in this DVD special edition is beautifully remastered and comes with a feature illustrating the before and after of the restoration process. A 50-minute documentary, "Anatomy of a Classic", hosted by Barry Norman, delves into the making of the film as well as trying to deal with some of the myths that surround it, like the (untrue) rumour that Welles ran over both time and budget. Film historian Ken Barnes takes over for a commentary and Welles himself is featured in his controversial 1938 radio broadcast of The War of the Worlds and 1945 broadcast of The Happy Prince. A photo gallery, extensive cast and crew profiles, breakdown of all the films expenses and trailer round off this admirable package.--Laura Bushell

DVD Description
DVD Special Features:
Disc One

• Remastered feature
  
• Theatrical trailer
  
• Moving menus
  
• Animated chapters

Disc Two

• Anatomy of a Classic presented by Barry Norman
  
• Heart of Ages
  
• 1938 War of the Worlds radio broadcast
  
• The Happy Prince
  
• 12 cast and crew profiles
  
• The original production budget
  
• Photo Gallery

Synopsis
When newspaper tycoon William Randolph Hearst dies, his friends are interviewed by a magazine reporter.

Customer Reviews

'I'll bet a month hasn't gone by since I haven't thought of that girl'
Citizen Kane has been considered the greatest film ever made on many an occasion. Is it worthy of such high esteem? Certainly! Is it the best movie ever made? No, but it is certainly not far off.

Let us for a second forget its influence on future cinema (which was considerable, with only Birth of a Nation even coming close) and look at it as just a film.

Orson Wells is unforgettable as Charles Foster Kane. He matures through the film from the infectious and enthusiastic editor of a struggling newspaper with his ill-fated 'declaration of principles' to the bombastic, fist-thumping political hopeful and then finally, the man in inexorable decline with a world that had ceased to listen. The other actors (many of whom were new to the screen) are also very good.

The directing is captivating (I use that word only because there exists no word in the English language to describe how good it really is) with the use of strong lighting on shadow hooking your eyes onto the screen, meaning you cannot turn away, 'Ludivgo Treatment' style. The script is also a dream (despite the fact that Orson Welles was not as big an influence as the crediting suggests).

I will also give a mention to a line that is very personal to me, which I mentioned in the title for good reason: 'One day in 1896 I was crossing over to Jersey on the ferry, and as we pulled out, there was another ferry pulling in, and on it there was a girl waiting to get off. A white dress she had on. She was carrying a white parasol. I only saw her for one second. She didn't see me at all, but I'll bet a month hasn't gone by since I haven't thought of that girl'. There are many other wonderful lines, but I love this one because I bet there isn't a man alive who hasn't had that experience of that beautiful girl they only saw briefly, never spoke to but always remember.

Citizen Kane may or may not be the greatest film ever. One thing is for sure: There are only a handful of films that even come close.

The Greatest Movie of All Time?
As someone who had never seen "The Greatest Movie of All Time" I was sceptical. Having watched it several times know, it's amazing how the more you watch it, the more you realise where other movies have paid reverence to it. An intriguing story, wonderful camera work and ground breaking effects. The greatest movie tag will always be a personal thing but Citizen Kane has got my vote.

As a DVD the quality of the film is excellent, no dust or scratches and it looks like a film should rather than the almost tv feel that some restorations have. The 2 DVDs are full of great features, with imaginative moving menus throughout. The inclusion of the War of the World's radio broadcast is a bonus,the biographies are thorough and interesting and the documentary by Barry Norman delves deeply into the making of the film. A great package at a very fair price.

Genius on display
The awful truth is that Citizen Kane is a brilliant movie, no matter what else can be said of it.
The nice thing about this edition is that it comes packed with helpful information about what makes this movie so brilliant, such as the critical appraisal or the commentary soundtrack.
The acting is very interesting as well, as most of the cast are stage actors. This allows for a more relaxed visual experience with long, stable shots and an emphasis on the characters and their surroundings. This was quite refreshing to me in a time when movies quite often detoriate into hyperkinetic camerawork.
I really enjoyed the movie and would therefore recommend it to everyone who thinks watching a movie can be like reading a brilliant book.