The Citizen Kane (Gold Edition Box Set)

Starring:Citizen Kane
Studio: Creative Design Art
Product Type: DVD

Average customer rating:

Citizen Kane
no film snob here, but neither do I care for Star Wars
The best thing about this much hyped film...
You don't tneed hese reviews to tell you what to think
A TRUE WORK OF FILM ART!

Citizen Kane
Starring: Georgia Backus , Fortunio Bonanova , Sonny Bupp , Ray Collins , and Dorothy Comingore
Director: Orson Welles
Manufacturer: Turner Home Ent
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Accessories:

Citizen Kane
Working with Orson Welles
Citizen Kane (Score Re-recording Of 1941 Film)

ASIN: B00003CX9E
Release Date: 2001-09-25

Amazon.com essential video

Arguably the greatest of American films, Orson Welles's 1941 masterpiece, made when he was only 26, still unfurls like a dream and carries the viewer along the mysterious currents of time and memory to reach a mature (if ambiguous) conclusion: people are the sum of their contradictions, and can't be known easily. Welles plays newspaper magnate Charles Foster Kane, taken from his mother as a boy and made the ward of a rich industrialist. The result is that every well-meaning or tyrannical or self-destructive move he makes for the rest of his life appears in some way to be a reaction to that deeply wounding event. Written by Welles and Herman J. Mankiewicz, and photographed by Gregg Toland, the film is the sum of Welles's awesome ambitions as an artist in Hollywood. He pushes the limits of then-available technology to create a true magic show, a visual and aural feast that almost seems to be rising up from a viewer's subconsciousness. As Kane, Welles even ushers in the influence of Bertolt Brecht on film acting. This is truly a one-of-a-kind work, and in many ways is still the most modern of modern films from the 20th century. --Tom Keogh

Customer Reviews:

Citizen Kane.......2007-06-21

Perhaps the greatest debut in movie history, "Citizen Kane" remains one of the most influential American films of all time, thanks to the genius of Welles, who constructed this brilliant, elaborate puzzler at the tender age of 25. See it for Gregg Toland's lovely, pathbreaking deep-focus photography, Herman Mankiewicz's witty dialogue, and Welles's legendary performance as the enigmatic Kane. The film also marked the auspicious debut of several actors, including Cotten, Everett Sloane, Ruth Warrick, and Agnes Moorehead, superb as the mother who abandoned the future newspaper magnate as a boy. A peeved Hearst tried to block the film and nearly ruined Welles' career in the offing, but thankfully, art prevailed. "Citizen Kane" is a must-see.

no film snob here, but neither do I care for Star Wars.......2007-06-21

Am I the only one? I don't care about Kane, his life, or his sled. Get it? The character did not interest me. Period.

You want to call this "the greatest film ever made?" Go right ahead. Only it means zip to this viewer. I can think of a few other films that worked way better (for me.)

The best thing about this much hyped film..........2007-06-21

The best thing about this much hyped film is the "Kids in the Hall" skit it inspired...

You don't tneed hese reviews to tell you what to think.......2007-06-14

You don't need these reviews to tell you what to think.

Watch this movie and see for yourself -- not whether you think "it was the greatest movie of all time" whatever that means -- but rather whether you connected with Kane, a man with a life in search of meaning.

Born anonymous Kane's life was dramatically altered when his mother found herself in possession of great fortune. How would the existence of this fortune affect Kane? Would, could money buy him happiness?

Or was happiness something more elusive?

On the one hand this story is sort of the ultimate counter factual for all of us: that if given the money, our lives would not have any more meaning than they otherwise would have. On this hand Kane is like George Bailey from "It's a Wonderful Life" and we all come away realizing that money can't buy happiness and that all was, at the end of the day, for the best.

On the other hand, this story is the ultimate lie: Of course money can't buy happiness but it can secure possession of condos and cars and things and with it the kind of experiences that all too often accompany happiness. In this view, Kane's problem isn't the human condition but simply his lack of imagination.

What ever your views you certainly have a couple hours to sit and view this movie.

Yes, there are the officiandos who know the identity of the camera guy or how many hours it took Welles to prepare for filming or what they served each day for breakfast but those things don't make a film enjoyable.

Watch it for yourself and just see if you connect.

That's what matters.

A TRUE WORK OF FILM ART!.......2007-06-05

When wealthy media magnate Charles Foster Kane (Orson Welles) dies, he utters the enigmatic word "Rosebud". An obituary newsreel documents the events in his public life. The producer of the newsreel asks a reporter, Thompson (William Alland), to find out about Kane's private life and personality, in particular to discover the meaning behind his last word. The reporter interviews the great man's friends and associates, and Kane's story unfolds as a series of flashbacks.

First, Thompson approaches Kane's second wife, Susan Alexander (Dorothy Comingore), who refuses to tell him anything. Thompson then goes to the library of Mr. Thatcher (George Coulouris). It is there that Thompson learns about Kane's childhood. In the first flashback, Kane as a young child is abandoned by his mother (Agnes Moorehead) when he becomes suddenly wealthy, and sent to live with his banker, Mr Thatcher, despite the misgivings of Kane's father.

Other flashbacks show Kane's entry into the newspaper business and his profit-seeking with low-quality "yellow journalism". He takes control of the newspaper and hires all the best journalists (which he gets from the Inquirer's rival, The Chronicle). His attempted rise to power is documented, including his first marriage to a President's niece and his campaign for the office of governor. A "love nest" scandal ends both his marriage and his political aspirations. Kane remarries, but his domineering personality destroys his relationships and pushes away his loved ones.

Despite Thompson's numerous interviews with the people in Kane's life, he is unable to solve the mystery; he concludes that "Rosebud" will remain an enigma. However, the camera pans over workers burning some of Kane's many possessions. One throws an old sled, with the word "Rosebud" painted on it, into the fire, the same sled that Kane was riding as a child the day his mother sent him away. There is a shot of a chimney with black smoke coming out. After this twist ending, the film ends as it began, with the "No Trespassing" sign. The closing shot shows the "K" on top of the iron fence.

Susan with a symbolic jigsaw puzzleCitizen Kane has inspired myriad interpretations over the decades. In Orson Welles: Hello Americans, Simon Callow argued that Citizen Kane should not just be understood as a fictional work but also as a post-fictional piece: a piece where the audience is drawn in to view themselves in the process of watching the film. In a 1941 review, Jorge Luis Borges called Citizen Kane a "metaphysical detective story," in that "... [its] subject (both psychological and allegorical) is the investigation of a man's inner self, through the works he has wrought, the words he has spoken, the many lives he has ruined..." Borges noted that "Overwhelmingly, endlessly, Orson Welles shows fragments of the life of the man, Charles Foster Kane, and invites us to combine them and reconstruct him." As well, "Forms of multiplicity and incongruity abound in the film: the first scenes record the treasures amassed by Kane; in one of the last, a poor woman, luxuriant and suffering, plays with an enormous jigsaw puzzle on the floor of a palace that is also a museum." Borges points out that "... At the end we realize that the fragments are not governed by a secret unity: the detested Charles Foster Kane is a simulacrum, a chaos of appearances."

The film combines revolutionary cinematography (by Gregg Toland, with whom Welles shared a title card, which was a gesture of Welles' appreciation for Toland's overall contribution to the film, much like John Ford previously shared credit with Toland for The Long Voyage Home) with an Oscar-winning screenplay (by Welles and Herman J. Mankiewicz -- though most film history circles consider Mankiewicz's contribution to the screenplay to be far greater than that of Welles), and a lineup of first time film actors, associates of Mr. Welles from his stint at the Mercury Theatre, such as Joseph Cotten and Agnes Moorehead.This a true work of film art and many have tried to unsuccessfully emulate the camera angles and the methodology of the angles and pathos.

Noel Serrano
Gala Foundation

Essential Classics - Dramas (The Maltese Falcon / Citizen Kane / Ben-Hur)

Average customer rating:

Tremendous value and three classic films!

Essential Classics - Dramas (The Maltese Falcon / Citizen Kane / Ben-Hur)
Starring: Essential Classic Dramas
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
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Essential Classics - Romances (Gone with the Wind / Casablanca / Doctor Zhivago)
Essential Classics - Musicals (My Fair Lady / Singin' in the Rain / Gigi)
Essential Classics - American Musicals (The Music Man / Meet Me in St. Louis / Seven Brides for Seven Brothers)
Essential Classics - Family Films (The Wizard of Oz / The Goonies / Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory)
The Graduate

ASIN: B000MV9O4A
Release Date: 2007-04-24

Amazon.com

This four-disc set, part of Warner's Essential Classics series, collects three truly classic films--The Maltese Falcon, Citizen Kane, and Ben-Hur--in one inexpensive package. The drawback is you don't get the bonus discs of the movies--one in the case of Citizen Kane, and two each for The Maltese Falcon and Ben-Hur (which still needs two discs just for the movie)--so if you're a documentary junky or if you simply have to see the earlier versions of The Maltese Falcon, you'll want to stick with the individual releases. But this set does include the commentary tracks, shorts, photo galleries, and other material that was on the movie discs of those sets, and best of all, they have the great remastered pictures of the previous releases. So if you just want the movies looking better than ever with some bonus features thrown in for good measure, the price per movie makes this set an attractive bargain. --David Horiuchi

Description

Disc 1: THE MALTESE FALCON Disc 2: CITIZEN KANE Discs 3 & 4: BEN HUR

Customer Reviews:

Tremendous value and three classic films!.......2007-05-30

I recently purchased this dvd collection, and am very pleased with it. This collection contains the film-only discs from the multi-disc releases of Maltese Falcon, Citizen Kane, and Ben Hur. All have top-notch video and audio quality, and they all have very interesting alternate commentary tracks. If you want all the extra features for these films, you should buy the discs separately. If you are primarily interested in the films and commentaries, then this is a great way to get all three for a very reasonable price.

Average customer rating:

RKO 281
The Battle over Citizen Kane
"Has he no idea of the power that controls him?"
Excellent Historical Drama
An edible version of historical events

RKO 281 - The Battle Over Citizen Kane
Starring: Liev Schreiber , James Cromwell , Melanie Griffith , John Malkovich , and Brenda Blethyn
Director: Benjamin Ross
Manufacturer: Hbo Home Video
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ASIN: 0783116764
Release Date: 2000-04-25

Amazon.com

This absorbing HBO docudrama tells the story of the making of what is considered by many to be America's greatest film, Citizen Kane. "Boy genius" Orson Welles came to Hollywood with no idea how to follow up his stage and radio success in the movie business. A dinner invitation to publishing magnate William Randolph Hearst's castle, San Simeon, inspired him to use Hearst's story as the basis for his brilliant film debut: a scathing allegory about the absolute corruptibility of power. RKO 281 demonstrates Welles's famously obsessive attention to artistic detail, which made his first movie such a masterpiece. But the film almost never made it to the screen--Hearst used his entire empire to try to destroy it. Two of the most mammoth egos in entertainment history--Hearst and Welles--were pitted against one another in the battle over Citizen Kane. Liev Schreiber has the close-to-impossible task of playing Orson Welles. He may not have Welles's monumental presence (who does?) but he does a credible job. John Malkovich turns in a powerful, understated performance as Welles's long-suffering sidekick Herman Mankiewicz, James Cromwell makes a first-rate Hearst, and Melanie Griffith is warmly sympathetic as Hearst's mistress, Marion Davies. The docudrama imparts some marvelously juicy insider lore, such as the real meaning behind the famous dying dispatch in the history of movies: "Rosebud." --Laura Mirsky

Customer Reviews:

RKO 281.......2007-03-30

I found this DVD entertaining, giving the behind-the-scenes look at the making of Kane. I'm a big fan of Welles and Liev Schreiber's performance of Orson was top-notch. Those of you that like story of the Battle over Citizen Kane with Orson Welles and William Randolf Hearst, this is for you. It gives a sense of how motion pictures were made in that era. I found the film to be very inspirational.

The Battle over Citizen Kane.......2006-11-11

"RKO 281" is a made-for-HBO movie on the process of making Citizen Kane, called by The American Film Institute, the greatest film ever made.
The movie is not a biopic on it's creator Orson Welles, in the same way
Walk the Line wasn't a biopic on Johnny Cash. It's a film that details a pivotal event in that persons life. We get some glimpes of Welles childhood, but this movie is about making Citizen Kane. The title of the film, which I don't like at all, refers to what Citizen Kane was called while it was being made. Liev Schreiber plays the "boy genius" Welles, who is tapped by RKO studios to make a movie after his legendary War of the Worlds radio broadcast makes people think the world is being taken over by aliens. Welles and his friend/writing partner Herman Mankiewicz (John Malkovich, who is great), whom he calls Mank, need to write a film but don't have any ideas. Then they meet William Randolph Hearst (James Cromwell), a rich newspaper publisher who lives in a large castle-like mansion filled with gorgeous woman, expensive paintings and statues, and an aura of sadness. After Welles entertains some people at a dinner party Hearst is holding, with a story about bull charging, Hearst gives him a tongue lashing about cruelty to animals. This makes Welles mad, but also gives him an idea...To write a movie about Hearst and change the name of the character to Charles Foster Craig (although later, he decides the name isn't good enough and changes it to Charles Foster Kane). As Welles and Mank work on the script, we're treated to some small funny moments including when Welles comes up with rosebud. Anyway; After the film is completed and people begin seeing it, Hearst begins to fight to get the film destroyed but begins sinking into the depths of bankruptcy. Melanie Griffith plays Hearst's mistress, who bares resemblance to Kane's second wife in the film. Before seeing this film I knew the average things about Citizen Kane that you can read in Roger Eberts book and such. I don't know how much of this film is true, but it was told in such a fun way that it was hard not to like. Orson Welles is portrayed as an occasionally mean, but dedicated man who just wanted to make a movie. I think John Malkovich steals the show as Welles co-writer. He plays his character with such finesse and charm, it's hard not to like him. If I ever hear someone say Herman Mankiewicz, I'll definitely think John Malkovich. The movie is written by John Logan (who penned the Howard Hughes biopic "The Aviator") and is surprisingly well done. I'd rather see a full biopic on Orson Welles, but this is a good substitute. Schreiber wouldn't have been my first choice to play Welles, but he does pretty well. Anyone looking for insight into Welles personal life shouldn't look much further. If you enjoyed Citizen Kane or enjoy watching John Malkovich onscreen than you should check this movie out. It's not perfect (sometimes it's even dull), but it's interesting and well-acted enough to be recommended.

GRADE: B

"Has he no idea of the power that controls him?".......2006-08-30

The HBO film "RKO 281: The Battle Over Citizen Kane" is the fictionalized background story of the making of the film "Citizen Kane." Orson Welles (Liev Schreiber) was a promising young star--dubbed the "boy wonder" when he starred in and directed one of the most important American films ever made. The film depicts Welles attending a dinner at the opulent Hearst Castle--home of idiosyncratic newspaper magnate, William Randolph Hearst (James Cromwell). Here Welles butts heads with the publisher, and this incident is seen as the spark that ignited the creation of "Citizen Kane." Welles, in collaboration with screenwriter Herman Mankiewicz (John Malkovich), writes a script about a man who sacrifices his principles to his ambitious desire for great wealth and power. "Citizen Kane"--in its implied criticism of the 'American Dream' is a bold film, but when Welles decided to blatantly model the main character on Hearst, he courted disaster.

A large portion of the film shows the struggle and determination with the film itself, and another portion deals with Hearst's attempts to squash the film. Hearst's attempts to destroy the film are blatant censorship, and the film shows Hearst as nasty, cold, and dictatorial--employing some extremely dirty tricks--including blackmail and racism with the aid of the gossip columnist Louella Parsons (Brenda Blethyn). "RKO 281" does an excellent job of recreating the times--this is right before America's entry into WWII, and the war is a distant rumble in Europe. Hearst exploits the fact that Jews own a number of the film studios--and creates a news release that the studios are employing "swarthy" foreigners--to whip up ethnocentrism. Hearst, perhaps the most powerful man in the country, exploits that power to bring Hollywood to its knees.

The relationship between Hearst and his actress mistress Marion Davies (Melanie Griffith) is portrayed as a widely disparate relationship between two troubled souls. She loses herself in alcohol, and he resorts to autocratic haughtiness when she dares question his decisions. In one great scene, Davis questions Hearst about his out-of-control spending, and she states that there's a difference between wanting and needing--"Not to me, there isn't" Hearst retorts, and indeed Hearst's megalomaniacal pursuit of antiquities hoarded within the walls of Hearst Castle is seen as a pathological condition. Welles is portrayed as an idealist, and he's nicely teamed with the sycophantic Mankiewicz. If you can suspend your belief for the duration of the film and accept Liev Schreiber as Welles (and let's face it, this is a tough role), the film is an interesting, gossipy look at a great scandal of the age--displacedhuman

Excellent Historical Drama .......2006-02-23

Seven years ago, I visited the Hurst Castle in San Simian, CA and was astonished by the grandure, size, and scope of the lavish lifestyle led by William Randolph Hurst. After visiting this palace, I wondered if there ever would be a great movie that was made about this larger-than-life icon. I also read some about the controversy that surrounded Hurst later in his life when Orson Welles made his debut in Hollywood with CITIZEN KANE. Director Benjamin Ross and Producers Ridley and Tony Scott have vividly captured this pivotal moment in Hollywood history that pitted two of the most prestigious men of this era against one another: Hurst, a media mogul and newspaper tycoon, and Welles, the 24 year old controversial "boy genius" of New York. Both James Cromwell and Liev Schreiber give rivoting perfomances as Hurst and Welles as they duel over the release of what would later be considered the "greatest film of all time." Schreiber embodies the young, passionately-driven and volatile Welles, while Cromwell transforms into the tyrannical and manipulative Hurst who would stop at nothing to prevent and ultimately destroy's Welle's masterpiece. This made-for-tv film received a Golden Globe for Best Picture. In addition to brilliant performances by Cromwell and Schrieber, there are also some exquisite performances given by the films supporting cast. The most impressive of these is British actress Brenda Blethyn's portrayal of Hollywood gossip columnist Louella Parsons, who in the film acts as Hurst's vicious informant and enforcer. John Malkovich also provides a great supporting performance as Herman Mankewicz, the screenwriter for CITZEN KANE and friend of Orson Welles. In addition to Blethyn and Malkovich, British actor David Suchet ("Executive Decision"), who plays Louis B. Mayer, president and CEO of MGM Pictures, also provides a memorial appearance in adding to the underhanded deception and corruption in 1940's Hollywood over preventing CITIZEN KANE's release. Rounding out the cast is Melanie Grifitth as the charming, gullible, and attractive Marion Davies (former actress and Hurst's long-time mistress)who was the inspiration for the Susan Alexander character in CITIZEN KANE. Though there maybe some slight historical inaccurancies in the film concerning the CITIZEN KANE controversy, on the whole it is a brilliant piece of movie making that shed even more light on why the American Film Institute named CITIZEN KANE "the number one film of all time."

An edible version of historical events.......2003-09-19

I have to disagree with those who look at this as an historical narrative. This is a great story of a man fighting against a system that treated its employees as slaves. Actors, directors and writers were loaned and traded at the whim of the powerful studio bosses at the time of Kane. This shows the will of one brash, arrogant, young man who dared to stand up to that power and fight for the film he thought should be made.
This may not be historically 100% accurate, but it doesn't need to be. It needs to be the spirit, not the letter. And I believe that it is. Wells was one of the most important people in the history of film, and this dramatizes his beginnings. We should view it as such, and not as a documentary about the making of Kane.
I am in the camp that feels that this is not even Welle's best film. I feel that Touch Of Evil is a better film. But if it were not for Kane, there would have been no Evil.
(Trivia, for the non-movie-buffs. In this film they ask Welles to direct a film version of War Of The Worlds. He actually wanted to direct a version of Conrad's "Heart of Darkness." The studio wouldn't let him. 30+ years later, Francis Ford Coppola wanted to film a version of "Heart of Darkness." Both times, the studio turned them down, saying it was not a viable film. While it may be argued that in the hands of Welles or Coppola "Darkness" may have been viable, this is an example of studios having divine inspiration. Their denials gave us Kane and The Godfather. Both were the second choices of the directors. Thank you RKO and Paramount.)

Average customer rating:

fewer bells and whistles but still just fine
Get the newer version instead

The Third Man Criterion Collection
Director: Carol Reed
Manufacturer: Criterion
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Citizen Kane

ASIN: B000P6QY7W

Product Description

Format: DVD Jan 1999 Not Rated Movie Description This classic noir mystery, from the team of Carol Reed and Graham Greene, is generally considered to be the best filmwork of both of these estimable talents. THE THIRD MAN features Joseph Cotten as Holly Martins, a pulp novelist who has come to post-WWII Vienna with the promise of work from his friend, Harry Lime (Orson Welles). Credits Cast: Joseph Cotten, Orson Welles Director: Carol Reed Producer: Alexander Korda, Carol Reed, David O. Selznick Synopsis Carol Reed reached the peak of his form with this classic noir, an elegy for American innocence and European elegance. Joseph Cotten, in fine form, stars as unemployed pulp-novelist Holly Martins. When he arrives in post-WWII Vienna on the promise of a job from his old friend Harry Lime (Orson Welles), he finds that Lime has recently died in a dubious car accident. Against the advice of British sector authority Major Calloway (Trevor Howard), who accuses Lime of criminal behavior, the indignant Martins decides to stay to investigate his friend's death. He searches this city of rubble-strewn streets and bombed-out buildings, earnestly questioning Lime's associates, a cynical, war-weary collection of black-market hustlers. At length, he realizes that the stories he's hearing are so full of contradiction, he's getting nowhere. Yet, he's entranced by Lime's beautiful girlfriend, Anna Schmidt (Alida Valli), who, unlike the others, seems to have loved Harry. Calloway finally provides evidence of Harry's treachery, and Martins, despondent, is about to return home when everything changes in a shadowed moment. THE THIRD MAN is a masterpiece of melancholia featuring extraordinary writing, acting, and directing, as well as a classic zither score by Anton Karas. Film Notes DVD Features: Region 1 Encoding Original and Re-release Theatrical Trailers Production History Audio Interview B&W Extra Info: Criterion Collection UPC: 037429141625

Customer Reviews:

fewer bells and whistles but still just fine.......2007-05-06

I'm fairly certain that the reviewer who gave this older edition one star has not actually seen it. If he had he'd know that the picture and sound are just fine, and from what I can tell about 60% of the features on the two disc edition are on this one too. You'll have to decide for yourself if the bells and whistles are worth the extra money, but if you want to save yourself a few bucks then you're not missing too much with the older version.
Honestly, Criterion would have done us all more of a service if they'd finally gotten "Our Man in Havana" out on DVD instead of putting out a deluxe edition of "The Third Man." But I do have to give them a lot of credit for releasing "The Fallen Idol" on DVD.

Get the newer version instead.......2007-04-12

THE THIRD MAN is a classic tale of suspense and betrayal with a terrific performance from Orson Welles and one of the most unusual film scores ever. However, I almost ordered this DVD by mistake not realizing that it is in fact the older version. Criterion is releasing a brand new version of this title in May which features better picture quality and an entire second DVD full of extra features that are not available on this version. That is definitely the version to get and I am really looking forward to it.

Average customer rating:

Before you buy
Now you have the whole story
A Good but overall disappointing documentary
A classic documentary of a classic film.

The Battle over Citizen Kane
Starring: Nancy Loe , Frank Mankiewicz , David Nasaw , Lon Etta Santucci , and John Tebbel
Director: Thomas Lennon (II) , and Michael Epstein
Manufacturer: Wgbh Boston
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Citizen Kane
RKO 281 - The Battle Over Citizen Kane
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ASIN: B0000507OD
Release Date: 2000-11-14

Amazon.com

Young Orson Welles had the world on a string in 1940. The wunderkind of radio, stage, and screen had already created a national stir with his all-black postmodern production of Othello and the 1938 War of the Worlds broadcast. With Citizen Kane, he set his sights on one of the most powerful men in America: William Randolph Hearst. Little did he realize the consequences that his film would bring about. Hearst had staggering amounts of money and influence that he could bring to bear on Welles and RKO Studios. Particularly offensive to the newspaper tycoon was Welles's portrayal of his longtime paramour, Marion Davies; Citizen Kane showed the actress as a talentless numbskull and a lush, and painted their relationship in unflattering terms. Hearst offered huge sums of money to buy the negative of Kane so that he could burn it; when the studio released the film anyway, he pulled RKO advertising from all Hearst newspapers. With gossip columnist Louella Parsons as his attack dog, he threatened to publicize all sorts of suppressed scandals from over the years, and hinted that "the American public won't be happy to know the number of Jews in the movie industry."

The collision between the 19th-century Hearst and the modern genius and upstart Welles proved to be disastrous to both men for both their names and their careers. Not until years later did Kane receive its due as one of the greatest films ever produced, vindicating itself and Welles both. This documentary provides rare insights into the lives and legacies of Welles and Hearst, carefully framing the debate over the film in the context of the times. Commentary by directors Peter Bogdanovich and Robert Wise (who served as editor for Kane) as well as the son of screenwriter Herman Mankiewicz helps bring home the controversy as it applied to the world of Hollywood. --Jerry Renshaw

Customer Reviews:

Before you buy.......2005-10-12

Isn't The Battle Over Citizen Kane included in the 2-disc Citizen Kane? If I'm right, why buy the doc when you get it with the movie? Sorry, but I saw Kane and Battle were paired as recommended package deal. That makes no sense to me.

Now you have the whole story.......2003-01-08

I've seen "Citizen Kane" dozens of times over the years, and had a general idea of who the film was really about (Hearst) and the controversy it created. After watching "The Battle Over Citizen Kane," however, I now feel that I have a much better understanding not only of the movie itself, but the full story of the two men locked in battle over it---Orson Welles and William Randolph Hearst.

This documentary provides a generous amount of personal information about both men, and comments from experts in relevant fields (Hearst biographers, etc.) as well as people who knew Welles personally. If you're a fan of "Citizen Kane," this companion piece is not to be missed.

A Good but overall disappointing documentary.......2001-10-16

I watched this documentary as part of the Citizen Kane DVD. It is good, telling about the power struggle between Orson Welles and William Randolph Hearst. I also never knew before just how much Welles and Herman J. Mankewickz borrowed from Hearst's life when they wrote the Citizen Kane screenplay. But though it was supposed to be about Citizen Kane, the documentary didn't tell that much about the film itself. It was also rather slow and repetitive. How many times do I need to know that Hearst was a powerful man or that Welles was a young genius? I wanted to learn more about the movie itself. The extras were also nil, there being only a chapter selection and ads for other documentaries...

A classic documentary of a classic film........2000-10-11

This documentary is more than just a rendition of the controversy surrounding "Citizen Kane," it is a pair of parallel biographies of the two men. (Everyone knows about the "War of the Worlds" broadcast, but how many know about his successes on stage--"Julius Caesar" on Broadway commenting darkly on the rise of fascism, or "MacBeth" set in Haiti with an all-black cast.) In the end, it poses the question of whether "Kane" is after all, as much about Welles as it is about Hearst.

Time and time again Welles tempts fate, risking disaster to create masterpieces. Star of stage and radio, film with its limitless possibilities (and Hollywood with its machinations) prove his undoing.

Customer Reviews:

The best movie of all time? The gap between critical and popular opinion .......2006-05-11

This is by critical consensus one of the great movies of all time. In many polls it is taken to be the greatest film of all time.
My sense is that this is critical opinion only, and that few ordinary moviewatchers like myself would think it even close to the top.
I must admit I have seen once, or maybe one- and- one half times only.
The whole mystery around Kane's last utterance 'Rosebud' and the subsequent search by flashbacks to discover 'who he really was' did not grip. I suppose this is because the type of Citizen Kane, the Hearst-modeled tycoon is not a type which holds any real interest for me. The aura of great wealth and power in business is simply something which leaves me cold.
So if the major character is not appealing or of greatest interest, then what can be so 'great' in 'Citizen Kane'?
Here I think there are answers which I as a layperson simply do not get. The introduction of 'deep focus photography'is one such element surely.
In any case this is a movie I did not particularly enjoy watching. But I do not here propose my own reactions as standard of judgment for anyone else.

Orson Welles' astonishing directorial debut.......2005-06-25

What can one add to what's already been written about the movie many consider to be the greatest film of all time? "Citizen Kane" has been analyzed more than any other movie, in part because the story behind the film is as interesting as "Kane" itself. It's therefore appropriate that this special edition also includes the documentary "The Battle over Citizen Kane" and the HBO film "RKO 281."

I'm amazed at how many people I encounter who have watched "Citizen Kane" once and thought it was just OK. But seeing it once is simply not enough. This is true of any great film, but more so for "Kane," a multifaceted work that cannot be fully digested upon first viewing. In many ways, "Kane" is the Bible of modern cinema: you'll find something new each time you watch it.

Orson Welles' astonishing directorial debut is a tour de force of cinematic technique, narrative innovation and ensemble acting. The story of Charles Foster Kane, a newspaper tycoon based more or less on William Randolph Hearst, unfolds in imaginatively designed flashbacks. Welles and cinematographer Gregg Toland employ chiaroscuro lighting and deep focus photography to create an evocative and rich tapestry that rewards repeated viewing. Welles, as Kane, ages 50 years over the course of the film, aided by makeup artist Maurice Seiderman's wizardry. Welles' Mercury Players, including Joseph Cotten, Agnes Moorehead, Ruth Warrick, Ray Collins, Everett Sloane, and Erskine Sanford, round out an impressive cast.

The expertly produced documentary, "The Battle over Citizen Kane," recounts the factors that nearly prevented Welles' film from seeing the light of day. But it belabors the comparison between Welles and Hearst. Both were certainly ambitious men, and Charles Foster Kane is based as much on Welles as on Hearst, but the similarities end shortly thereafter. By repeating the popular wisdom that Welles' career tanked after "Kane," the documentary glosses over Welles' achievements. Welles went on to make several great films, two of which ("Touch of Evil" and "Chimes at Midnight") are often cited by Welles scholars as superior to "Kane."

While the documentary overdoes the comparisons between Welles and Hearst, "RKO 281" distorts the relationship between Welles (Liev Schrieber) and "Kane" co-writer Herman Mankiewicz (John Malkovich). Mankiewicz was holed up with Welles' Mercury Theatre partner John Houseman - not Welles - at Victorville, and Houseman was Welles' confidant throughout the "Kane" controversy, not Mankiewicz. If the film simplifies real-life relationships, it remains an enjoyable - if somewhat lightweight - re-enactment of the controversy, with great performances by James Cromwell as the imperious Hearst and Melanie Griffith as the ditsy Marion Davies.

Back to the inevitable question: is "Citizen Kane" the greatest movie of all time? Quite possibly, though "Touch of Evil" might be even better among Welles' own films. But "Kane" is more inexhaustible, and more conducive to repeated viewing and in-depth study. "Citizen Kane" has topped the highly regarded "Sight and Sound" polls since 1962, and the American Film Institute reinforced "Kane's" #1 status with its 1998 Top 100 list. Can all the critics, experts, and film buffs all be wrong? Watch "Citizen Kane" - not once, but twice or more - and decide for yourself.

Don't Buy this Version.......2004-06-05

Don't buy this version of Citizen Kane. 1.) Two of the DVDs come stacked on top of each other, something Warner Brothers (the makers of the regular and collector's version) highly do not recommend. 2.) Hairline cracks: my first copy came with hairline cracks in the feature disc and with severe cracks in one of the supplemental discs; my second copy came with hairline cracks in one of the supplemental discs; again Warner Brothers themselves warned me not to play a disc with hairline cracks. 3.) Within 5 minutes of buying this version the glue on the box failed and it started to fall apart.
I thought the problem was with Warner Brothers, but they disowned any connection to the gold version. Save yourself the headache and just get the special edition version and not the Gold.

Great movie!.......2003-10-17

I can definately see why. It's shot perfectly. The cinematography is extradoniary, as is the story, plot, acting, music, and historical accuracy. It's incredible. The way it is told and it's just amazing. The story is about a newspaper magnate Charles Foster Kane, taken from his mother as a boy and made the ward of a rich industrialist. The result is that every well-meaning or tyrannical or self-destructive move he makes for the rest of his life appears in some way to be a reaction to that deeply wounding event. The movie starts off like a documentary, and then they reveal that it is footage made up for the rememberance of Charles Foster Kane, who at that point had died. On his deathbed he uttered 2 words "Rosebud." No one knows what he meant by that, so they start interviewing and asking people who knew him to tell them everything they knew. The reporters find out about his childhood, young adulthood, his adulthood, and basically his entire life. They sadly never find out what or who Rosebud was, but the audience finds out. I'm not gonna tell you, but it so obvious that you'll kick yourself at the end of the movie for not knowing.

Great Set... With Only 1 Con.......2003-08-02

This is a great DVD set for any fan of Citizen Kane... it was ranked best film of all time by AFI. It was also nominated for 9 academy awards and won for best original screenplay. This box set includes 3 discs as I have listed below...

Disk #1 - Citizen Kane (the Feature Length Film including the Movie Premiere Newsreel, Rare Production Photographs, Storyboards, and more)

Disk #2 - The Battle Over Citizen Kane (the Academy Award Nominated Feature Length Documentary detailing the bitter struggle between film director Orson Welles and newspaper magnate, William Randolph Hearst)

Disk #3 - RKO 281 (Golden Globe Nominee for Best Mini-Series, Best Actor, and Best Actress, this HBO drama is filled with exciting performances from some of Hollywood's greatest stars)

In addition, this box set includes a collectible senitype with an image from the motion picture and its corresponding 35mm film frame. Plus, a 16-page commemorative booklet is included that also features images from the motion picture.

The one negative about this box set is that (although you see it in Amazon.com's picture)... the theatrical poster is not included. I suppose this is because it would have to be folded and then would not be in good condition for framing or hanging. Therefore, they include a "free" mail-in offer to get it sent to you... the catch... there is a shipping and handling charge. I was disappointed by what I consider to be an outrageous shipping fee, especially after shelling out the $$$ to buy this set.

Product Description

Made two years after Citizen Kane, this 1943 version of Charlotte Brontë's Jane Eyre sure looks like star Orson Welles muscled his way behind the camera much of the time. (In fact, costar Joan Fontaine--who plays the title character--has maintained that Welles methodically did just that every day on the set.) Not that the film's official director was a hack: Robert Stevenson, who later had a busy career at Disney making numerous live-action hits for the studio, such as Mary Poppins, gets the credit. But there's no mistaking Welles's masterful hand in the film's bold and creative look, and there's no getting away from his enigmatic charisma as Rochester, the widower who takes in Jane as a governess to his daughter. An engrossing, gorgeous film, there's even a small role for Elizabeth Taylor at the beginning as Jane's unlucky, doomed friend at a cruel boarding school. -------------- Import Version

Customer Reviews:

Orson Wells Version soars.......2006-10-06

Orson is the perfect Mr Edward Rochester, and Jane, while some say that Joan Fontaine was far too pretty for the role of Jane, She captured Jane's quiet strong spirit and aced the role. The Gothic moodiness of the moores and Thornfield is perfect. Complete with mist and contrast of dark and light. I delight in this film.
My only thought of improvement would be if it could have been longer and not rushed along so much. Though this version may not exactly follow the book, the mood and feeling are there. It is full of heart
A must see!!!

Best version of Jane Eyre!.......2006-08-20

This in my mind is the definitive version of which i noe tend to mark all other version by and they don't come close.With an exellent Joan Fontanine and as a previous reviewer said a Beefy and sexy Orson Welles,with a fine supporting cast.

Best Film Version of Jane Eyre.......2006-07-25

I've been having a "Jane Eyre-athon." There are many good versions of this gothic story of the fight between worldliness and virtue. Many have one really outstanding element, but this version, with Orson Welles and Joan Fontaine remains overall the best. Like most, it eliminates much of the second half of the book, which is the really important part for Bronte, who is one of the finest religious thinkers of her age. There are so many bests in this version, it will always be hard to top for getting Bronte right.

This version was shot when black and white filmmaking was at it's best, and Fox was known as the best at noir/gothic, with velvety blacks, and really crisp lighting and shading. One thing that helps this film be better is that it has the best script (by Huxley, Stevenson and Houseman). The script transitions well, and really captures the major emotional elements of the story. This version also has the best child Jane (Peggy Ann Gardner). I agree with many that Zelah Clarke (Jane in the 1983 miniseries) is probably the definitive adult Jane, but Joan Fontaine is equally fine, and many people will simply not sit through the slow miniseries. Joan Fontaine has a real sense of refined restraint that seems very natural, and her strength is not so much in knowing she is strong, but overcoming her weakness. That is a very important mental/emotional component for getting Jane right.

Orson Welles is beefy and sexy, and plays every note of Rochester perfectly. If he is a bit too young for the role, that is the only flaw. While I feel that Cairin Hinds (the 1997 film version) is the best Rochester, Welles performance equals him. Once again, the striking dark haired beauty Blanche was cast with a platinum blonde, she is undeniably and great and striking beauty, and is the best of the Blanche - easy to see why men like her, and why women don't. Little Margaret O'Brien, who I usually find cloying and hammy is, of course, the perfect Adele, so we have the best Adele, too! She is absolutely convincingly the daughter of a diva, a dancer and coquette, and her "look at me" peskiness is just right for Adele.

The supporting roles, just simply nail the characters as described in the book, Broklehurst, Agnes Morehead as the Aunt, Mrs. Fairfax, and young Elizabeth Taylor as young Jane's friend all add up to make this a masterpiece. Having Bernard Herrmann do the score doesn't hurt a bit, either. (Film buffs will find it of interest that some of the exact themes and sound cues used in this film were also used again in Hitchcock's NORTH BY NORTHWEST.)

See the 1934 version for a laugh and film history. See the 1983 miniseries to see the truest rhendition of the book. See the 1997 version for breathtaking color, scenery and Cirian Hinds' Rochester. See this to be fully satisfied. This is simply an exquisite film - filmmaking at its best in every respect; and while not as letter-perfectly definitive as the 1983 miniseries, I feel it is overall the best, truest version of JANE EYRE.

Particularly Good First Half.......2006-04-06

If you enjoyed Franco Zeffirelli's 1996 version, you should check out this 1943 version of Charlotte Bronte's "Jane Eyre". The two adaptations are almost identical, both chose to front- weight the story, placing considerable emphasis on Jane's childhood and condensing the Gothic romance at the end. Although this makes the ending a bit rushed, it insures that the Bronte's theme is given sufficient consideration.

While the story is generally thought of as a Gothic romance, it is really a tale about how people can make a difference. Jane's childhood was quite horrible and should have permanently warped her, as it would anyone suffering similar abuse and the absence of love. But Bronte wanted to show the positive impact a single individual can have on someone at a formative time. Enter Helen (Elizabeth Taylor) as Jane's (Peggy Ann Garner) salvation, allowing her to have much the same impact later with Adele (Margaret O'Brien).

Director Robert Stevenson was content with the agreement letting the overbearing Orson Welles (two years after "Citizen Kane") direct his own character (Edward Rochester) in the later scenes with costar Joan Fontaine, Stevenson's real interest was in directing children. Which is probably why Garner, O'Brien and Taylor have such a prominent part in the film.

Garner turns in the best performance of the three girls but you have to marvel at six year-old O'Brien's credible French accent.

Welles liked Stevenson and had a good time on the set except when O'Brien was present. O'Brien was thrilled when she first put on Adele's ruffled white gown, and the cast and crew were amused because she could not keep from glancing at herself in the mirror. But Orsen was not pleased and snidely told his secretary that the kid was nothing but a "little scene stealer".

Welles received $100,000 for playing Rochester, about the same amount he got for acting, directing, producing, and partially writing "Kane".

Then again, what do I know? I'm only a child.

I just saw this today.......2006-02-23

Like I mentioned, I just saw this version. I have read the book many times and love the book. First thing, this version does not follow the bood very closely. Too many things were left out. There was not very much emotion portrayed in this version. There was much of it in the book and other versions I have seen. Jane was too pretty in the the movie. I couldn't imagine Jane being that pretty in the book. It tells me in the book that she was plain. Everything was sickly sweet and glossed over.

Average customer rating:

This is a wonderful film.

Magnificent Ambersons - Soberba

Manufacturer: Continental
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Classics | Genres | DVD | Video

Falstaff Chimes At Midnight [Import]
F for Fake - Criterion Collection
Macbeth (Fully Restored Version)
Touch of Evil (Restored to Orson Welles' Vision)
It's All True

ASIN: B00031DDDW

Product Description

Import Version - Audio Is English - Artwork Portuguese

Customer Reviews:

This is a wonderful film........2007-02-13

One of the greatest movies of Orson Welles. Here is the synopsis: Orson Welles' followup to Citizen Kane (1941) was utterly different from Kane in style and texture, but just as brilliant in its own way. Welles does not appear on camera, but his voiceover narration superbly sets the stage for the movie's action, which fades in valentine fashion on Amberson Mansion, the most ostentatious dwelling in all of turn-of-century Indianapolis. Its mistress is the haughtily beautiful Isabel Amberson (Dolores Costello). When Isabel's beau, erstwhile inventor Eugene Morgan (Joseph Cotten), inadvertently humiliates her in public, she breaks off the relationship and marries colorless Wilbur Minafer. The neighbors are certain that, since Isabel can't possibly love Wilbur, she will spoil her children rotten. As it turns out, she has one child, George Minafer (Tim Holt), and that one is enough as far as the rest of Indianapolis is concerned. There are those who live for the day that the arrogant, insufferable George will get his comeuppance. When George returns home from college, his mother and grandfather (Richard Bennett) hold a gala reception in his honor. After the death of Wilbur Minafer, the widowed Eugene feels emboldened enough to propose to Isabel again. This time she is willing, but the obstreperous George refuses to allow his mother to see Eugene. His imperious bullheadedness will lead to tragedy for all concerned--and, at long last, a chastened George Minafer will indeed receive his comeuppance. The film's real villain is not George but that old intangible bugaboo called "Progress." As the automobile age comes to fruition, the elegant, cloistered lifestyle of the Ambersons fades from view, finally disappearing altogether.

Average customer rating:

Anarchy Burger......Hold the Government!

Sweatin to the Oldies: Vandals Live
Starring: Vandals
Manufacturer: Kung Fu Records
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

Punk | Hardcore & Punk | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

General | Rock | Styles | Music

General | Music Video & Concerts | Genres | DVD | Video

Biography | Documentary | Genres | DVD | Video

( S ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

All Deals | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video
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NOFX - Ten Years of F****' Up
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ASIN: B000068TP9
Release Date: 2002-10-29

Description

Directed by Jeff Stein (The Kids are Alright), with 5 cameras and a 16 track analog soundtrack, this is a documentation of a classic Vandals Orange County performance from early in their career and is one of the seminal punk concert videos. The video is laced throughtout with hilarious personal profiles of its members within chaotic yet tight live stage performances. Special DVD features include interactive menus, never before seen out-take footage, commentary audio track from the band members themselves, closed captions, bonus videos and trailers.

Customer Reviews:

Anarchy Burger......Hold the Government!.......2002-11-10

WOW! What more can be said, except possibly the greatest punk rock band of all time puts out an older show on DVD loaded with enough bonus features to make your head spin. Even includes a "Vandals sell out" segment in which drummer Josh Freeze is shown back in 1985 doing TV commercials for a toy drum set. If your a huge Vandals fan like me you must own this, and if your not, buy it anyway, the price is well worth it.