Dear People who Haven't Seen This Yet:
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Archived from the IMDb Discussion Forums — Citizen Kane
avatar1140 — 9 years ago(June 26, 2016 08:34 AM)
You've read some reviews. You've heard the hype. The over-hype. The ultra-hype. This is IT. This is Orson Welles' (and Hollywood's) Magnum Opus.
HOWEVER - remember all the hype and expectation for the Series Finale of Seinfeld? Remember the aftermath? Remember Jason Alexander saying, "Everyone's expectations were so ridiculously high that the show couldn't possibly satisfy them. It doesn't matter what we do."? No truer words were ever spoken.
And so you must detach yourselves from all the hype. You must go into it not expecting anything. And in so doing, you may just enjoy the film. That's the problem with super-ultra-over-hype: the praise is so ridiculously high that anyone who has not ALREADY seen it will go into it expecting the Second Coming.
It's just a film. Watch it like it's just another film. And enjoy it like it's just another film.
Sincerely,
Just another IMDb poster -
OzOverTheRainbow — 9 years ago(June 29, 2016 09:54 PM)
I first saw it without being influenced by any hype. I loved it the first time I saw it and I have loved it when I have watched it since. I have probably watched it more than twenty times. I think that it is a masterpiece and the greatest film ever made.
Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain. -
zinabaggins — 9 years ago(July 29, 2016 03:46 PM)
I tried to evaluate it as a masterpiece and as a normal film. It falls short as a masterpiece. It simply isn't, for me. It is better than an average film and very innovative in its technical aspects, but that's it. Incredibly overrated. If a film has such a protagonist and doesn't make you care, there's a huge problem there. If a film doesn't make me think or feel, something's really wrong.
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chefdonnag — 9 years ago(August 22, 2016 10:02 AM)
I have seen this movie at least 20 plus times and I really enjoyed it every time. Yesterday I saw it on the big screen at our art house theater. Wow. There were so many details that even a big screen TV can't begin to match. If you love this film go see it at the theater! I know it's surrounded by hype. For me it is a wonderful film..
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HarvSoul — 1 month ago(January 31, 2026 03:47 AM)
Spot on. The "Greatest Film of All Time" label is a heavy burden for any movie to carry, especially one from 1941. If you walk in expecting a life-altering religious experience, you’re going to be disappointed that it’s "just" a black-and-white mystery about a rich guy.
The best way to watch it—as you suggested—is to ignore the pedestal and look at the craftsmanship:
The "First" Time for Everything: It's like listening to the Beatles; you’ve heard the tricks so many times in other movies that you forget Kane invented or perfected them. The deep focus, the low-angle shots showing ceilings, and the non-linear storytelling were radical at the time.
The "Seinfeld" Effect: Just like the Seinfeld finale, the ending of Kane was controversial and polarizing because it didn't give a "happy" resolution. It left the audience with a pile of junk and a burning sled.
The Entertainment Value: Strip away the "Magnum Opus" talk, and it’s actually a pretty snappy, sarcastic, and cynical character study. It has more in common with a modern political drama than a dusty museum piece.
Watching it as "just a film" lets you see the human story—a kid who had everything except the one thing he actually wanted