Just some analysis

When you watch a movie, for the first time, you really are looking at it just at the surface, or at least that is how i feel. I try to absorb myself in the plot, and in this case, the mystery, instead of really wondering why every detail is put in a film. I tried to break this habit while watching Citizen Kane. The first thing I noticed was the No Trespassing sign we see in the first scene. This sign on the chain link fence is the first image we get in this film. It gives you an immediate feeling of alienation and loneliness. The entire first scene, where the camera is panning up over the cain link fence and giving us a glimpse at the deserted xanadu gives us a good idea that this film will end in tragedy or some kind of morbid event. 
So much can be absorbed about this film just from the first scene which has no dialouge. Although there is no dialogue, Welles gives us so much information and really sets the tone for the movie just from camera angles and lighting.


Another thing ive learned in this class is how little the picture quality matters. This movie is not in color and it is most definitely not in high definition or 3D or imax or anything similar to that. But as soon as you immerse yourself in a film, you forget about picture quality and really concentrate on content. Movies these days always have a gimmick, whether it be Avatar with its remarkable special effects or every movie coming out in 3d. These movies lack content, they concentrate less on the story and more on how cool they can make some guy getting his head chopped off by an alien helicopter. In my opinion, content is exponentially more important than effects.