The Eternal Influence of 'Citizen Kane'

There is no denying that Citizen Kane is a cinematic monument. Often regarded as the "greatest film of all time," Orson Welles' 1941 masterpiece is still watched and widely praised today. Why is that? Is it just because the film has held up so well over the years? Well, partially. But the main reason that Citizen Kane has stayed so relevant almost eighty years later is because of its influence on cinema. If you watch Citizen Kane now for the first time, you might think that it is nothing out of the ordinary, but that's because so many filmmakers were inspired by what Welles created. In the early 1940s, Welles was breaking new cinematic ground. In an era where studios were pumping out cookie-cutter films, Citizen Kane was pushing the boundaries of what a film could be narratively and stylistically. With a single film, Orson Welles changed the filmmaking industry forever.

Orson Welles was a pioneer who changed the movie game multiple times. If you want to find out how, watch our video on his War of the Worlds. And be sure to stream many of his movies, right here on Fandor.