"Citizen Kane" or "Notorious"?
Of the two films we have viewed from the 1940s ("Citizen Kane" and "Notorious"), which one do you prefer and why? Refer to the quality of film techniques used by the directors at least once for each film in your answer..
It is a hard choice. Hitchcock moves the camera beautifully; I love how he opens "Notorious" with a tracking shot past the faces of the journalists and then to Alicia from behind peering through the door of the courtroom. Welles can hold his own, but he is more about tricks of the eye; the flawless blending of miniatures with real street scenes comes to mind as does the bravura reverse tracking shot at the beginning of the film as the young Charlie Kane plays with his sleigh—the infamous “Rosebud” or MacGuffen as Hitchcock would have called it! "Citizen Kane" is more serious, somehow. "Notorious", with its love triangle is more romantic and, need I say, the screen kiss/nuzzle by Cary Grant and Ingmar Bergman is a delight to watch. I’m torn, but I choose "Notorious," perhaps because the work that Hitchcock got from his two leads is among their best. Besides, I've always liked Bergman’s work and with all the close ups we certainly have a chance to observe the quality of her acting. So, "Notorious" it is, but I could change my mind tomorrow!
ReplyDeleteQin he
ReplyDelete65654
Dec20, 2014
The Film I prefer
I like both of them, movie “Citizen kane” and “Notorious”, are undoubtly excellent. “Citizen kane” was famous of its advanced creative technics of “deep focus” with a simple and curious clue of “rose bud”. But I prefer to the movie “Notorious” if I have to choose. This movie attracts me by its human touch beyond professional spies’ career that always give people a feeling about their excellent performing without relating a bit real love. As a woman, I like the exquisite description of their emotion by series of shots, especially the lens were focused on their face where full of love emotion, somehow even being fascinated. The director filmed many scenes to show us the conflicts either inside the characters and between the characters. The lady was happy of the love with the man while she was worrying about the truth of the love. The man couldn’t stand loving the lady while he was luring her working for his organization. Another hand, they loved each other, willing to stay and rub together long time but they could not. On the contrary, they always tested each other. Based on this situation, they perfectly completed a great commission. After watching this movie, I have been impressed by their kissing and lingering scenes which showing their intense love. I love this movie for its strongly showing the love whatever at a adventure moment or disaster state.
"Citizen Kane" or "Notorious"?
ReplyDeleteI am impressed by the unique technique, “Deep Focus” that the director has used in the film "Citizen Kane". Even so, I prefer “Notorious” after I watched the Hitchcock's 1946 film again. Someone said: “I never get tired of watching Hitchcock films”, so am I. I am interested by the “Hitchcock's Rule” in many Hitchcock's film such as: Rear Window (1954);Vertigo(1958); North by Northwest(19590; Psycho(19600; The Birds(1963) and Rebecca(1940, Won–Academy Award for Best Picture).
Hitchcock believes without any lens design is confusing and meaningless, and specializes in extremely precise manner calculated for each lens. In the film “Notorious” is clearly demonstrated his style. For example: when Alicia woke up because of a hangover headache, and see the room in front of Devlin, the lens close-up look at her face, what has been her subjective viewing angle in front of the man and when Devlin approached the camera with 360-degree rotation to symbolize dizziness hangover. This is an audience to sympathize with the character you want, and try to get the audience to feel her approach angle. Hitchcock believes we need to worry about the audience for a movie role; the audience must sympathize with and accept this role. Another Hitchcock principle is the size of an object in the screen should be proportional to its importance in the movie. It may sound simple and obvious, but it is a very useful, but at the time no one seriously thought skills. In the film, Hitchcock often close-up champagne bottles, as well as key; two objects are closely related with the villain's secret. (A mysterious villain to chemicals hidden in the champagne bottle, and the bottle of champagne with a key lock is placed in the cellar.) “Notorious” may be not the best Hitchcock's film but I favorite it for the Hitchcock’s principles and the romantic mood between the classical lovers on the screen: Cary Grant and Ingrid Bergman.