Two of the most overrated films ever in history(and for good reason too), I want to know your stand on it: Which one do you like better and why, Casablanca or Citizen Kane? I like Casablanca:
That is a tough one. Of course, they are both highly overrated, but I enjoy them both. Neither is one of my favorites though. I tend to quote Citizen Kane more often, but Casablanca is up there as well. Citizen Kane just speaks to me a bit more, I suppose. Casablanca is much easier to sit through though. I guess the final warehouse scene, along with Mr. Bernstein's story about the girl on the ferry really did it for me, and the whole concept of the reporter trying to find out who he was (if you look at Lawrence of Arabia, you'll see that they are very similar, but Kane uses the reporter throughout and Lawrence has the Bentley character and looks at Lawrence through the other character's eyes, in a way).
Originally posted by 00Kevin never saw Citizen Kane(YET ), but if I did, my vote would probubly still go to casablanca
besides, you guys forget the greatest war-time flick ever:
-The Great Dictator
I love that film
That was a great flick. The classic barberchair and globe scenes were great, but I loved Hynkel's (Hitler's) speech when he's going on and on about the Chuten in that psuedo-Germanic gibberish, intimidating the microphones, for a couple of minutes, and then the translator just says "His Excellency has just referred to the Jewish people." Classic scene.
Originally posted by 00Kevin never saw Citizen Kane(YET ), but if I did, my vote would probubly still go to casablanca
besides, you guys forget the greatest war-time flick ever:
-The Great Dictator
I love that film
That was a great flick. The classic barberchair and globe scenes were great, but I loved Hynkel's (Hitler's) speech when he's going on and on about the Chuten in that psuedo-Germanic gibberish, intimidating the microphones, for a couple of minutes, and then the translator just says "His Excellency has just referred to the Jewish people." Classic scene.
I never saw Citizen Kane, but even if i did i think casablanca would still be my favorite of the two. Heck, casablanca is one of my favorite movies of all time (besides the IJ trilogy and the sound of music). Maybe because I'm a teenage girl, but I think it is the most romantic thing i have ever seen. *sigh* it's such a classic. "here's lookin at you, kid!"
I think almost everyone is in agreement that Casablanca is more enjoyable to sit through. So the duel is won more in favor for it, but everyone seems to agree as well that Kane is great too. I guess experience is better than substance.
1. My parents met in Casablanca during WWII and they are of two different nationalities. Rather than explain the whole story, they just say they met in Rick's Bar and people stop asking questions. Rick's Bar is fictional, but for most of the world truly exists.
2. Though I owned a sled like Kane's, I never gave it a name. As a consequence, I have trouble identifying with the movie.
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Casablanca. It has to be Casablanca for me.
Citizen Kane is great. It's a groundbreaker, a critic's dream, and controversial for it's time. It has everything going for it, really. Talent, pushing of the envelopes, nothing is wasted.
But Casablanca has a magic to it. They were not TRYING for Casablanca, it just BECAME a classic. Citizen Kane is a MUST-SEE, but Casablanca is, as time goes by, a "I can watch it and watch it and watch it and watch it" attitude. There's something about it. I can study it as a student of artistic filmmaking, I can read or watch every story behind the film, I can hear all the would've's could'ves and should'ves, yet I can still enjoy it as if it is the first time every time.
What can I say, I like Casablanca. I don't need to justify myself.
I'm going simply by what I thought when I saw each of the movies.
The first time I saw Citizen Kane, I thought "Well, that's pretty good, but is it really supposed to be one of the greatest movies of all time?"
The first time I saw Casablanca, I thought "Wow! It really is as good as everyone says."
So it looks like Casablanca wins. : )
I think I ought to post on this again, after a few months of acquired film wisdom (and the newfound ability to withstand Susan Kane's singing).
Casablanca is a delightful little film, blessed with perfect actors for each character, a pleasant, memorable song, and some classic dialogue.
However, Citizen Kane is the greater of the two films, and perhaps the greatest American example for the auteur theory. Sometimes it just seems like flashy camerawork, but what Welles did really did help tell the story. The different segments from the different characters gives each part of the story a certain distinct feel, and helps Citizen Kane to greatness. I'm not sure that it is the greatest American film, but I can't think of anything else that would be.
Originally posted by Attila the Professor That is a tough one. Of course, they are both highly overrated, but I enjoy them both. Neither is one of my favorites though. I tend to quote Citizen Kane more often, but Casablanca is up there as well. Citizen Kane just speaks to me a bit more, I suppose. Casablanca is much easier to sit through though. I guess the final warehouse scene, along with Mr. Bernstein's story about the girl on the ferry really did it for me, and the whole concept of the reporter trying to find out who he was (if you look at Lawrence of Arabia, you'll see that they are very similar, but Kane uses the reporter throughout and Lawrence has the Bentley character and looks at Lawrence through the other character's eyes, in a way).
Plus, I like the corny Citizen Kane song:
"There is a man, a certain man..."
My girlfriend and I sat just watched CK last night, and the most remarkable thing happened. I was able to step outside of my critical eye, and see how someone with no formal training in film study reacts to what is argued as the greatest American film. For that reason alon, I have to rethink my position on this.
For the record, she was awed by the auteur theroy aspect mentioned earlier in this thread, something that I casually overlooked because I am surrounded by it so often.
its not surprising the everybody thinks Casablanca is better because:
1. Humphrey Bogart's persona is similar to Indiana Jones'
2. Casablanca is better.
Citizen Kane, in my opinion, is highly over-rated. To me, it's one of those films that film teachers love because you can over-analyze a lot of pretentious "aren't-I-clever" shots, but it just isn't that much fun to watch. Though, I'll admit that I may be slightly biased against it because I've never been able to just "watch" it-- everytime I've seen it, I knew I would be tested on it later, and that's a sure-fire way to ruin any movie.
Imagine, the first time you see "Raiders Of The Lost Ark," someone hands you a list of questions to ponder while watching it (and the questions have no relevance to the plot... they're all along the lines of, "Why did the director choose to shoot the idol from this angle?" "Why is the significance of the sky being blue?"), and you know that you'd better have good in-depth answers to these questions by the next day... odds are, you wouldn't like Raiders much either.
Not for me. I enjoy movies and books more after I've dissected them in class. I don't know why. But I haven't disliked a single book or movie I've studied in class.
Originally posted by intergamer Not for me. I enjoy movies and books more after I've dissected them in class. I don't know why. But I haven't disliked a single book or movie I've studied in class.
I'm with you. Overanalysis can occasionally be a deterrent to enjoyment, but this seems rare to me.
), but if I did, my vote would probubly still go to casablanca
For me, this one is easy
