Citizen Kane (75th Anniversary)

This is an excellent way to build your film library. It is a great price and turned out a great gift for a person building their personal film collection. The film follows the life and death of Charles Foster Kane, a powerful newspaper magnate, beginning with his final word: “Rosebud.” After Kane's death, a reporter investigates the meaning of the word by interviewing people who knew him, reconstructing Kane's life through fragmented perspectives. Kane rises from a poor childhood to immense wealth and influence after being taken from his family and raised by a banker. He builds a media empire, using it first to crusade against corruption and later to serve his own ego. Over time, his need for control erodes his relationships, including his marriages and friendships. Despite his power, Kane grows increasingly isolated, retreating into his vast estate, Xanadu. The investigation never fully resolves “Rosebud” for the characters, but the audience learns it refers to Kane's childhood sled—symbolizing the innocence, love, and security he lost when he was separated from his family. The film suggests that Kane's lifelong pursuit of power and admiration was an attempt to fill that emotional void. At its core, the story argues that no single narrative can fully explain a person, and that wealth and influence cannot replace genuine human connection. That's the message you take away. Ultimately the lesson is buy from the list and you'll have smiling faces as the scenery for your Christmas Day with this gift

one of the great classics! the story of Randolph Hearst the newspaper dynasty! if you ever are near San Francisco the Hearst castle is open to the public at certain times of the year. it's incredible!

Frome the standpoint of entertainment: The story's conclusion provided a delightful surprise for me. My only meager tidbit of advice for a first time viewer, is to be sure not to miss the quite subtle answer to the stubbornly perplexing question central to the story line. That question which doggedly drives our diligent reporter's quest, as he probes the personal life of his article's mysterious subject from their childhood to their dying breath. The end is not necessarily the end, as some say. I loved it!!! From the standpoint of one who enjoys savoring a well-told story through the performing arts, I can now see why this movie is considered by some to be the greatest film of cinematic history. Indeed, as I have heard it shared, in his own right Orson Wells, like Thomas Edison, was arguably the greatest film producton innovator of his time. That is to say, in the context of his contribution to the manner in which available film making techniques were being employed in the production of movies upto and at that time. Personally, I found it intriguing to watch how each film technique contributed differently to the story; whether that was the way in which it influenced a particular feeling about a character, or how it help create a specific mood in the setting of a given scene, or how it contributed to the impression the viewer was intended to have about a particular character in the story, etc. In that regard, it is a movie wherein repeated viewing reveals something new on each occasion, like the tiny details previously unnoticed that nonetheless contributed significantly to one's experience of the story and viewing pleasure. For me, it helped a lot to set aside all my experiences of movies that were produced after this film. Why? Because the storywriters and directors who came after this production were influenced by the lessons Orson Wells provided through his creation of this movie. So, instead of using only one technical approach to filming a story, today's cenimatic storyteller uses a wide assortment of production techniques, like an artist who paints uses an assortment of colors, brushes, even palette knives, and application techniques in the creation of their compositions. In my personal opinion this is one of the "must see" movies.

Delivery was as expected. great movie

Thank you for your service and for all your help