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Citizen Kane [DVD]

Orson Welles (Actor, Director, Producer, Writer), Joseph Cotten (Actor) Rated: Universal, suitable for all Format: DVD
4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 3,208 ratings
IMDb8.3/10.0
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20 Sept. 1999 		—
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Citizen Kane — £7.99
Format PAL
Contributor Agnes Moorehead, Paul Stewart, Gregg Toland, Alan Ladd, Philip van Zandt, Arthur O'Connell, Herman Mankiewicz, Ray Collins, Joseph Cotten, Ruth Warwick, Harry Shannon, Dorothy Comingore, Fortunio Bonanova, Everett Sloane, Erskine Sanford, George Coulouris, William Alland, Orson Welles See more
Runtime 1 hour and 54 minutes
UPC 044005189421

Product description

Orson Welles makes his feature-length directorial debut with this classic drama which often tops critics' polls of the best films of all time. In 1940, newspaper tycoon Charles Foster Kane (Welles) dies after uttering the word 'Rosebud'. An anonymous reporter (William Alland) is assigned the task of uncovering the meaning of Kane's dying word, and in the course of his enquiries he receives varying accounts of his life from former colleagues Jedediah Leland (Joseph Cotten) and Bernstein (Everett Sloan), and ex-wife Susan Alexander (Dorothy Comingore). The film, which Welles also produced and co-wrote, was not-so-loosely based on the life of newspaper magnate William Randolph Hearst.

Product details

  • Is discontinued by manufacturer ‏ : ‎ No
  • Rated ‏ : ‎ Universal, suitable for all
  • Package Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 18.03 x 13.76 x 1.48 cm; 83.16 g
  • Director ‏ : ‎ Orson Welles
  • Media Format ‏ : ‎ PAL
  • Run time ‏ : ‎ 1 hour and 54 minutes
  • Release date ‏ : ‎ 20 Sept. 1999
  • Actors ‏ : ‎ Orson Welles, Joseph Cotten, Agnes Moorehead, Everett Sloane, Dorothy Comingore
  • Subtitles: ‏ : ‎ English
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Studio ‏ : ‎ Universal
  • Producers ‏ : ‎ Orson Welles
  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B00004R78J
  • Writers ‏ : ‎ Orson Welles, Herman Mankiewicz
  • Number of discs ‏ : ‎ 1
  • Customer reviews:
    4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 3,208 ratings

Customer reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars
4.5 out of 5
3,208 global ratings
Citizen Kane
5 Stars
Citizen Kane
This is a classic film and certainly Orson Welles’ magnum opus. It charts the life of Charles Foster Kane, who is dragged away from a humble upbringing to become one of the richest newspaper magnates around.The film begins with Kane’s death as he drops a snow filled glass globe to the floor; his last word being ‘Rosebud’. The story charts Kane’s life in what becomes a futile endeavour to find the meaning of ‘Rosebud’.But right at the end of the film we, the viewer, see a snowboard that the young Kane played with as a child being thrown into a furnace with lots of other rubbish from his huge estate. Written on the back of the snowboard is the word ‘Rosebud’. It would seem that Kane’s life, though mega rich and powerful, has been to some extent an empty one as his last word harks back to those very childhood days when he was happy simply playing in the snow.Of course there’s a lot more to the story than this and it is fascinating following the journalists that seek answers throughout this well-structured and uniquely filmed movie.Like many good movies this is a film about life: how best to life it and how, depending on the junctions we arrive at and take, life can be fulfilling or not.So far I’ve watched this film about three times and no doubt in a few years from now I’ll watch it again for a fourth time. For this is a movie that never ceases to reveal more on each occasion.If you’ve not yet seen Citizen Kane then you are in for a treat. It is one of those movies that you’d love to have not seen, so you could watch it and enjoy it for the very first time again. Yes, it simply is that good. Highly recommended.I hope you find my review helpful.
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Top reviews from United Kingdom

Elleppi
5.0 out of 5 stars BEst edition around, for a film that, love it or not, made history and can tell you a lot about who we are and where we live.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 7 September 2015
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Citizen Kane is one those films that, watching it after reading enthusiastic reviews saying it's the best film ever, you might not agree. Because Citizen Kane is a film whose main values are not so apparent and easy to get by everyone. It is a film for film fans and movie experts, but this does not mean is not a great, unique, magnificent film. It just means that you have to watch it both with an emotional and dramatic approach (that of normal viewers) and with a more careful focus on what a film is made of. And Citizen Kane is made of a powerful drama, structured in a modern and innovative way (an investigation where the puzzles never seem to be enough) dealing with universal and intimate questions (ambition and solitude, will of power vs need of love) as well as a sharp vision of power as based on (self)image and communication and all oriented to embrace and own the world, exactly like a baby does when he thinks that there is no boundaries between his will and the world around him. And it's a sociological and historical revolutionary pamphlet about American Society yet filled with fascination for its dark side and the mavericks, like Kane, who embody it.

And last but not least, it is a film where the language not just back and support the story, but complete it and sometimes replace the classic narration through a supermodern visual language, like the fantastic sequence reassuming the whole story between Kane and his wife in few quick scenes all set in the same room and linked by camera pans and ellipsis. And Kane is also photographically evocative and impressive, is grand in its character, the lines of his dialogues and monologues, the impact of shots and scenes, the reckless representation of journalism and politics as well as the collusion between business and war. It is too much for a film but still you can find it cold, calculated, not engaging, like often Welles seems to be.

But you can't ignore it and, if you do, you will not recognize it in all the films that came after, up to now, and not able to tell the copy from the original. Because a lots of things come from this film.

This edition is the best available, it does not just present a fantastic blu ray transfer, but it is full of extras and has a great box and an interesting little book inside.
6 people found this helpful
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rob crawford
5.0 out of 5 stars Period piece, but still absolutely first rate
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 26 August 2011
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Though I had not seen this in decades, I wanted to get it so that I could watch it with my kids. For the most part, if they can sit through them, they jokingly tolerate my efforts to infuse some culture into their daily consumption of electronic games. But this film held their attention and they had plenty of questions about it. I regard this as a mini-triumph, but then, it is easier to do with a film that is this good.

For myself, it was also an almost completely new viewing experience: this time, rather than a personal history about the loss of love, I saw it from an historical perspective that I lacked as a youth. In that way, with the overt references to WR Hearst - the rise of yellow journalism, overt meddling in politics and even international relations, and the manufacture of news - it was doubly fascinating for all of us.

Still, the sadness of Kane's plight comes through with perfect clarity, indeed as perfect drama. It utterly riveted me, was even painful to watch most of the time. I even liked the level of psychological depth in all the characters. Not to exaggerate, but I found it as complex an experience as one would expect from Shakespeare. It is that good, even after 70 years.

Highest recommendation.
5 people found this helpful
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Dr Robin Walsh
4.0 out of 5 stars A fIlm classic
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 20 December 2022
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How a rich man tries to buy and control newspapers way back when. Has anything changed ?
Brilliantly acted by Orson Welles.
It would have been 5 stars but the black and white film sometimes spoilt it.
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Tom Cruise
5.0 out of 5 stars Blown away
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 13 February 2023
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When I got the call from Roland Emmerich to say that he wanted to remake Citizen Kane for modern audiences with Me as the lead I thought to myself "I better check this joint out". After watching this beautiful movie in stunning 4k Ultra HD I can safely say that you will be seeing I, Tom Cruise the Legend of Cinema Jumping out of a plane in the new Citizen Kane reboot now called "Citizen Cruise".
9 people found this helpful
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Klaus Kauppinen
5.0 out of 5 stars A great release for a great film
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 29 December 2021
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Warner Bros’ 4K release of Citizen Kane is a treat! Definitely belongs on the shelf of any serious film fan. The 4K disc is as good as the film elements allow and the box set is full of collectibles and a nice informative booklet. Beats the criterion’s release any day.
2 people found this helpful
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ANIK
5.0 out of 5 stars Simply Perfect!
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 21 June 2017
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There are several standard DVD Special Editions, Collector's Editions, Special Collector Editions, though the major playoff appears to be between this Warners NTSC edition and a Universal PAL edition. The opinion expressed here does not consider the 3 disc collection on blu-ray.
However...trust me, THIS Warners wins hands down! Enough down to put its competition underground! Make a comparison and you will never look at any other edition again without wincing! And the Warners includes 2 excellent commentaries worthy of repeated listenings. How often can THAT be said?
(Note: the Universal is also accompanied by an excellent commentary, but the image is soft and shadow detail non-existent.)
22 people found this helpful
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John B
5.0 out of 5 stars Apparently Donald Trump's favourite film...
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 26 January 2021
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...which gives quite some insight into the twisted mind of an abandoned, unloved child with unlimited power.

Worth seeing through that lens, in addition to the many others mentioned.
5 people found this helpful
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Frank K.
3.0 out of 5 stars A bit of a struggle to get into
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 9 November 2023
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Was supposed to be a recommendation, but clearly my intellect has a problem watching.
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Saverio Corti
5.0 out of 5 stars film capolavoro assoluto in formato 4K e restaurato
Reviewed in Italy on 16 March 2024
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Film del 1941, capolavoro assoluto: ha cambiato la Storia del cinema. L' edizione 4K è meritevole per pulizia e definizione inoltre rispettosa del formato, della colonna sonora e del montaggio originali (ricordo la versione italiana tv era stata amputata e cambiata pure la colonna sonora oltre ad un doppiaggio mediocre). Il disco 4K non riesce a raggiungere gli standard di qualità oltre il buono poiché il film, sebbene restaurato, non possiede una brillantezza e definizione paragonabili a film recenti. Consigliatissimo per il cinefilo e l'appassionato e imprescindibile per chi ami il Cinema.
2 people found this helpful
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raul
5.0 out of 5 stars UNA DE LAS MÁS GRANDES PELICULAS DE LA HISTORIA DEL CINE EN 4K, ¿QUE MÁS SE PUEDE PEDIR?
Reviewed in Spain on 4 February 2024
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Excelente edición restaurada en 4k con audio y subtítulos en castellano. Obra maestra absoluta a pesar de que a algunos les resulte aburrida. Hay un antes y un después en la historia del cine tras su estreno.
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Surat Kahn
5.0 out of 5 stars Royal !!!
Reviewed in France on 29 December 2023
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Livraison rapide, état parfait, bon prix, que demander de plus ?
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classicfilmfan
5.0 out of 5 stars GREATEST MOVIE EVER MADE?
Reviewed in the United States on 14 February 2020
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It has been said that William Randolph Hearst wanted to buy the negative from RKO, presumably so he could burn it. Whether or not that is true, he did call Orson Welles a "Communist." And "Citizen Kane" was a flop at the box office. Not only wasn't it considered for Best Picture at the Academy Awards, every time it was nominated for an award, it was booed.
But is it the best motion picture ever made? Perhaps. Most movie critics consider 1939 to be the greatest year in the history of American cinema, but 1941-the year "Kane" was made-is a close second. It's a story told almost entirely in flashback, as a group of reporters interview people to try to discover what Kane meant by his dying last word: "Rosebud." Kane's assistant Mr. Bernstein (Everett Sloane) (he's never given a first name; it's just "Mr. Bernstein" or "Bernstein") thinks it might have been a girl. "There were a lot of them in the early days." Kane's friend and partner Jed Leland (Joseph Cotten) says he read about Kane's "dying words" in the Enquirer (Kane's newspaper). "Well, I never believed anything I saw in the Enquirer."
Charles Foster Kane became a multi-millionaire quite by accident. As a boy, he lived with his parents in "Mrs. Kane's Boarding House" in Colorado. A boarder who couldn't pay his bill left Mrs. Kane a deed to a worthless (or so he believed) gold mine. It turned out to be the Colorado lode, one of richest mines in the world. And now we have a scene which has always disturbed me. Young Charles is playing in the snow with his sled and building a snowman when Mr. Thatcher (George Coulouris), a prominent banker, comes to visit. He's going to take the very rich Charles away with him on a train trip. What's more, the scene makes it very clear that Charles is never going to see his parents again. WHY? Mary Kane, who is so depressed one can barely look at her, is played by Agnes Moorehead, making her screen debut at the age of 40. But again, why is it necessary to separate Charles from his parents just because he's rich? No wonder he attacked Thatcher with a sled.
Fast forward to Kane, now 21, and completely independent from the firm of "Thatcher and Company." In a letter to Thatcher, he tells him he's not interested in oil wells, gold mines, etc., but would like to buy a bankrupt newspaper because, "I think it would be fun to run a newspaper." When the very rich and powerful confront a reality they don't like, they often use that money and power to try and change it. When Kane is confronted by his wife and his political opponent Gettys (Ray Collins)-Kane is running for governor-about his affair with Susan Alexander and Gettys tells him he won't print the story if Kane withdraws from the race, Kane totally refuses ("Nobody's going to tell me what to do!"). The people love him (Jed Leland: "You talk about the people as if you own them."), and will elect him no matter what he's done. He was wrong.
To quote Leland once again, Kane "spent his whole life trying to prove something." After Emily Monroe Norton (Ruth Warrick), Kane's first wife, dies in a car accident, he marries Susan Alexander (Dorothy Comingore), and tries to turn her into an opera singer, a hopeless task. (He even builds her an opera house.) Finally, her singing teacher has had enough. "Some people can sing. Some can't. IMPOSSIBLE! IMPOSSIBLE!" Mr. Kane intervenes, and reminds Sigor Matiste (Fortunio Bonanova) that he runs a few newspapers and can easily destroy his reputation. Once again money and power defeat reality.
Now, I don't really think it's fair to say that Susan Alexander and Marion Davies, Hearst's mistress, are one and the same person. Susan was an inept singer, Marion a successful and talented actress for 20 years. She never married Hearst, nor did she ever leave him. She also claimed that she never saw "Citizen Kane," and had nothing negative to say about Mr. Welles.
Finally, if you want to understand how the mind of a really powerful man works, look at how Kane dealt with Leland when he was giving Susan's performance a bad review. Leland was too drunk to finish it, so Kane did it for him, writing a bad notice. Kane spent his whole life "trying to prove something."
Earlier, Mr. Bernstein told us that Lane and Leland have not spoken for years. Then Leland walks into the room where Kane is typing Susan's notice, and we have the following dialogue:

Kane: Hello Jedediah.
Jed: Hello, Charlie. I didn't know we were speaking.
Kane: Sure, we're speaking Jedediah. You're fired.

Unlike the baffled reporters, we know what "Rosebud" means as soon as Kane drops the snow globe. He's thinking about his youth in his parents' boarding house, a poor boy riding a sled and building snowmen. The only time in his life when he was really happy.
28 people found this helpful
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Tyler A.
5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic release for a classic movie
Reviewed in Canada on 28 November 2016
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At some point, most people have probably heard or seen a Citizen Kane reference -- I knew what Rosebud was long before I saw the film. But knowing what Rosebud is isn't the importance of the film -- it's the journey and the art. Welles' performance is incredible, but perhaps even more impressive is the composition of the film. There are multiple shots, camera angles and techniques that somehow look fresh and astounding even today. For me, the haunting, otherworldly shots of Xanadu will always stand out as one of the most impressive film scenes I've seen.

As for the Blu Ray itself, the quality is very impressive given the age of the movie. The restoration is carefully done, and the contrast is as it should be (dark blacks) instead of the more washed out look some of the previous releases had. The level of detail is fantastic, and the sets and matte paintings used to construct them appear even more impressive once you can see the full details. Overall, it is a noticeable step up from the DVD releases (as expected). The sound, mixed from a mono source, doesn't quite have the same pop as modern sound does, but that is to be expected, and it still does a wonderful job,

The only disappointment I had with the film is the extras. In terms of what they offer, they're quite excellent -- we get things like commentary, as well as the initial trailer and scenes from the screening, but the real gems are the 'The Battle Over Citizen Kane' documentary and the 'RKO 281' HBO movie, both of which chronicle the creation and release of the movie. Unfortunately, what brings them down is that they're both in standard definition, which is a bit jarring given the gorgeous high-def picture of Citizen Kane itself.

Overall, this is a fantastic release package for an even more impressive movie, and is absolutely worth checking out if you haven't experienced Citizen Kane before.
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