Citizen Kane Mise En Scene Analysis

Citizen Kane (Welles, 1941) challenged traditional narrative and technical elements of classic Hollywood cinema through techniques in cinematography, mise-en-scene and lighting. The mise-en-scene build of Citizen Kane is the pivoting point of the narrative forthcoming and Welles uses every technical element encompassed in this build to span his narrative across 60 years of Charles Foster Kane, the main character 's life. The beginning of this build is founded on the black and white shooting choice which sets an ominous almost 'film noir ' lighting and feel of the opening scene of the castle in Xanadu. This where we see end of Kane 's life, but every aspect of the film 's narrative will revolve around these frames and including the questions of 'who has died '?, 'what was the significance of the snow globe? ', and 'Who is rosebud? '. The camera angle in the deathbed scene is deliberately shot from a low angle, which further implies the importance of the person lying in the bed as well as providing mystery as the viewer is not yet privy to whom has just

Props are critical to the scene build. First with the snow globe and the start of the story and then the sled seen as Kane is first taken from his home. Many subsequent scenes also have props that serve to help tell the story. Such is the case for props that provide fodder for expressing anger as Kane 's second wife leaves him and he trashes her room. Almost every prop is destroyed except the snow globe, which Kane holds and reveres as he whispers 'Rosebud '. Props are also critical to the close of the film,Citizen Kane, as the elusive meaning of Rosebud is brought to light by the flames of the incinerator set up to get rid of 'junk '. This single act of burning the sled named 'Rosebud ' speaks volumes to how we may pass judgment on something we see as 'junk ' but on further examination- this sled was actually a symbol to so much more to what drove Kane and