Citizen Kane and The Simpsons

By Michael J.W. Stickings

Orson Welles's Citizen Kane, widely regarded to be one of the greatest movies ever made, if not the greatest, was released in theaters 70 years ago this week.

Much has been written about it, of course. I won't add anything here other than to say that while it isn't quite one of my favourite movies, it is undeniably an astonishing cinematic achievement and a truly great film. Does it deserve its critical accolades? Maybe, maybe not. I'd put Seven Samurai above it, among others, but anyone who pays attention to film, and truly loves film, must recognize its significance. At the time, it was entirely new, a ground-breaking movie that changed movies forever. Cinema in many ways still operates in its shadow.

If you haven't seen it... seriously, what are you waiting for? And if you have, I highly recommend watching it again with Roger Ebert's excellent commentary. It sheds light on just what makes it so great, and why even today, 70 years later, it is essential viewing.

I also recommend Nigel Andrews's recent piece at the Financial Times (reprinted at Slate). With an auteurist focus, it addresses Welles's accomplishment in all its grandeur.

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And these, below, come from a site called Actualidad Simpson, reposted here. (Check out Actualidad Simpson's amazing "Momentos de cine" page, featuring similar Simpsons comparisons to movies such as The Graduate, A Streetcar Named Desire, Vertigo, A Clockwork Orange, The Godfather, The Right Stuff, Raiders of the Lost Ark, and Terminator 2 -- with many more from Citizen Kane. Make sure to click to subsequent pages -- "Página siguiente" at the bottom of each page.)

There was, you may recall, an entire Simpsons episode paying homage to Citizen Kane, with Mr. Burns as the Charles Foster Kane (Welles) character: "Rosebud" from Season 5, one of the best Simpsons episodes ever.

Brilliant movie. Brilliant show.