American Cinema Criticism: Timothy Corrigan Approaches to Writing About Films and Literature

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American Cinema Criticism
Film and Literature
There is a fervent and subtle relationship between film and literature. On the surface both the film and literature can be associated with the culture of their origin. Films that are made in America largely embody the American culture even though they may have been adopted from other cultures in the world. At the same time, it is the work of the directors to make sure that, for the sake of the authenticity of the cultures that they represent, all the aspects of that culture are represented to some significant levels. It is common to watch films that are said to represent certain cultural aspects of specific cultures in the world and feel detached from the content. This is especially the case where the content of the film and the characteristics of the production and representation do not match the underlying information on the specific culture. In most of the cases, the films are adapted from the literature material that has been published before, such as novels, poems and short stories among others. The literature material is representative of the cultural aspects of the context and content and the directors in the film have to try as much to come close to the representation of the literature. Timothy Corrigan brings out some of the basic elements that should be considered when writing about a film. There are six approaches established by Corrigan on the various ways that one can evaluate or critique a film. Using these six approaches this paper critiques the film Citizen Kane.
Timothy Corrigan approaches to writing about films and literature
There are quite a number of factors that determine the way that any given film is directed and ultimately produced. Aspects such as political, social and finances take the basic influences that affect the adaption of any literature into a film (Faculty-staff.ou.edu). When writing about a film adapted from literature, there are quite a number factors that one look at. Different people will come up with aspects that they would consider to be crucial to the evaluation of the same. Timothy Corrigan, however, developed one of the most elaborate means of critiquing films that has stood the test of time. In his model, there are six approaches that can help understand the subtle development of the film and what it stands for (Faculty-staff.ou.edu). These are approaches that help the researcher to understand more about the film in a more standardized format. The six approaches proposed by Corrigan include the film history, national cinemas, genres, auteurs, formalism and ideology (Listology.com).
Citizen Kane
This is a film that takes on the mantle for a classic masterpiece and one that brought to the film industry fresh and sophisticated filmography. This film is highly rated and one of the most famous masterpieces in the American history of film making and one that be awarded massive recognition across the film industry. Some of the elements that have stood out for the film, include the remarkable performances, experimental innovations, remarkable scenes, narrative techniques and the cinematic characters. In the film Orso Welles is the lead star, producer and the director. Collaborating together with Herman J. Mankiewicz on the script and a talented cinematographer Gregg Toland, they created a masterpiece that revolutionized the film industry in America and beyond. The film which is based on the life of the character named Charles Foster Kane, did not receive much recognition after its release in the year 1941, however much of the recognition after the Second World War.
Citizen Kane According to the Corrigan text
The history of the film relates to the historical elements around which the film is based on. However, in most cases the historical element is one that can be quite delicate as it may not be unmediated (Filmsite.org). At the time of the movie release, William Randolph Hearst was a newspaper magnate. As such the life of the main character in the film, seemed to depict that of the magnate. This was one of the reasons that the film was never released on time. William for the better part of the production was highly opposed to the film, as it seemed to portray him and his business empire in bad light (Filmsite.org). Hearst made a lot of effort into foiling the efforts of the team to produce the film. Much of the efforts that Hearst put into his negative campaigns included blackmail and a myriad of threats. For the better part of the film production and release, Hearst was successful as it only became an iconic piece quarter a century after its official release. The historical significance of the film is largely pegged on the fact that the film revolutionized the film industry with a bold attempt at innovative cinematic techniques in the narratives development (Filmsite.org). The film accredited with introducing some experimental camera angles and features that included swiping images across the screen, all of which were new to the film industry (Faculty-staff.ou.edu). Most of the approaches used in the film were well beyond their time. While the element of Hearst’s life having been portrayed in the film being debatable, it is clear that there is some significance in the resemblance in the two stories. Furthermore, the fact that, the magnate made efforts to foil the production and release of the film is quite significant historically.
National Cinemas
This is an approach that relates the manner in which a certain film portrays the culture from where it is made. Different films adapted from different cultural backgrounds will have different national cinemas. The film portrays culture of the American dream and the elements of capitalism at their best. Relative to the fact that the film depicts life before the Second World War and life after the First World War, at a time the American dream was rising as an ideology and the elements of capitalism gaining root across the globe. Kane grows up alone from a poor background, as he is seen to be playing in the snow (Filmsite.org). The idea of Kane playing alone on the snow depicts a poor child that lacks the friends. However all of this changes when he gains the family fortune and becomes one of the wealthiest men in America. However, the director adds a twist to the story, where he show that even with the element of the American dream, such as affluence and luxury there were elements of loss too (Faculty-...