Orson Welles
...I would like to turn our attention to Mr. Orson Welles and specifically his use of lighting and camera angles in two black and white films, Citizen Kane and Touch of Evil. Citizen Kane was released nearly 20 years before Touch of Evil, but the only true indication of this time lapse is Welles' personal weight gain. Other than that, there is truly little visible difference in the two. Both are laden with brilliant shots, great acting and an intense musical score. So what I would like to do is use these two films as a comparative vehicle for analysis, but as I stated above, the main focus will be on the dramatic use of dark and light as well as the creative use of camera angles.
Orson Welles, as it has been said many times and by people of much greater authority than myself, was a genius and an American tragedy all wrapped into one, who unfortunately has had more celebration posthumously than otherwise. I don't believe that Welles was necessarily the greatest actor of all times, though he was great. And for that matter I don't have an opinion as to whether or not he was a brilliant screen writer. However the fact is that Orson Welles knew precisely how to manipulate viewers' subconscious with the cunning use of camera angles and intense light and dark.
As you asked us to, I will dive straight into analysis of specific scenes, and I will begin with the use of light and dark. Black and white films have an amazing quality that can never be achieved in color. It is no secret that photographs and film have something in common. When they are developed in black and white they rise to a level of drama and evoke emotion and reaction with an intensity that cannot be matched. Color film was quite available during the production of both films, evidenced by the production of previous films such as MGM's 1939 production of The Wizard of Oz, but had Welles...
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