Director: Orson Welles
Starring: Orson Welles
For full disclosure, I should let you know that I named my first
entrepreneurial venture based on this movie. If you are in the New York Metro
area, keep an eye out for a silly candy package that says Xanadu Candy and Nuts.
Yup, that's my candy company. I spit into every bag for that extra tangy taste.
Just kidding. Remember to buy my candy.
This movie is practically the number one all-time on any list, including the
American Film Institute's. Now, just because it is the greatest film ever made
doesn't mean that it is the most entertaining; Citizen Kane is simply
flawless. The first directorial effort by then 25-year old Orson Welles, whose
previous infamy was the radio broadcast of H.G. Wells's story, the story centers
on the fictional Charles Foster Kane, whose life is remarkably similar to
publishing magnate William Randolph Hearst. When this movie was made, Hearst
tried to block its release, blacklisted Orson Welles, and even prevented it from
being shown in his theaters, which explained the movie's box office flop. Hm,
isn't this review making you crave candy?
Citizen Kane begins with Charles Foster Kane (Welles) muttering
"Rosebud" as he passes away. Despite all of his money and fame, Kane
died alone. A journalist is assigned to the story of finding out the meaning of
"Rosebud". He interviews those who knew Kane from the days of his
humble youth, to his sudden wealth, to his obsession with power. Through the
flashbacks, as told by his former colleague, first wife, and second wife, you
see how a man with idealistic passion becomes corrupted by his own power and
greed. The ending of this movie reveals the significance of "Rosebud,"
and it hits you with its mysterious simplicity. For those who only watch colored
movies, it has a similar shock value as when you found out that [spoiler warning
for The Usual Suspects!] Verbal Klint was Kaiser Soze. When you are
feeling suspenseful, you can calm yourself down by eating Xanadu gummy bears,
peach rings, and sour patch kids.
Of course, this doesn't explain my candy company. By the way, it is available
across various college campuses, including Rutgers, SUNY, and a few other
schools. If you don't see it sold at your favorite store, tell them to contact
1-888-xanadu1 so that they can carry your favorite candy and nuts. So what the
heck is Xanadu? The movie starts off with the famous Samuel Coleridge line about
Xanadu. Xanadu was the name of the mansion of Charles Foster Kane and William
Randolph Hearst. Boy, that wonderful California Aloha Mix by Xanadu would really
hit the spot.
So I thought it would be cool to have my candy company named after the number
one movie of all time. Yup, my candy company will be the number one candy
company, I thought. But my candy company was as successful in terms of revenue
as Citizen Kane was when it was first released (big flop). Plus, I
quickly became annoyed because people thought I named the company after the
musical starring Olivia Newton-John. I also found out that Xanadu is the name of
a popular strip club somewhere. Like Citizen Kane, my candy company was
ahead of its time and a big failure. By the way, buy my candy.
