Rating: 
Summary: Very Interesting Examination of the Making of Citizen Kane."
Review: "Citizen Kane" is one of my all-time favorite movies, so I had to check out this film. All I could say was that it enhanced my love for "Kane" even more. "RKO 281" is the David and Goliath story of Orson Welles taking on one of the most powerful men in the world, newspaper giant, William Randolph Hearst. This puts onto film the real battles between Welles and nearly every person who stood between him and the completion of his movie, which closely mimicked the life of Heart in a most unflattering way. It's the story of a newspaper giant and a boy genius going toe-to-toe in a monumental power struggle that shook the foundation of what can be done in a film. In the end, we wonder if the winners truly won, and if the losers truly lost. It is a prize of a film, and it is a MUST for any fan of Welles' work, and "Citizen Kane" in particular.
Rating:
Summary: Thrilling And Fascinating.
Review: "RKO 281" is one of the best films I've seen about the making of a movie. It is a fascinating and provocative movie about a great filmmaker striving to make something worthwhile and big names trying to take him down. There were a lot of things I didn't know about the making of "Citizen Kane" that are shown here and I was glad they were. The performances are first rate, the photography richly captures the period and everything is filmed at a thrilling pace. Orson Welles was a genius and this movie captures the fiery passions that are found in only the greatest artists. "RKO 281" is also a fascinating look inside Hollywood politics during the era in which it takes place. It proves that a good story can be exciting without much shoot-outs, we're are thrilled by watching Welles take on the men who wish to see his movie burn to the ground in order to appease some evil money tycoon. "RKO 281" is a great movie for anyone fascinated and interested in film history. Film buffs will get a kick out of this one.
Rating:
Summary: Very Interesting Examination of the Making of Citizen Kane."
Review: "Citizen Kane" is one of my all-time favorite movies, so I had to check out this film. All I could say was that it enhanced my love for "Kane" even more. "RKO 281" is the David and Goliath story of Orson Welles taking on one of the most powerful men in the world, newspaper giant, William Randolph Hearst. This puts onto film the real battles between Welles and nearly every person who stood between him and the completion of his movie, which closely mimicked the life of Heart in a most unflattering way. It's the story of a newspaper giant and a boy genius going toe-to-toe in a monumental power struggle that shook the foundation of what can be done in a film. In the end, we wonder if the winners truly won, and if the losers truly lost. It is a prize of a film, and it is a MUST for any fan of Welles' work, and "Citizen Kane" in particular.
Rating: 
Summary: Good idea, poor execution.
Review: "Inspired" by the American Experience documentary on the making of 'Citizen Kane', this film might have been a good one had the writers stuck to the facts (and in this case truth is much more interesting and surprising than RKO 281's fiction) and the cast been of a better caliber. In other words, a good idea, poor execution. Melanie Griffith's execrable performance is so bad it's beyond laughable and is a total insult to the talented and bewitching Marion Davies. John Malkovich is wasted and I'm afraid that Welles is too much of a giant for Liev Schrieber; (perhaps Vincent D'Onofrio could have handled the role). After watching this film I had to put in "The Battle Over Citizen Kane" from the Kane DVD to purge the sour taste of infotainment brought on by this HBO production.
Rating:
Summary: Thrilling And Fascinating.
Review: "RKO 281" is one of the best films I've seen about the making of a movie. It is a fascinating and provocative movie about a great filmmaker striving to make something worthwhile and big names trying to take him down. There were a lot of things I didn't know about the making of "Citizen Kane" that are shown here and I was glad they were. The performances are first rate, the photography richly captures the period and everything is filmed at a thrilling pace. Orson Welles was a genius and this movie captures the fiery passions that are found in only the greatest artists. "RKO 281" is also a fascinating look inside Hollywood politics during the era in which it takes place. It proves that a good story can be exciting without much shoot-outs, we're are thrilled by watching Welles take on the men who wish to see his movie burn to the ground in order to appease some evil money tycoon. "RKO 281" is a great movie for anyone fascinated and interested in film history. Film buffs will get a kick out of this one.
Rating:
Summary: best movie about orson welles!
Review: any fan of orson wellles would want to add this movie to thier collection! this is a real good account of him trying to put his movie citizen kane out and the trouble he went through to get it there. A MUST SEE~!
Rating:
Summary: best movie about orson welles!
Review: any fan of orson wellles would want to add this movie to thier collection! this is a real good account of him trying to put his movie citizen kane out and the trouble he went through to get it there. A MUST SEE~!
Rating:
Summary: Absolutely Outstanding!
Review: Anyone who was lucky enough to see this film on HBO knows what a fascinating look this is at the making of one of the greatest films ever made, "Citizen Kane". Having only previously seen Liev Schreiber in the "Scream" movies, I had NO idea how he was going to make anyone believe he was Orson Welles. But he does, and does it beautifully! Once you watch this movie, and find out what went on behind the scenes of "Citizen Kane", and how it almost didn't get made or released, you'll watch "Kane" with an all new set of eyes. This is an outstanding tribute to a great filmmaker. James Cromwell is also amazing as William Randolph Hearst, and by the end of "RKO 281", I actually ALMOST had some sympathy for the guy, which shows just how talented Cromwell and Melanie Griffith (who plays his girlfriend/lover) are as actors. If you didn't get to see this on HBO, and you're a "Citizen Kane" or Orson Welles fan, this is DEFINATELY a MUST SEE! Buy it now!
Rating: 
Summary: CITIZEN WELLES
Review: CITIZEN KANE is an American masterpiece. But, at what point it looked like it would never flicker on any screen. But, thats another story. Well, the movie RKO 281 IS that other story and a very entertaining one at that. With its brisk running time, (a mere eighty-something minutes) the film entertains bot in its examination of the conflicting and conflicted Welles (Liev Schreiber) and Hearst (James Cromwell). Additionally, we get a nice look at Hollywood of the early forties. Scattered throughout are wonderful re-productions of the KANE set, recording sessions and even some of the camerawork is re-created, only as it applies to this new story. This HBO film is sturdy (as is their FROM THE EARTH TO THE MOON and BAND OF BROTHERS), and seems to succeed where other films of the sort (MAN ON THE MOON) fail. Don't tell anyone, ROSEBUD's the sled.
Rating:
Summary: CITIZEN WELLES
Review: CITIZEN KANE is an American masterpiece. But, at what point it looked like it would never flicker on any screen. But, thats another story. Well, the movie RKO 281 IS that other story and a very entertaining one at that. With its brisk running time, (a mere eighty-something minutes) the film entertains bot in its examination of the conflicting and conflicted Welles (Liev Schreiber) and Hearst (James Cromwell). Additionally, we get a nice look at Hollywood of the early forties. Scattered throughout are wonderful re-productions of the KANE set, recording sessions and even some of the camerawork is re-created, only as it applies to this new story. This HBO film is sturdy (as is their FROM THE EARTH TO THE MOON and BAND OF BROTHERS), and seems to succeed where other films of the sort (MAN ON THE MOON) fail. Don't tell anyone, ROSEBUD's the sled.
|
