Rating: 
Summary: Superb DVD production
Review: There's not much I can say about Citizen Kane itself that hasn't been said before. Is Citizen Kane "the best film ever made?" When you get down to it, who cares? It's a superb film.Ebert's commentary adds to this DVD an entertaining and enlightening lecture on the art of film-making. In my opinion, that commentary alone is worth the price of the disk, and provides a benchmark against which other DVD commentaries might get measured. Given that Citizen Kane, itself, is a benchmark film, this is probably only fitting.
Rating:
Summary: There is a reason it's always #1 on most great film lists...
Review: I think most people know about Citizen Kane and know how great it is (or at least how important it is even if you don't think it is "great"), so I won't comment about the movie itself. What I will comment on is the DVD and some of its special features. As far as the DVD quality goes, this is a great transfer of this film. I've seen it quite a few times on TV and video, but its never looked as great as this. However, more than any other reason, you should get this disc for the special features. Particularly the two commentaries by Roger Ebert and Peter Bogdanovich. These commentaries give amazing insight into the movie and the making of the movie. They enhance your enjoyment of the film because of the things you may not have noticed or realized during previous viewings. The commentaries discuss everything from how a shot was created to why the shot was chosen. There are a lot of revolutionary movie making techniques that were created during the making of this movie that we may not have realized because they are so commonplace in modern movies. These commentaries let us know exactly what those revolutionary technics are and why they are important. The Ebert review is my favorite. He keeps you interested through the whole movie and has great insight into the movie. Although repetitive at times and a bit rushed (which is the nature of the format since he can't exactly pause the movie for you to discuss an item at length... although that would be a very cool feature). The Bogdanovich commentary was good as well, but a bit dry and boring at times. He didn't have the same enthusiasm during the commentary as Ebert, but I think that's the nature of Bogdanovich and not because he isn't enthusiastic about the film. This is a must have DVD for any movie fan!
Rating:
Summary: #1 movie of ALL TIME
Review: Orson Welles' classic film depicting William Randolph Hearst's life, a man striving to regain his childhood, is a great film from both a technical, and a writing perspective. Welle's incredible directing has been used as the basis for all great directing of our time. His use of low/high angle shots, flashbacks, deep focus, and contrast are widley used nowadays. Not only is it a great movie, but a great DVD with two commentaries, and a great 2 hour documentary "the battle over citizen kane." Also, for those reviewers that dont like the fact that the movie isn't presented in widescreen...the film was made in 1941!! it was NEVER shown in widescreen!!!
Rating:
Summary: The Excelsior of Movie-Making
Review: If you only had the chance to watch one single movie in your lifetime, this would be the movie to see. It's the Sistine Chapel of cinematography, and Welles' 20th century genius is a fitting complement to the great artistic masters of the past. But the lesson that Citizen Kane teaches us at the movie's finale hits with greater force than any works painted on canvas or chisled in stone ever could: the affluence and power so many Americans strive for is indeed attainable, but only at a cost that no one can afford.
Rating:
Summary: It's so unbelievably good!
Review: It's absolutely incredible how ANYONE managed to make such a movie as this, least of all a 25-year-old. It looks like millions were spent on it, but in his absorbing and enthusiastic commentary Roger Ebert reveals how low-budget it actually was. The film of the century has absolutely EVERYTHING going for it. The performances are all fantastic, led by the showstopping Welles; the haunting Xanadu has a craggy desolation reminiscent of Edward Scissorhands' castle; each time Ebert points out a new trick of cinematography, it will bring a smile to your face. The DVD transfer is the most incredible I've ever seen. In my experience of DVDs I've only ever seen one that had as great a picture as this. I think it was Terminator 2. And this is sixty years old. If I switch to 9x digital zoom when I'm watching, there's still not a HINT of grain, fuzziness, or scratching. It's like they went through it frame by frame with Photoshop. It now looks like it was made yesterday, albeit in black and white. The most astonishing restoration of an old film EVER. The soundtrack was also given a worthy polish, and it's there in all its original mono glory. Do I need to tell you that the extras are great? The trailer alone is one of the most fun in cinema history. There's the occasional person who would call this a boring film. THEY - ARE - WRONG. And they don't know WHAT they're missing. This is a film that you must give two hours of your FULL attention, NOT switching it off half way through. I made that mistake myself once, and for a short while I mistakenly dismissed it as boring. When you've given it your time, you will be rewarded in a great many ways. And you'll have seen filmmaking at its most masterful.
Rating: 
Summary: One of the worst movies
Review: I'd heard so much about this movie that I finally bought it when it came out on this special DVD edition. Boy was I disappointed. The movie, supposedly based on the true-life news tycoon Hearst, is truly boring. While technically it has a lot of merits -- the editing, the cinematography, the make-ups -- the story itself is really difficult to follow. I paused the movie numerous times, because it was painful to go on watching it. After finally finishing the entire movie, I took out a few books on movies and read the relevant chapters on Citizen Kane. Of course they all sang high praises to the film. Then I watched it again, this time looking for the "classic" moments as described in the books, but once again I found the film disorienting and painful to watch. If you've never seen this movie, you may want to rent it first to see if you can stand it. If you like it, you may consider the DVD edition with an extra DVD on how the movie was made (an equally boring documentary).
Rating:
Summary: Beautiful rendering and lots of extras
Review: This treatment of the greatest movie of all time is the best yet. There are voice-over narrations by both Roger Ebert and Peter Bogdonovich that are very revealing. The companion special, "The Battle over Citizen Kane" enlightened me greatly, and I thought I knew a lot about Wells and this movie. I guess I didn't know much about Hearst. I also did not know that "Kane" was also an almost sub-conscious portrayal of Wells himself, as much as it was of Hearst. A must-have for the serious collector!
Rating: 
Summary: Long, At Times, But Enjoyable
Review: "Citizen Kane", based loosely, on the life of newspaper publisher W. R. Hurst, is as controversial a film as it is important. Orson Welles is supurb in the leading role, portraying the rags to riches newspaper publisher who becomes more stingy and cold as his riches and popularity, and power, increase. New techniques in film making, also Welles doing, gives the movie more depth. Fast cuts, and overlapping dialogue are Welles doing. Watch for the close ups, and scenes where the camera pans directly down from the ceiling - also Welles innovation. They are standard now, but never would have been but for Welles. The story begins with Kane on his deathbed, uttering that immortal and illusive word "rosebud". He dies. No sooner than he is buried than an extensive search is made to discover what the meaning of "rosebud" is. Newspaper reporters visit close friends, and distant enemies of Kane to gather insight. Now, the movie changes. A biography of the man's life is unfolded, unraveled, and, at times, maliciously documented; and depending on who is telling the story, Kane is either hero or villian. We see Kane as a little boy, being dragged away from his parents to live in wealth and comfortability. He does not want to leave his mother; though it is at her insisting he leave, for the sake of his future. The frame cuts, and it is now 20 years later, and enter Orson Welles. Kane is a young man now, headstrong, ambitious, and power hungry; a shell of the innocent boy we saw only minutes earlier. His life has changed. But is it what his mother had wanted? Throughout the rest of the film, Kane ages as fast as his character develops more hunger and thirst for power, always putting his work ahead of friends and family; lusting for more, more, more, and never satisfied ... until he ultimately destroys himself. The movie can be a bit long at times, and, as I have done, have the viewer fidgeting in his seat, wondering when the action will pick up. However, that is the movie's only flaw. I found "Citizen Kane" to be a great pyschological drama which I have enjoyed watching many times.
Rating:
Summary: Best movie ever
Review: I really recomend this fine master pice, The picture quality is so clear compared to tape I had. It's a great story with great actors.
Rating:
Summary: GLORIOUS MONO!
Review: I just wanted to say that this DVD is the best presentation of "citzen kane" I could ever hope to have. It's presented in its original aspect ratio (which is NOT pan and scan, it's full frame). The Picture is absolutely beautiful. The sound is richly presented in its original mono. Thank god no "5.1 ehnancement" was applied to ruin it. I mean really, that would be like going back to the Mona Lisa and making it more colorful. This film is the Mona Lisa, and this is the best lighting in which to see it.
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