therealfuster Posted December 22, 2004 Share Posted December 22, 2004 Does anyone else here have this obsession I have, to always see that part of the film "Citizen Kane" where there is like the obtrusive overlay of the screaming bansheelike white cockatoo, on the film strip? It comes around the part of the film where there is the picnic, the wild jazz band, and Kane and wife #2 are arguing. It's odd because Kane's appearance in this film does seem similar to Peter Lorre's in the earlier film, "Mad Love" which also had the wild cockatoo flying around in the Galatea statue scene, with Lorre ensconced in his abode. Comparisons are odious, but.....the two films have a bit of a similar theme, of the protagonist trying to invent and recreate a woman to fit his ideals. What's your take? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
venerados Posted December 22, 2004 Share Posted December 22, 2004 Never thought to compare the two. It's a pretty common theme. So in Kane's mind, Susan's leaving is equated with a pet bird shrieking and flying away. Do you think the bird in Mad Love represents something similar? I haven't seen Mad Love in a while and I don't remember that particular scene. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nickdimeo Posted December 23, 2004 Share Posted December 23, 2004 The one thing in CITIZEN KANE that always boggled my mind was that horrible fake background that was created for the picnic scene. The fake birds that flew in the air were laughable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
therealfuster Posted December 27, 2004 Author Share Posted December 27, 2004 I never meant to imply that Susan is being represented by the shrieking white cockatoo or anything. In fact, it is this very anomalous character to the shot in question, that makes it so interesting to me. Nor do I think the white cockatoo in Mad Love represents the Galatea theme, but the characters as played by Lorre and Welles have such similar makeup and bald heads, that it is a bit disconcerting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
venerados Posted December 28, 2004 Share Posted December 28, 2004 No, I know you didn't. I was speaking for myself, saying the cockatoo was Susan, or was at least recreating the shock that Kane felt when she left. I guess it was anomalous, but there are several shots that aren't just unique to Citizen Kane but totally unique. The one that sticks with me the most is when Kane is getting up to dance and he looks like he's in a different plane from the foreground, and when he tosses his jacket it looks like it's coming out of the screen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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