Collateral vs citizen kane: looking at the similarities

Collateral and Citizen Kane

The opening of Collateral and many other films leave the audience with questions. In the case of Collateral the audience wonder. The relationship and connection between Max and Annie? What consequences will Max encounter for driving Vincent? Questions like these create suspense and engage the audience in the movie. and In the start of the movie Vincent’s gets into Max’s cab max knows LA very well so Vincent offers him $600 to drive him. Max hesitates but accepts the cash. When a dead body fall out to the cab Vincent Shares that he is a hitman. He has four more targets to get. He pressures Max to hide the body in his cab. The movies closes with Max and Vincent in a shootout. As the scene end, the subway car goes dark. Vincent dies, quickly followed by Max. Max and Annie get off at the next station, in the dawn of a new day.

It is important to connect the end and beginning because the ending reveals clarity and context to the question in the start. A good start builds up towards a good ending. They are important to compare in order to show the changing story tone and theme of the story.

Citizen Kane was created in 1941 by Orson Welles. It opens up in a mansion in Xanadu. Florida nN elderly man named Charles Kane lays on his deathbed. He is holding a snow globe in his hand. Right before he dies he whispers “ Rosebud”. The globe falls from his hand and smashes on the floor. This is significant because it creates mystery and question in the audience’s mind. They wonder who or what Rosebud is. It also created mystery on how the man died. Kane was a newspaper publisher who held immense wealth. Due to his wealth and mystery, Kane’s death is known around the world. People are wondering what the meaning of Rosebud is. Jerry Thompson, a reporter is given the task to find the meaning of Rosebud”. The movie progresses as Thomson tries to find the meaning of Rosebud after meeting with numerous people he concludes that Rosebud will always be a mystery. The films end with as “ Rosebud” is the name of a sled from his childhood. It is shown on the day he was taken from his home in Colorado. Thought to be junk by Xanadu’s staff, the sled is burned in a furnace.

Throughout the film, Kane is represented as a mysterious and complicated person. This leaves viewers with more questions than answers as to his character. This movie includes The News on the March sequence which gives the whole story of Kane’s life at the beginning of the film, this end of leaving the audience without the little wonder of what events will take place. How as film begins repeat events through the perspective of others. This shifts the audience to analyze and wonder about Kane’s life and what is “ Rosebud”. The film then returns to the straightforward perspective in the final scene, when only the audience discovers what “ Rosebud” means. However through more analysis by the audience is still left with questions. Why were Rosebuds his last words? Was it a thing that comforts him in hard times.