Episode 58: Mank and Citizen Kane

Cinema in Context

Exploring the "greatest film of all time". Sarah Watt, Jeremy Downing and William Chen discuss Mank (2020) and Citizen Kane (1941). We start by comparing Mank to Joker and Alien3, and then jumping into a discussion of Citizen Kane, as the subjective greatest film of all time. We discuss the impressive cinematography and the strength of the cast, linking the strength of the ensemble to the films of Christopher Guest. We unpack the shots and cinema work of both Citizen Kane and Mank, praising the work of Kane and questioning some of the techniques used in Mank. We compare Mank to Roma and Ed Wood, for their use of cinema techniques. Our discussion moves to the various motivations behind the making of Mank and how they either work or don't work. We talk about the strengths and weaknesses of the cast of Mank, including Amanda Seyfried, Gary Oldman, Charles Dance, Tuppence Middleton, Tom Burke and Lilly Collins. Our conversation touches on the Netflix deal David Fincher has made, comparing the potential compromise to the work of Francis Ford Coppola, Terry Gilliam and Quentin Tarantino. We finish our chat with a focus on Citizen Kane and Mank's storytelling, politics, and intentions around social and political commentary.