How does Welles create an air of mystery in citizen Kane?

 

In the thriller film citizen Kane Welles uses the technique of having a fade to black at very beginning of the movie he made the gates of the start of the film symbol something like a prison, being trapped, this give me the theory that that it’s a bad place that no one can come in or out. He did a close up of the gate and paned up to make it looks like it’s moving up. But using a fade to black, this is good as it changes where they are this is making it more tense and making the audience confused on where they are? He also uses a close up to the man’s face. This is not showing the audience what he looks like only the more important parts. He saying “Rosebud” is an extreme close up. An extreme close up of his lips saying the word. He says it in a very quiet as it makes it more dramatic. In the film the man drops the snow globe, by the man dropping the snow globe; this shows the lady walk in and shows her refection. It’s an extreme close-up on the globe. At the start of the movie you never see the nurses face, them doing this give it a sense of mystery. There is no conversation in the opening only music and single word talking. This shows the audience what’s happening without convocation. Not knowing what the man died of make the audience think what did he die of? Welles also keeps going to window shot showing that this might be his room, makes the people think what is this window symbolising? I think it could mean that it’s his window to his room,.

Welles makes the audience think why did he die? What was wrong with him? He make the audience think that but doing close up shots of the man and the nurse. Still not letting them know who they are and why they are there. He also does a lot of fades to blacks these seem to flash back to the window. Makes you think what the interest in the window is.

Also Welles has added the effect of sound which is non-diegetic to make it more gripping and thrilling. The non- diegetic sound means that its outside the film it’s not meant to be in the film. It also shows a lot of shadows in the film and the lighting is very dark to make it scarier but the only light in it is from the window. Why is that the only light though?