# Movies that were the "Citizen Kane" of their genre **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 2, 2013, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-that-were-the-citizen-kane-of-their-genre/672943 "2013-11-02T20:33:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2013, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-that-were-the-citizen-kane-of-their-genre/672943/1 "2013-11-02T20:33:31Z")
I just watched “Shakes the Clown” on Netflix last week. It has been described as the Citizen Kane of alcoholic clown movies. I used to have a videotape of “Babe” that had a blurb on the box that called it the Citizen Kane of talking pig movies. What other movies have been called the “Citizen Kane” of their genre? And of course the more outrageous the genre, the better. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2013, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-that-were-the-citizen-kane-of-their-genre/672943/2 "2013-11-02T21:13:21Z")
[Here](http://entertainment.time.com/2013/05/01/the-citizen-kane-of-citizen-kane-lists/) is an article from _Time_ magazine that collects some of these comparisons, including Ebert calling _Bring It On_ the _Citizen Kane_ of cheerleader movies. Also, _Cinefantastique_ called _The Wicker Man_ the _Citizen Kane_ of horror movies. ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2013, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-that-were-the-citizen-kane-of-their-genre/672943/3 "2013-11-02T21:49:35Z")
[Wee Geordie](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0048112/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1) is the Citizen Kane of Olympic Hammer-throwing movies. ---
**Author:** ![Reverse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e79b87/32.png) [@Reverse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reverse)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2013, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-that-were-the-citizen-kane-of-their-genre/672943/4 "2013-11-02T21:51:53Z")
Schindler’s List is the Citizen Kane of black and white dramas about a person. ---
**Author:** ![ruh-roh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@ruh-roh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ruh-roh)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2013, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-that-were-the-citizen-kane-of-their-genre/672943/5 "2013-11-02T22:03:58Z")
I have never understood the fascination with the movie Citizen Kane. As much as I always liked Orson Welles as an actor, I found the movie to be extremely boring. I only sat through the whole thing because I kept expecting better, and the whole rosebud thing at the end was stupid, out of place, and a bit grotesque with the lips closeup. I guess I just didn’t get it, from either an entertainment or some sort of movie analysis aspect. For me to see a movie compared to Citizen Kane usually means it is something to avoid. and sorry, other than my rant I don’t have anything to add to your list. ---
**Author:** ![seal\_cleaner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e274bd/32.png) [@seal\_cleaner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/seal_cleaner)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2013, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-that-were-the-citizen-kane-of-their-genre/672943/6 "2013-11-02T22:16:48Z")
Totally off topic: when my dad bought a Mercedes, his friend called it “the Cadillac of Cars.” ---
**Author:** ![Slithy\_Tove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slithy_tove/32/18248_2.png) [@Slithy\_Tove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slithy_Tove)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2013, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-that-were-the-citizen-kane-of-their-genre/672943/7 "2013-11-02T22:31:50Z")
Citizen Kane was the respected movie during a long era when movies weren’t respected. A lot of that was due to a type of Margaret Dumont cultural elitism that’s now so long-dead that it’s hard four us to imagine, similar to the casual anti-semitism that people used to adopt. Also, it had an element of anti-Americanism: until the postwar creation of art films in Europe, movies were just yet another vulgar American factory product. Once television came along, (“chewing gum for the eyes”) movies suddenly looked dignified and distinguished in comparison. Still, for a long time when movies were Tom Mix shoots-em-ups and Andy Hardy and Beach Blanket Bingo, Citizen Kane was a stand-out (even though, if you looked, it had plenty of peers). ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2013, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-that-were-the-citizen-kane-of-their-genre/672943/8 "2013-11-02T22:33:18Z")
In porn, that would be [Citizen Pain](http://www.iafd.com/title.rme/title=Citizen+Pain/year=1997/citizen-pain.htm). ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2013, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-that-were-the-citizen-kane-of-their-genre/672943/9 "2013-11-02T22:53:37Z")
> [@kunilou](#): > > In porn, that would be [Citizen Pain](http://www.iafd.com/title.rme/title=Citizen+Pain/year=1997/citizen-pain.htm). I have seen people calling [Pirates](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pirates_(2005_film)) the Citizen Kane of porn. ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2013, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-that-were-the-citizen-kane-of-their-genre/672943/10 "2013-11-03T14:50:50Z")
If they made one for zombie films, it would be “Citizen Braaaaaains” Although I guess the original Night of the Living Dead is the real Citizen Kane of zombie films. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2013, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-that-were-the-citizen-kane-of-their-genre/672943/11 "2013-11-03T17:41:58Z")
Film Threat called _Forbidden Zone_ “The Citizen Kane of Underground Movies.” ---
**Author:** ![Reverse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e79b87/32.png) [@Reverse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reverse)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2013, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-that-were-the-citizen-kane-of-their-genre/672943/12 "2013-11-03T19:56:26Z")
Citizen Kane is the Citizen Kane of Citizen Kane’s of movies. ---
**Author:** ![Jeff\_Lichtman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jeff_lichtman/32/1531_2.png) [@Jeff\_Lichtman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jeff_Lichtman)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2013, 7:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-that-were-the-citizen-kane-of-their-genre/672943/13 "2013-11-04T07:55:27Z")
Citizen Kane is a historically important movie because it brought a lot of then-new filmmaking techniques to the forefront - things like deep focus, innovative camera angles, wipes and dissolves. These things made a big impression on film critics, and for a long time the consensus was that Citizen Kane was the best movie ever made. All of the movie’s innovations became commonplace, so that to modern eyes it seems less impressive. Citizen Kane is still respected by critics and historians, but it’s not loved by audiences. Freaky Friday is the Citizen Kane of body-switch movies. Dumb and Dumber is the Citizen Kane of idiot comedies. Halloween is the Citizen Kane of dead teenager movies. ---
**Author:** ![the\_diego](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7bcc69/32.png) [@the\_diego](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/the_diego)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2013, 8:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-that-were-the-citizen-kane-of-their-genre/672943/14 "2013-11-04T08:50:24Z")
Dr. Zhivago. ---
**Author:** ![Stringbean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Stringbean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stringbean)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2013, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-that-were-the-citizen-kane-of-their-genre/672943/15 "2013-11-04T23:30:03Z")
Citizen Kane is watching a master take risks to achieve art on a elevated level. If you just want a good story that is easy to swallow, you are not the Citizen Kane of movie-lovers. ---
**Author:** ![MEBuckner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mebuckner/32/2896_2.png) [@MEBuckner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MEBuckner)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2013, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-that-were-the-citizen-kane-of-their-genre/672943/16 "2013-11-04T23:32:51Z")
> [@Reverse](#): > > Citizen Kane is the Citizen Kane of Citizen Kane’s of movies. This post is the _Citizen Kane_ of posts in this thread. ---
**Author:** ![Ranger\_Jeff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranger_jeff/32/2065_2.png) [@Ranger\_Jeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranger_Jeff)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2013, 4:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-that-were-the-citizen-kane-of-their-genre/672943/17 "2013-11-05T04:01:52Z")
Gone With The Wind is the Citizen Kane of films based on historical romantic novels written by Margaret Mitchell. ---
**Author:** ![Steophan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steophan/32/9595_2.png) [@Steophan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steophan)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2013, 5:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-that-were-the-citizen-kane-of-their-genre/672943/18 "2013-11-05T05:21:23Z")
_Stagecoach_ is the _Citizen Kane_ of westerns, and indeed one of the films that most influenced Wells when making it. ---
**Author:** ![Ellis\_Aponte\_Jr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@Ellis\_Aponte\_Jr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellis_Aponte_Jr)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2013, 5:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-that-were-the-citizen-kane-of-their-genre/672943/19 "2013-11-05T05:33:49Z")
Andrew Sarris called _A Hard Day’s Night_ “the Citizen Kane of jukebox musicals” upon its release in 1964, which must be one of the earliest Citizen Kane-ifications by a critic. ---
**Author:** ![Lucas\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lucas_jackson/32/303_2.png) [@Lucas\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucas_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2013, 5:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-that-were-the-citizen-kane-of-their-genre/672943/20 "2013-11-05T05:56:39Z")
[Ghost Dog](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0165798/) is the Citizen Kane of films based on Black Samurai mob hit men mixed with hip hop culture. [Bubba Ho-Tep](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0281686/) is the Citizen Kane of films based on Elvis and re-animated ancient Egyptian mummys. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-that-were-the-citizen-kane-of-their-genre/672943.md?page=2)