CinemaBlend
I imagine that many of those who had anticipated the December 4th premiere of
Mank were especially excited to see the long-awaited return of David Fincher to feature-length filmmaking. I would also hope that most of the filmâs biggest champions had seen
Citizen Kane or at least had some knowledge of its place in cinematic history. I would not be surprised, however, if the title role of Herman Mankiewicz, portrayed by Gary Oldman, is someone many had never heard of before.
In fact, I would understand if most featured characters in the Netflix original biopic were strangers to anyone without a distinct familiarity for Hollywoodâs Golden Age.
Ben Kenigsberg, The New York Times
Published: 13 Dec 2020 10:22 AM BdST
Updated: 13 Dec 2020 10:22 AM BdST Gary Oldman, centre, as the title character in “Mank,” with Adam Shapiro, left, and Joseph Cross. The film argues that Orson Welles had little to do with the screenplay. Netflix
“Mank,” the new drama from David Fincher, revives an old charge against Orson Welles. Was Welles, who with “Citizen Kane” (1941) created what is often cited as the greatest movie ever made on his first try, actually standing on the shoulders of another genius? );
}
The movie, streaming on Netflix, dramatises the writing of “Citizen Kane” through the eyes of Herman J Mankiewicz, who received top billing on the shared screenplay credit with Welles. The film focuses on the period when Mankiewicz wrote what became a 300-page doorstop called “American,” partly drawing on his own experiences as a dinner guest of William Randolph Hearst, the newspaper tycoon and inspiration for
Original Content podcast: David Fincher presents a compelling character study in ‘Mank’
“Mank” is a change of pace for director David Fincher instead of exploring the world of startup backstabbing (“The Social Network”), political backstabbing (“House of Cards”) or actual stabbings (“Seven,” “Zodiac,” “Gone Girl,” “Mindhunter” etc.), Fincher takes us back to ’30s and ’40s Hollywood.
Working from a script by Fincher’s late father Jack, the movie is shot and edited to pay homage to the classic studio films of that era especially “Citizen Kane,” whose co-writer Herman Mankiewicz (played by Gary Oldman) is the “Mank” of the film’s title.
I was jazzed. One of the films I had been excited about was being released on Netflix: âMankâ about the development of Orson Wellesâ âCitizen Kaneâ and its screenwriter, Herman J. Mankiewicz. It has a great cast: Gary Oldman, recent Oscar winner for playing Winston Churchill, in the title role as screenwriter Herman J. Mankewicz, Charles Dance, Amanda Seyfried and Lily Collins, et al. David Fincher (âThe Girl with the Dragon Tattoo,â âGone Girlâ and âFight Clubâ) directed.
But then Fincher, because it takes place in the â30s, decided to film it in black and white, just to give it a little atmosphere. And, oh, letâs speed up the reel a bit, give it that jerky early 20th century movie feel. Even that would have put me over the edge. But then he had to go and flip scenes with changing time tables back and forth during Mankâs busiest decade in Hollywood. I thought at times that I was watching an old Keystone Cops flic
Miradas opuestas a la película Mank , de Netflix lavoz.com.ar - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from lavoz.com.ar Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.