How does a movie like Citizen Kane, made in 1941, stay relevant in the present? Option one would be to make a film that engages the audience with cinematography and elliptical editing so smooth you won’t even notice the swift manipulation of time. Orson Welles and cinematographer Gregg Toland’s use of these techniques creates a rich and layered narrative. Or option two, make it good enough for future writers to joke about it.
Take Keanu Reeves, for example. In 2014, he released an April Fool’s joke about reimagining the movie. The new version, titled Citizen Kane 3-D, was directed by and starred Keanu Reeves, and added a martial-arts subplot to the tale of a wealthy media tycoon who dies friendless, haunted by his childhood.
Keanu isn’t the only one good at making playful remarks; in fact, The Simpsons created an entire episode dedicated to the parody and reveals the Simpsons character Mr. Burns’ backstory while doing so. This clever homage and original storytelling intertwining shows how Citizen Kane remains part of our cultural fabric. Unable to link the real episode, I have included a video from NowThisNerd to help foster the story. He also details how the Simpsons start their referencing journey, but he does a good job of making clear comparisons for our purposes.
These playful reinterpretations aren’t just jokes; they’re how classic films stay relevant across generations. They introduce timeless stories to new audiences and keep the conversation going, ensuring that the original works don’t get forgotten.
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