1. Citizen Kane
Anyone with a decent sense of film history should know that Citizen Kane, even if you don't think its the "best" movie ever, is undoubtedly one of the top five most influential movies of all-time, and without doubt the most impressive debut film ever made. With Citizen Kane, director Orson Welles revolutionized filmmaking more than any other figure since the silent age. Although immensely controversial upon its release and not very widely seen between its initial run and re-release a decade later, Kane was almost immediately noted for its use of deep focus cinematography, non-linear storytelling, and special effects that allowed the camera to go through doors, windows, and ceilings. Citizen Kane was nearly undone by its parallels to the newspaper magnate William Randolph Hearst, who did his best to keep anyone from seeing it and although he was initially successful, he ironically is now permanently associated with the film due to his efforts. It has been common for over fifty years now for Citizen Kane to be the default #1 when someone makes a list of the all-time greatest films and while whether or not it deserves the title is a topic for a different article, it more than deserves to be considered the most impressive debut film ever made.
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