7. Citizen Kane
Often regarded as the finest film ever made, Orson Welle's debut film was one of the most controversial films ever made at the time of its release due to its alleged similarities to the real life William Randolph Hearst. Having since been reexamined by critics, Citizen Kane has been recognized for its influence on future filmmakers as well as introducing a host of cinematic techniques. Arguably the most famous cinematographic advance made by Citizen Kane was its use of Deep Focus, which brought the whole visual frame into focus, allowing more to take place in every shot. Another advance was the use of the "wipe", where one scene would wipe the preceding scene off the screen, allowing for more natural transitions between scenes. In addition, Welles experimented with different camera angles and lighting and Citizen Kane is considered by some critics to be the first film noir. As well as the host of visual innovations it introduced, Citizen Kane also was groundbreaking for its use of a non-linear narrative and it is well deserving of its reputation as one of cinemas best offerings.