Rashomon Watching Notes

Erna 2022-04-22 07:01:08

If it weren't for the image of the gust of wind

On the stage of the theater, the characters wander

switch screen

Monologue (confession) to state the case

Cloud meets tense drums

Shadow of leaves flashing figure struggling solemn face

The fast-moving footage also has a real substitution of wobbles

Medium shot of two people chasing after the shaking shot

Fierce women are cruel

absent questioner

The slain who is always silent in the secondary narrative (because he always exists in other people's stories)

Motif narrative: wife kills husband, robber kills husband

Akutagawa Ryunosuke's Opposition to Narrative, Against Structured Narrative, Against Authentic Language

Is it true what the dead husband said?

The wind rises, the soul rises.

hideous soul

Forgive who? Are robbers pure evil? What is the wife? What is a husband?

big still sweat

(self-confessed narrative

Abandoned woman's self-narrative --

So the self-narration of the two men is nothing but an attempt to restore their dignity

As a result, sin will come to everyone, and no one can be blamed.

And the tall, determined woman ended it all.

The noble and fierce fight ended in a clumsy farce.

The funny thing is that this narrative is also dispelled. Great.

The last story is the saddest

Looking down at the long shot - ironic; looking up at the close up shot - sincerity

What do you think is true? What do you think is good? Do you think you are upholding justice? Do you think your soul is saved? Do you think the eyes of compassion can really light up the world?

But what do you think, how much do you think you think?

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Extended Reading
  • Ewald 2021-11-13 08:01:23

    The first Kurosawa Akira. This is why, in the ultimate sense, people may not be able to understand and communicate with each other. The intention to the language is a loss, and the speaking to the hearing is another loss. A person's background, ability, and psychology all affect the focus of his speech and listening. Did not see evil, but saw human cowardice, vanity and limitations. The judge is hidden behind the camera, symbolizing the absence of the omniscient/truth. Cognitive opening brings light to the end

  • Pearlie 2022-03-23 09:01:39

    (9/10) The essence of this film is concentrated in the second half, but without the foreshadowing of the first half, this work cannot become a classic. The film version is actually a combination of two short stories by Akutagawa Ryunosuke, "Rashomon" and "In the Bamboo Forest". The two original works are both gloomy endings of despair of human nature, but Akira Kurosawa added a woodcutter. The end of the adoption scene is a symbol of hope for humanity.

Rashomon quotes

  • Woodcutter: I don't understand. I just don't understand. I don't understand it at all. I just don't understand.

  • Commoner: It sounded interesting, at least while I kept out of the rain. But if it's a sermon, I'd sooner listen to the rain.