Rashomon

Rashomon

By: Akira Kurosawa

                        What should be a simple recount of a rape and murder that occurred, turns into a surprisingly complex story about what MAY have happened.  The movie takes place under the gate of Rashomon where a woodcutter, a priest, and another man are seeking shelter out of the rain.  They begin talking about a murder that has occurred, in which the woodcutter has witnessed. We learn the story of what may have happened entirely through the flashbacks of four people: the lady that was raped, the man that was murdered through the use of a medium, a bandit who allegedly murdered the man and raped his wife, and the woodcutter who was the only witness. The audience never truly learns what actually occurred because each account is vastly different. I found that the purpose of this movie is not to tell us a story about the crimes, it is to makes us think about mankind and truth. To make us realize we can all see the same event but interpret it differently, that every human has a different version of the truth that we tell, even to ourselves.  At the end of the movie we find out the woodcutter had stolen a dagger from the crime scene in which makes the audience trust him even less. Shortly after finding this out, the men discover an abandoned baby. The woodcutter ends up taking the baby home to raise with his other children. By ending the movie with the woodcutter taking the abandoned baby home is almost like redeeming mankind.

This film contains brilliant acting and a choreographed fight scene that, although occurs at a serious moment, will have you giggling.  The acting of the bandit, played by Toshiro Mifune, is note worthy.  We see his character constantly scratching himself, which automatically gives the audience a feeling of him being dirty. Also, the acting of Machiko Kyo, and her ability to act out vastly different emotions in an instant is magnificent.

An aspect of this film worth mentioning is the use of weather.  The present day of the movie at the gate of Rashomon, it is raining. I found the rain to be symbolizing tears for human nature. We then flash back to the events and they are shown in bright sun light. Also, at the end of the film when the woodcutter is taking the baby home the weather breaks and bright sunlight comes pouring out as to indicate hope for humanity.

The downside to this movie is it can be tedious. The beginning starts out slowly but it does pick up the pace. There are parts in this movie that will have the audience forward to the next scene.

            Rashomon is definitely a film everyone should experience at least once, if not for the entertainment itself, but for the truth it reveals about human nature. This film is thought provoking and entertaining.  Just when it begins to lose the interest of the audience it jerks them back in with superb acting, great cinematography and thought provoking storyline.  A great film that will have you talking about it for weeks.

For the Love of Movies

           For the Love of Movies by Gerald Peary is a must see film for anyone interested in film critiquing and has found themselves wondering how the profession came to be and exactly what film critiquing entails. Many famous film critics of the present and past are discussed in this movie. Some of today’s critics and those still alive from the past give interviews and excerpts, telling their own stories and offering advice.  This film covers the history of film critiquing in depth. We get to relive the 1920’s until the present through the eyes of some of the most popular film critics. Through this film we discover what has influenced film critiquing over the years and what influences it has had on the film industry, advertising, and society and the way they choose what movies to watch.

            This films main purpose is to give a glimpse inside the past and present film critiquing industry. It also lets the audience peek inside and see the interaction within the industry. This film is not meant to inspire or encourage future film critics. Many of the critics featured in the film say that they actually planned on pursuing other writing professions before they became a critic. Many of them do jokingly give advice to those who are contemplating this career by saying “try everything else first”.

This film also offers insight into what the future holds for the film critiquing industry. Some influential people in the film critiquing industry offer their views on how the industry is evolving and the role the internet is playing in this. They also discuss film critiques in the form of a blog or website. In this portion of the film they introduce some of today’s film critics that use the internet as their platform.

One thing that should be noted about this film is that it is imperative to give it your full attention, because it can be hard to follow. One minute it will be discussing the past and then there will be an excerpt with a present day film critic and then it will continue on with the past. Also, make a mental note of all the critic’s names when they are first introduced because they are not reintroduced and you could spend the rest of the film wondering who is who. This film does need a little spice to keep the audience’s attention. I found myself growing bored and restless but stuck it out because there was so much knowledge to obtain from this film. 

This film will educate you about on a profession that is not often discussed. You will learn the ins and outs of film critiquing from the actual critics themselves. It will also dispel rumors that the film critiquing industry is depleting when it is actually just evolving. Whether you are looking to make a career out of film critiquing or just enjoy blogging about the latest flicks, this film is a must see for any opinionated movie buff.