Rashomon is fragmenting our vision through five different…

Question Answered step-by-step Rashomon is fragmenting our vision through five different… Rashomon  is fragmenting our vision through five different characters’ perspectives on the same incident. Choose one of these perspectives and discuss how the uses of cinematographic devices or techniques in that segment of the film complement one character’s perspective on the incident? I’ll be looking at things from the perspective of a woodcutter. In a sequence of flashbacks, we get a glimpse into the life of the woodcutter. The woodcutter walks through the woodland in the first flashback. Despite the fact that this scene may seem too drawn out and devoid of action, it serves an important purpose in setting the tone for the remainder of the film. In the beginning, the camera moves at the same pace as the woodcutter and the lens is aimed at the sky. To highlight Kurosawa’s constant link to nature setting and action in the picture, the camera displays the trees in the woods and sunshine. Later, the woodcutter is shown from behind as the camera walks right behind him for a brief period of time.Using this tactic, Kurosawa is alerting us to the Woodcutter’s unreliability. We’re conditioned to expect the Woodcutter’s point of view, to the point where we’re surprised when we realize we’ve been robbed of it. That which we saw was an accurate account of the Woodcutter’s discovery was revealed to be untrue in the same way.Flashbacks depict the woodcutter’s point of view. To begin, the woodcutter strolls through the woodland. The length and lack of action in this sequence may appear excessive, but it serves an important purpose in framing the rest of the movie. To begin, the camera moves in lockstep with the woodcutter as he walks, gazing skyward. While first depicting Kurosawa’s connection to nature and motion through trees and sunlight, the shot gradually shifts to reveal his back rather than his face.The woodcutter walks through the woodland at the start of the film. Despite its length and lack of action, this skillfully sets the frame for the rest of the film. First, the camera moves at the same pace as he does and looks up at the sky to show us that nature and human life are intertwined (this also reflects back onto his perspective). Afterwards, we only see him from behind, so we’re effectively “it” in his eyes.As the camera follows the woodcutter through the woods, the perspective shifts from a bird’s-eye view to a close-up of the trees and sunshine. When put in the natural surroundings, this is a symbol foreshadowing Kurosawa’s examination of human nature as it is. This scene suggests that he intends to utilize nature as a metaphor for humans. However, after cutting down some branches and leaves, the woodcutter stops cutting down any more trees because he feels guilty about killing these magnificent creatures who have survived for so long without trying to harm themselves or anyone else, even though they have never harmed anyone or anything else in their lives. Essentially, the trees are mimicking humans in that they experience agony and are powerless in the face of their own demise.Throughout the film, the woodcutter is portrayed to be a mystery figure. He appears in the woods for the first time in an all-white outfit with no shoes. White, a hue often associated with innocence and purity, stands in stark contrast to his current chore of removing the tree. The camera follows him as he moves toward us, showing us him from a different angle, suggesting that he has something to hide or is trying to keep something from us.Throughout the film, Kurosawa fools us into thinking we’re viewing the Woodcutter’s point of view, then switches to a more objective camera. Kurosawa uses a basic cinematic method to warn of the Woodcutter’s narration’s unreliability. We’re conditioned to expect the Woodcutter’s point of view, to the point where we’re surprised when we realize we’ve been robbed of it. After seeing the Woodcutter’s story, we assumed that what we witnessed was an accurate depiction of his findings.One of the best examples of Kurosawa’s ability to subvert our expectations is in the last scene of Rashomon. To the point when we mistakenly believe that what we are seeing is from the Woodcutter’s perspective, we are taken aback when we discover that this perspective has been denied to us. Having assumed that what we had seen was an accurate account of the Woodcutter’s finding, we were shocked to learn that it was a fabrication.The downward tilt in this shot and the oblique cut to the right fool us into thinking we’re viewing things from the perspective of the Woodcutter. Unreliable narration is symbolized by the revealing of a perspective that does not match his own, and he is always making assertions about what he witnessed that are likewise incorrect.Unreliable narrative by the Woodcutter reveals that his story of events leading to the death of his samurai is fabricated. By not accurately reporting the events, the Woodcutter becomes an untrustworthy narrator for this story. Kurosawa deceives the audience into believing they know what’s going on and who’s guilty for the death of the samurai, but the director keeps important information hidden until the very end, when it’s disclosed everything about the story.There are various ways in which Akira Kurosawa’s Rashomon uses the unreliable narration to build suspense and tension in the film. This can be seen in flashback scenarios that have been retold several times, with each participant offering a distinct narrative of what happened.  Arts & Humanities Writing FILM 1143 Share QuestionEmailCopy link Comments (0)