Art Film Analysis: The Secret of Rashomon Revealed!

[@nusrathowardmoore]

The theory falls apart at minute 16:00 with the sky at the back of the woodcutter which by this theory, he was telling the truth when at the end he finally admitted to the kimono thief that he didnt want to get involved and thus had lied.

[@KaoKacique]

Yeah. Kurosawa Stated that the story wasn't meant to have a truth. Even if he had a true scenatio in mind, he probably made his best to not communicate it to the audience

[@calfman3333]

Our English teacher got to let us see this movie and I enjoyed the hell out of it but I was severely annoyed by everyone else’s ignorance while they were watching it. 1 kid even asked why the movie was in Black & White.

[@ynnelc]

Bruh… those kids make me sad… :(

[@nalurodriigues]

I mean, if it was only complaining about the black and white, it makes sense since they were kids and ignorance on old movies is not a sin. But, if they were playing around and disrespecting the movie break, that's mean for real.

[@_sayandas]

A bandit who lusts over a woman, makes her husband a cuck then rapes her. A woman who changes men and orders to kill her husband. A husband who calls her wife a wh*** and leaves her. Wow, great movie suggestion for children by a school teacher, I'd like to meet this dude personally

[@AlexMurphyVideos]

Totally enthralling story breakdown, feeling enlightened.

[@wolfcrow]

Thanks!

[@ookiemand]

It's a pleasure to watch and listen to a great mind unravel the work of another great mind.

[@DjTallyIndia]

There is no power like the power of knowledge. Thanks for sharing yours.

[@wolfcrow]

You’re welcome!

[@puppetworkshop1780]

Love this! Looking forward to watching more of Kurosawa's work! And yours as well!:)

[@kefanzhang8434]

When I watched the movie I thought the woodcutter was telling the truth to wrap up the story and he feels guilty merely because he stole the dagger. And yes, your explanation fits the "Rashomon" better since the truth has never been found out in the movie. This analysis is really mind blowing, thank you wolfcrow!

[@ThôngLêTrung-h5b]

the woodcutter didnt understand because each one told a different story from another and he felt guilty because he'd witnessed everything but he'd chosen to say nothing.

[@uncleouch9795]

Akira Kurusawa was simply Genius. Sasa Sanjuro the Yojimbo is an excellent example.

[@FakeNewsHunter]

Only in the first 5-10 years after WW2 such films were possible. No matter if France, Italy or Germany. Worldwide! It has nothing to do with an acciential genius. Today Kurosawa could not longer make such films and his later films did praise the new ideology.

[@zakerymizell8838]

Next level film analysis. I love this movie and this is now an essential companion piece.

[@wolfcrow]

Thank you!

[@porcupineracer2]

Man, this was a good video. I learned a lot from it. Plus it helped me to appreciate the work of a great artist even more.

[@gabrieldemetz622]

A-M-A-Z-I-N-G analysis. Thanks so much

[@wolfcrow]

You’re welcome!

[@roshanb5879]

Can you make a video to show the difference between a good filmmaker and a bad filmmaker or an average filmmaker and what makes a movie masterpiece

[@fidelencisoduran3152]

Great video! I love these analysis you do... Rashomon is surely one of my favourites movies, and Kurosawa is my favourite director. I've decided not to watch the video fully. I would like to study the film myself and try solving the mystery. Then I will check if our conclusion is the same!! Thank you for inspiring our curiosity on movies!!

[@wolfcrow]

You’re welcome!

[@apc5143]

what i get from my first viewing, is that the whole movie has 5 prospectives which are of respective visions of the same accident and how they believe, what was exactly happened by considering their own understanding. There is only one situation which is broken down to 5 self interpretations and compiled as a film. As we are offered all this scenarios, we try to make sense of the mystery. Apart from seeing deep into the symbolism, Truth, Lies and what is the complete story or closer to the mystery, I was more curious and concerned about the essence of the whole story. It is important to know how it was shown or what techniques Kurosawa used. But what did the script really meant to him? And what was he trying to convey through this structure is equally important in my opinion. May be i think he was just trying to show, how humans absorb and believe only what they want to and thinks only for themselves. And he did this beautifully. Great Video by the way, helped me a lot in understanding how elements are used in plotting.

[@joshlee1090]

Today I learned: "Porn has no right to be boring" - Wolfcrow Will you do a series on how you would improve production quality of the adult film industry next please?

[@DimitrRaev]

It seems to me, the woodcutter wen't to the samurai twice: - after the fight, he wen't to scavenge something interesting ... he focused on the shiny knife and really wanted it. Then he saw the samurai ... and realized he is still alive, and ran in panic. - after a while .. the woodcutter returned, (not really knowing why ...) and found the death samurai. He pulled the knifes out, and went to tell his story. He was probably ashamed, as his actions were only motivated for taking the knife (money). And he had a real opportunity to save a live. He realize this at the end scene also ... the 3rd person steals the kimono ... and the woodcutter saves a live. And he gets his closure

[@ryanmckinstry1121]

"A mystery wrapped in a riddle surrounded in an egnima..." some old amn war criminal...sigh

[@mckavitt13]

Seventh Seal, Wild Strawberries, The Source, Autumn Sonata, The Magic Flute, La Strada, Mama Roma, Tokyo Story, Samurai Rebellion & many others ❤❤❤

[@mankriter]

that was amazing it makes me want to watch Rashomon once again. Great job once again man

[@wolfcrow]

Thank you!

[@tyronsantos6512]

Excellent video! This further establishes Kurosawa as a master of his craft.

[@yojimbo843]

I absolutely adore Akira Kurusawa, and as for Rashomon I honestly couldn't tell you the amount of times I've watched this film. With all honesty had I seen it every day of my adult life I could never had clearly worked out the intended truth, I believe this to be possibly the best explanation I could find. My theory was it the wife who murdered her husband and not the bandit, she couldn't face the rejection after she was raped... Outstanding film maker who knew how to keep you glued to the screen.

[@FakeNewsHunter]

May be you are right, but actually the who really was the murderer is of no importance in this film. The subject of this film ist how interests are chancing adoption of reality, and that there are always reasons, motives behind any distortion, even self-distortion in describing reality.

[@konishdutta]

Great video. Every time I watch one of your videos, it makes me want to revisit all these films. Then I feel sad because there's not enough time to rewatch all the great movies and watch all the great movies I haven't yet seen.

[@wolfcrow]

Thank you!

[@karinamendoza5006]

Thanks for helping me settle my nerves. I believe your analysis is correct.

[@Poweregg28]

Amazing, I wish we have more content like this. Kurosawa was a master.

[@wolfcrow]

Thank you!

[@jees1662]

Please upload the cinematography techniques and meanings behind Akira kurosawa's 'Dersu Uzala'

[@nusrathowardmoore]

Rain in Shintoism is not a trap but believed to incarnate purity and simplicity. One must use Asian metaphors to decipher Asian films. And the biggest thing overlooked was THE BABY. It was the woman’s. She left it there when she went ‘hiding’ in the temple.

[@tommonk7651]

Great analysis! You mentioned that you directed a mystery film. What was it?

[@TheDancerMacabre]

If youre trying to solve the mystery, you're missing a very key element. This entire story is told by the woodcutter to the traveler seeking shelter from the rain. The movie is the woodcutter retelling the story of the testimony. Its revealed the Woodcutter lied at the end (twice) so rhe entire story can't be believed. In fact, all the stereotypes that are enforced in the respective stories is the woodcutter reinforcing them. That is why he has no faith in humanity until he has that realization that he's not so above it all and had the testimony filtered out through his own biases. His disgust in humanity was very likely aomething he made up.

[@michaelandremovies]

This is brilliant. Can you please tell me where the clips from 1.33 to 1.50 come from? Thanks!

[@bkm1104]

Very good explanation

[@das2367]

Thank you for this detail beautiful explanation.❤️

[@SeshuTuraga]

Impeccable work bro. Keep gng

[@chatterjeeriju56]

Amazing work!

[@kalka1646]

What was the movie or commercial with the girl holding a coke? I need to know looks like my vibe summed up

[@veradragilyova3122]

This is my favorite film theory and practice channel! :D :D :D

[@ingiiiiiii]

Could you make a short on the APU-trilogy? Or any other Parallel Cinema movie?

[@G.Z.A.]

Excellent video!

[@nicolaritter354]

could you also do an amazing video like this one for Tschelowek's kinoapparatom? Would love it!

[@WhipRunner]

Incredible insight. A reminder of how intricately visual a medium cinema is- warrants for yet another viewing of the master work.

[@wolfcrow]

Thank you!

[@cinemapure.e]

Interested in your thoughts about Tarkovsky given rule #1.

[@michaelwu7678]

“Boringness” is too subjective to be a rule in my opinion. Tarkovsky is not boring if you know how to watch him. I think the people who find Tarkovsky boring are the same people who find paintings boring

[@cinemapure.e]

Michael Wu I saw a video suggesting that Tarkovsky deliberately used long takes as a way of initially boring the audience before the shot's meaning was eventually transformed into something else by the passage of time, at which point the unwilling viewers had stopped watching and the rest were recaptivated by the new meaning. It's an impression I often get with his films as well.

[@michaelwu7678]

Stereochrome Yes I remember reading about that too. I think it was his response to Soviet authorities telling him to reshoot Stalker, but I’m not sure

[@michaelwu7678]

Stereochrome But I mean, if you are anticipating and excited for the eventual transformation of the long-take, then I don’t think you’re being bored in that sende

[@leospagnol]

Great video, very nice to see City of God in that context, love that movie.

[@nytimesguy]

Very ingenious analysis. A read a few and don't recall anyone else noting the sky thing (although I'd have to watch for myself to make sure that works). You really should have a link above directly to the Rashomon materials instead of just a link to the main page; it was a pain to find them. You should also say that they're locked behind a paywall.

[@BillOweninOttawa]

Truth is unknowable.

[@Max-ep5ir]

How do you know if that's true?

[@FakeNewsHunter]

This is the typical nonsense and intentional lie proclaimed everywhere in various forms. Get free by trusting your judgements and brain.

[@syjutaj]

With Ur help the movie is now more clear sareesh . Thanks .

[@wolfcrow]

You’re welcome!

[@ItsDPMikey]

Man this movie was amazing incredible fantastic

[@hillsonn]

The biggest fault I find with this video is that you fail to acknowledge that the stories that are the basis of this film are not actually Kurosawa's. Akutagawa Ryunosuke wrote the original Rashomon and In a Bamboo Grove in the 1913 and 1921. Also, both of those stories are based off much older tales from Konjaku Monogatari, which is some 900 years old!

[@AnupamBhogal]

Amazing video man!!

[@wolfcrow]

Thanks!

[@michaeltellurian825]

Brilliant. Thanks!

[@RaymondMcCarron1]

Brilliant video. that is all.

[@wolfcrow]

Thank you!

[@shadowTricking97]

knew u were legit the moment u showed chungking express, amazing film

[@sreejithpro]

Nice Video, Rashomon is brilliant all I agree. "The oscar category for Best Foreign film was introduced because of Rashomon?". Really?, that's too much of a praise to give without any backup. Special/Honorary Award for best foreign film have been given by Academy since 1947.

[@carlys8439]

what movie is that at 4:25?

[@moviemachine7660]

Thank you very much Now I learned How To See a Film

[@wolfcrow]

You’re welcome!

[@HelloWorld-gh9fm]

Thanks. It was worth efforts.

[@archilgugberidze103]

Great video

[@Will_Power3000]

Nice interpretation

[@sayandutta3942]

Can you please make an elaborate explanation of the works by MAYA DEREN btw , this vedio was brilliant

[@nusrathowardmoore]

Sky in shintoism represents thought, creative energy or thinking...like coming up with a lie. And dont forget Tajamoru was shot with arrows at the river with mention of SEVENTEEN arrows of EAGLE feather. Eagles in Japan is symbol of nature’s great power, perhaps the western ‘karma’. But why 17 arrows? More to think about

[@denismonterodiaz476]

You need way more subs

[@jcman-lp6lg]

I hate being asked questions but I still sit in the front because my eyesight is complete trash

[@checkeredflagfilms]

the quentissential rubik's cube of art moviemaking! have you found the answers? and/or are we meant to know life's answer(s)? thanks for paying tribute.

[@ThePokpih]

Very good video

[@Tobacc0]

I think Kurosawa never intended the story to be resolvable. There is no answer and we cannot work it out from the movie.

[@rakkasaniron1696]

Close, but not quite correct. Firstly, the samurai was never injured in a fight. He didn't have multiple wounds, and even the court understood the wound wasn't consistent with a sword, but rather a dagger which is why the lord asks about a dagger. The Samurai didn't kill himself, his wife murdered him over his callous attitude towards her. The bandit is lying to protect her, the woodcutter is lying because he stole the dagger, the medium/samurai are lying to save face. (Or more likely, the medium is just being dramatic for the court.) The woodcutter did NOT witness the event itself. He pieced together a story that let him off the hook for lying. The biggest clues are the "tableau" of each story. What is each one about? The bandit's story is a bunch of bragging, and admiration for the woman. The woman's story is that she was traumatized and lost her shit. The medium/samurai's story is all about demonizing his wife, and saving face. The woodcutter's story is about empathizing with the woman's situation and justifying his decision to withhold crucial evidence. (And there's a good chance the samurai was still alive when he pulled the dagger out.)

[@kothgames]

I was wondering if the bow and arrow that the husband carries in the beginning is linked with the thief’s arrows in him when he is found. It seems too obvious for it to be a coincidence

[@zazen108]

Rashomon is one of my all time favorite movies but I've never understood why each character claims responsibility for the murder. If you are going to lie, why not shift the blame off of yourself?

[@jahnotreal]

5:40 Jumpscare Warning

[@merenzunglalongkumer4240]

The very few who mentioned Ray's Panther Panchali.

[@ttrestle]

The husband was injured but didn't die. He crawled to the dagger and then laid down to die. The wood cutter slowly emerged to steal the dagger, and when he picked it up the husband woke up and went to grab him. The wood cutter in a freight stabbed the husband and that is why he doesn't understand his own soul and feels ashamed. That's my theory.

[@ivanel12nelita]

The only truth on that movie is the death of a man. This movie is my top1 movie of all time.

[@x2f01mick]

Best film ever.

[@LoriisMC]

5:39 that gave me a little heart attack

[@CadenUnnasch]

Yeah wtf was that, my ears hurt

[@rarex50484]

13:40 lol

[@d-bate5962]

Great video keep it up

[@wolfcrow]

Thanks!

[@Sepear305]

The question I have is if the wife wasn't unloyal to her husband like the dead samurai's story reflects, why did she embrace the bandit and stop resisting him from raping her

[@sgt.justice0826]

Actually, what really destroys a real great work of art pictures, is the distractions by Commercial cuts and lenghy at that. Especially when it happens to black and white movie classics.

[@ashistiwari6143]

Excellent video. However, other than few Indian directors like Mani kaul , Ray, Ritwik Ghatak who made excellent art movies in the 20th century. ... Can you name me some Indian Art film of the last decade that you actually enjoyed, and think a film student should definitely check?

[@SP990]

Aligarh, Aankhon Dekhi, Ship Of Theseus, No Smoking, Qissa

[@ashistiwari6143]

I have watched all of that

[@MrBardun111]

So who did it? Where is it shown in the video? Did i miss it? Who killed him? I would judge bandit for kiling him and since no other evidence and we cant disprove testemonys based on whats found we can only tel that more people are lying in court but canot say who and probably someone is crazy since their testemonies are lies for no reason or bad lies (for exmaple wife couldhave kiled him, bandit lied coz he wil be judged anyways since hes bandit and woodcuter could lie for example coz some interaction hapend between them and he liked her or whatever, and 3rd testemony of ghost dead is just non evidence). Btw if bandit didnt confes he might actualy not get sentenced for this crime since only 2 people that sas they saw what hapend are teling diferent stories, then there would be longer trial, they could comeup with that stolen dager if someone cares about it and someone might change their testemony but since woodcuter didnt get involved in trial now their left with only 2 stories which means they should judge only bandit for that crime no matter if he did it or not coz he confesed.

[@Wisedoggooddog]

“You don’t have the right to bore your audience” yeah ok say that to Andrei tarvosky, Bella tar, Kubrick, etc 🤣

[@KaoKacique]

If you're bored by Kubrick or Tarkovsky, I don't think that's on then

[@Wisedoggooddog]

@@KaoKacique I’m not lol, they are my favorite. But rather the average person is bored by their movies because of the slow shots, that’s just a fact lol.

[@sauravhansda3925]

Well, frankly i disagree and agree with Abbas Kiarostami. Sometimes the film goers should have their right to sleep in between the films. Cheers✌🏼

[@ceofspades]

I just thought again about a tale, a carpenter adopts a kid. Always when I looked to the sky, I said, I don't know. And that is truth. The police are the bandits who kill the kid. kzbin.info/www/bejne/oqa4nmxshtF2qZI

[@Dragonknight761]

I haven't watched Rashomon in a while so I am going to skip on the explanation. Now on the boredom part . I highly disagree with that. What constitutes as boring is highly subjective and is very contrary to what art is trying to archive. An artwork like a movie can be boring from the untrained to the the trained eye, but there is objectives greatness to be found that does not give a damn if someone is bored. Are Bèla Tarr's movies boring to most, yes, but aren't they great?

[@wolfcrow]

Not to those who get bored by it.

[@Dragonknight761]

wolfcrow How so? I dislike Bergman's Persona, but I still think it's a great movie. So if someone said Persona is a bad movie because he got bored, than I would proceed by telling him why objectively he is wrong. Simple as that.

[@wolfcrow]

The very definition of 'boredom' is to not find anything interesting in the presentation. There are sections of movies I like that might be boring, but there are limits. You can tell someone 'objectively' why he is wrong, but that won't change a thing.

[@Dragonknight761]

wolfcrow How would it not change anything? It could possibly open up a whole new understanding of the subject in question. You are doing the same thing with this video. Imagine someone who was bored out of his mind while watching Rashomon, and one day he randomly watches your video and his whole point of view changes! And he is getting more and more engrossed with the movie as he finds out that it wasn't the movie that was lacking but rather his lack of understanding.

[@Tempestzzzz]

They all lied. Even the ghost.

[@schoofman]

What if the baby was a result of the rape?

[@treeinafield5022]

the rape happened only three days before the baby was found, so it's impossible

[@mckavitt13]

I still think Pulp Fiction is “crap”. Not a generous film.

[@phillipwhite687]

You didn't understand a thing about this movie. It has nothing to do with who killed the man...

[@v3izp4]

at least, u could try to explain why.

[@umdisc64]

This film isn't a murder mystery nor an exploration about the nature of truth.

[@FakeNewsHunter]

It is! But no need to call it a mystery.

[@umdisc64]

⁠@@FakeNewsHunter The KZbinr is trying to solve who killed the samurai, so in his opinion it's a mystery. That's futile because it isn't the point of the film, and I'm not going to reveal here what that is. With some digging it can be figured out.

[@samvander668]

🧢🧢🧢

[@samvander668]

@umdisc64 You have no clue what you’re talking about and are just babbling on about nothing.

[@umdisc64]

@@samvander668 🤡 🤡 🤡 🤡 🤡

[@deathdoor]

Ooooh noes... I understand nothing anymore.

[@CalebDeschanelMr]

25 minutes... Dont have time 4 this.. pls make it short.

[@porcupineracer2]

roni jaya budiman I have time for it. I’d appreciate longer videos. Much longer.