Perspectives

At times you wish monday to be part of weekend holiday, you can have fun on saturday and sunday, relax on monday.  There could also have been times where you had nothing to do in the weekends and felt sitting in your office cubicle was better.

I had to experience the latter this weekend as literally I didn't have anything to do. I spent the full saturday watchin movies in a row. Rashomon, and Vantage point were among them, though i have already known the story of vantage point I was totally unaware of Rashomon except for the fact  that Akira Kurasowa was a great director.

Perspectives

Anybody would agree for this page title if they have watched Rashomon or Vantage point.
Rashomon - This is my first kurosawa's movie and its definitely a masterpiece. The film is about the murder
of a Japanese samurai in a grove while he was travelling with his wife. The opening scene itself sets the mood of the audience for the movie as the woodcutter and priest explains it to a stranger on what a strange and horrible murder it was. The plot is - murder of the samurai by a bandit, the bandit kills the samurai in the attempt to rape the samurai's wife. The characters, I can count my fingers straight away that there's not more than 8 in the movie.


Considering the fact that the movie was produced in 1950's, people must have been surprised by the kind narration the director gave. It's the first of its kind. The Bandit, the wife and the samurai himself (through a medium) testifies on how the murder happened. All three versions are different, though the bandit accepts that he murdered, he doesn't give the true version of what happened. So is the wife and the samurai himself. The wood cutter who witnessed the murder gives us the right version of what happened.

The movie may start with the plot of a murder, but in the end it's not the murder that bothers you, but you are left to ponder on why the three main characters did not share the complete truth. The director also leaves a behind a strong message on how the world and we the humans have turned selfish.

A must watch for those who enjoy good movies.


Vantage Point

While Rashomon attempts to show three different perspectives of an original scene, Vantage point attempts to help the audience visualise 8 perceptions of a murder. (I did not actually count if they were really 8 or not).  As a matter of fact Vantage point is supposed to be inspired for Rashomon (as read in the wikipedia). To me though Vantage point was completely entertaining, I wouldn't compare it or analyse on par with Rashomon.


It's a typical commercial flick with all those gun shots and car chases and a stylish editing of the scenes. If you actually get into details you may have to compromise on the logic in the movie. One of the example would be on the security arrangements in the hotel where the US president stays. Some one just like that gets on to the elevator with a gun to the floor where the president stays. And  I would say that at one point of time  you tend to forget that you are trying to visualize different perceptions and there's not much of a suspense element. 

Though there's something new that you come to know each and everytime the clock rewinds back, they are actually to help the people understand the plot and nothing extraordinary.   

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