The history of Japan has been described in various literature materials as well as depicted in several movies. Much of this historical information provided illustrates the rigidness that existed in Japanese society where the people had to respect the hierarchies put in place, right from the King. The two movies, “The Life of Oharu” and “Rashomon” clearly show this kind of life in the ancient Japanese society. The purpose of this paper is to discuss the sequence in these two films, the characters, analyze the directors’ approaches as well as show the application of the key concepts.

The Life of Oharu

(Cohen, 34). Oharu, was forced to become a prostitute by her father, and is depicted in the movie as struggling to escape this kind of stigmatization. As such, the story line displayed by Oharu is used to illustrate the kind of struggles, social class issues, and the rigid hierarchical structures that the people in Japan had (Cohen, 37-39). The film is about a woman who was born into a privileged family as she was the daughter of a samurai. However, her life is broken and left in ruins after she fell in love with a servant deemed not worthy of her affection. It was a ‘sin,’ which her father could not forgive because their social class in the Japanese society did not allow for such ‘atrocities’ (Cohen, 41). From the movie, it is clear that the Japanese people of a higher class in the society were expected to uphold certain moral behaviors to keep the family’s honor.

The concepts portrayed by the film “The Life of Oharu” are meant to warn the on-lookers of the lasting humiliation and indignity that would befall them if they strayed from society’s expectations. As such, the on-lookers should mind

The setting of the movie is structured episodically with every turn of events showing the pessimism that is not only an attitude of a certain group but also the view of the world. Nonetheless, the film does not seem to show the cruel acts of the world entirely, but it establishes a cinematic environment where all the intended themes are made real. (Cavanaugh, 64). The director, Mizoguchi, has established some superb visual compositions with episodes that are well rehearsed to develop the themes of the film. The set of pieces and brings out the mastery of Mizoguchi’s plans that stand out in the unfolding of events in the film. The technical brilliance depicted by Mizoguchi creates a palpable sense of involving the on-lookers to a life that seems beautiful and orderly, yet strange and restrictive.

The film is filled with suspense and at the same time tries to show the need for looking up to Buddha for help. The concepts of Buddhist religion are a vital aspect that guides the people, even though it is adapted from the Indians (Burch, 21). The film also can be used to instill the need for abiding by the rules and expectations of the society at any cost, as there could be repercussions associated with deviance (Cohen, 46-47).

Rashomon

The “Rashomon” is a uniquely disturbing drama that has a story line revolving around the court proceedings as well as flashbacks that are connected to strange crime. Rashomon is a 1951 film directed by Akira Kurosawa, narrating about a bandit who was accused of killing a samurai and raped the wife. The eing represented through a medium. The aspect of using a medium in this movie is an electrifying mystery that is filled with absolute conviction as a fourth character is developed, offering his version of the story. The mysterious factor developed in this movie revolves around slipperiness of the witnesses as they all claim liable for the murder, including the samurai who claims to have committed suicide. As such, Rashomon remains to be a compelling psychological movie that purposes

The setting of the film is in the history of Japanese culture, which has a unique combination of forces and circumstances, and it is quite distinct from the western cultures (Burch, 20). The director uses the film to bring forth the mysteries existing in the world as the human beings either create or find themselves in a black hole of comprehension. The film is one of its kinds, and the greatest ever made that uses superb imagery to represents its director’s eloquent masterpiece as well as some international sensation. The thoughtful storyline that unfolds in Rashomon is an interesting one, where human beings are shown to be short of thinking and communicating when it comes to certain issues. The film is full of confusion and violence that no one seems to understand, explain, or even remember (Burch, 25). As such, the movie leaves the viewers in an undefined state where they are not sure about what to expect by the end of the film. Through this, the idea of the director, to create an insatiable suspense and an environment of confusion, is accomplished.

From the film, a conclusion about the general human nature can be made, as it is all mysterious with most of the issues lacking some concrete answers. In addition, it is clear that telling lies is an aspect that comes naturally to all the human beings, and it is through these discrepancies that we feel human.

Conclusion

referred to as the “message movies” as they serve to warn and educate the people as well as display the aspects that the essence of our humanity resides.

Works Cited

Cohen, Robert N. “Why Does Oharu Faint? Mizoguchi’s The Life of Oharu and Patriarchal Discourse.”  (1992): 33-55.

Cavanaugh, Carol. “Unwriting the Female Persona in Osaka Elegy and The Life of Oharu.” Mizoguchi the Master, ed. Gerald O’Grady, Ontario Canada: Cinematheque Ontario (1996): 64-65.

Burch, Noel. To the distant observer: form and meaning in the Japanese cinema. Univ of California Press, 1979.