The story of Rashomon takes place in the summer, and the actual shooting is also in the summer, so Kyoto and Nara were chosen.
All the conditions are missing, and it can be said that everything is ready.
Only until I made up my mind to start shooting.
Before filming began, one day, three assistant directors arranged for me by Daying to meet me at the hotel. I didn't know what I meant, but when I asked, I knew that they still couldn't understand what the script was trying to illustrate, so they came to ask me to explain it.
I said, "Read it well and you'll understand it." I think I wrote it very clearly, and I hope you will read it more carefully. "I said so, but they still wouldn't go.
They said, "We really did read it, but we still don't understand it, so that's why we came to visit you." "Repeatedly asked me to explain the script to them.
I made a simple explanation.
I said, "People don't tell the truth about their own affairs, and when they talk about their own affairs, they can't talk about themselves without being embellished." This script describes the nature of people who cannot live without false decoration.
It can even be said that even if a person dies, he will not give up the illusion, which shows the depth of man's sins. It is a wonderful picture that depicts man's innate sins and unchangeable nature, and shows man's self-interest.
You say you still don't understand the script, because it depicts the most incomprehensible aspect of human nature. If the focus is on the incomprehensible point of human nature, then I think the script is easy to understand. ”
After listening to my explanation, two of the three assistant directors understood, and they said that they would re-read the script and quit. The remaining assistant director still seemed unable to understand and went back with a sullen face.
Later, I couldn't get along with this assistant director, so I had to ask him to find another high, which is a pity now.
The gods and Buddhas opened their eyes and took care of me again.
I didn't even know that Rashomon was at the Venice Film Festival.
This is entirely the result of the Italian filmmaker Ms. Stramigelli having seen Rashomon, understanding the film, and thus giving her attention. For the Japanese film industry, this is a sudden shock.
While the television station was broadcasting the work, it also broadcast a video of an interview with the manager of the production company. I listened to this manager's conversation and couldn't help but be dumbfounded.
When he first wanted to shoot this work, he was so difficult, after watching the sample film, he was so angry, he said he did not understand what the film was trying to say, and even demoted the directors and producers who approved and presided over the film.
However, when the TV reporter interviewed him, he actually said with his face that everything was driven by him, and this work was made.
He even said that movies used to be shot behind the sun, which is within the scope of common sense, but this work is the first time he let the film crew shoot at the sun.
He recorded the achievements of others in his own credit book, and never mentioned me and the photographer Jun Miyagawa by name.
I watched the TV interview and thought, this is the real Rashomon!
At that time, I only felt that a sad side of human nature described in "Rashomon" appeared in front of me.
It is difficult for people to talk truthfully about themselves.
People always instinctively beautify themselves – and I have a deeper understanding of this.
But I can't laugh at the manager.
Author: [Japanese] Akira Kurosawa, source: Reader magazine, No. 22, 2018, the original title of "People will not give up the false decoration".