In this interview posted at YouTube, Werner Herzog describes Akira Kurosawa’s Rashomon as a movie exceptional in that it “has complete balance”.
Herzog’s idea of the “Ecstatic Truth” in cinema actually sounds very similar to Kurosawa’s own concept and quest towards “perfect movies”, or “cinematic moments”. The difference, of course, is that Kurosawa did not see Rashomon, or any other of his films, to have attained a level where the movie would have constantly occupied that place.
Those not familiar with Kurosawa’s conceptual background may want to check out these YouTube clips.
That was pretty cool to see. I actually would have liked to hear more. I’m not a huge Herzog fan but I have always found him an interesting guy. I find a lot of truth in his cinematic philosophy. It is something all true artists strive for whether consciously or not.