Deciphering the Name of the Rose

CineVerse delved into the mysteries of "The Name of the Rose" last week and uncovered some interesting theories and observations. Here is a summary of the major talking points of that discussion:

WHAT ARE SOME OF THE IMPORTANT MESSAGES AND THEMES ESPOUSED HERE?

·       Ignorance, intolerance, and blind faith and obedience lead to man’s inhumanity and regression

·       Oppression leads to suffering and dying of the soul

·       What tools do William and Adso use to solve the puzzle? Reason, logic, laughter and free thought, which are proven to “shed light” on the mystery and defeat the darkness

o   Think about the irony of the abbey: it houses countless books, which are never accessed by anyone except the librarian and his assistant

o   Several of the murders are connected to a particular tome: The Second Book of Poetics by Aristotle, which promulgates a strong support of comedy

o   Hence, the “treasure” of the movie is this epitome of comedy, which serves as a fitting anecdote to the dour, sour attitudes of the church at the time

THIS PICTURE HAS BEEN ANALYZED AS A CRITICISM OF ORGANIZED RELIGION AND THE CATHOLIC CHURCH IN PARTICULAR. CAN YOU CITE ANY EXAMPLES THAT SUPPORT THIS THEORY?

·       The abbey’s denizens are men who have become physically grotesque and gargoyle-esque, as if to symbolize the ugliness of their souls. Why?

o   Because they are not allowed to laugh or be joyful or express any love, except to God

o   Their blind faith trumps any rationality, common sense or logic

o   Who is their opposite? William, who is devoted to reason and appreciates levity, and Adso, who experiences love and is influenced by William’s values and thus, arguably, becomes more a well-rounded human being

o   The abbey set is shot to emphasize its oppressive, stark, dark atmosphere: it is often shot from below to exaggerate how “weighty” and domineering the structure is; and the structure is a symbol of the church, which makes this a commentary on the church, one could argue.

o   Women are depicted as evil, vile, or disposable sexual objects by the clergy; and yet, although Adso’s peasant lover is disrobed for a cheap Hollywood titillating effect, the character is shown as evidently beautiful, regardless of her socioeconomic status and tattered attire. The moral here? Women and the act of sex are beautiful.

WHAT IMPRESSED YOU ABOUT “THE NAME OF THE ROSE”?

o   It’s a visually arresting film, with moody, atmospheric lighting and cinematography, ornate and detailed sets and costumes that are supposedly historically accurate based on meticulous research

o   Setting the mystery within a labyrinthine library creates a shrewd metaphor for the maze-like twists and turns of the murder investigation

o   The film challenges you to pay attention: several languages are used, the pace is a bit drawn out and offbeat, and the whodunit mystery keeps you guessing

o   William is a charismatic, likable hero cast in the mold of Sherlock Holmes and William of Ockham

o   Likewise, Adso is William’s Watson sidekick

WHAT OTHER MOVIES AND BOOKS DOES “NAME OF THE ROSE” REMIND YOU OF?

·       The Sherlock Holmes books by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

·       It’s within the “semiotic” anthropological mystery sub-genre, which focuses on studying symbols and signs within historical artifacts, along with films like:

o   The DaVinci Code

o   Angels & Demons

o   The National Treasure films

o   The Harry Potter series

OTHER FILMS BY JEAN-JACQUES ANNAUD

·       Quest for Fire

·       The Bear

·       Seven Years in Tibet

·       Enemy at the Gates