First, although the author of the novel Endo Shusaku participated in the screenwriting work of the 1971 edition, the director Shinoda Masahiro did not look at "Silence" from the perspective of a Christian, so the main perspective of the 71 edition It should be a question of whether the integration of Christian civilization and Japanese culture is reasonable. The theme should focus on cultural differences. Therefore, the 71 edition avoids the sense of ritual and pain from the subjective perspective of the novel as much as possible. The characters and the environment as a whole, the narrative from the third perspective and the scenes of Yoshijiro are also more; and Scorsese's version is more from a Christian's point of view, focusing on the problem of faith itself, a major change in the film It is because the protagonist discovers that he who has always cared about others is actually just using God's will to cover up his selfish sense of honor, and the whole movie also starts from the protagonist's personal perspective.
The problem of perspective also determines the way the two films are narrated. The 71 version has a weaker logic, but it is relatively calm, and the perspective is more ambitious, more similar to a historical film. Coseth's version is more like a drama. The growth of the protagonist is clearly displayed, and it is more immersive and enthusiastic. In terms of performance, it pays more attention to details and camera positions than the 71 version, which can amplify the emotions of the characters. It's a drama. From this point of view, the 71 version is closer to the first half of the novel "Silence", the scattered narrative, much like a scattered historical material, while Scorsese's version is closer to the second half of the novel, it seems that Closer to the final ending and foothold of the novel.
Asian audiences may prefer Shinoda Masahiro's perspective, because it is difficult for most non-Christians to understand Scorsese's Christian feelings, and his internalized spiritual plot settings are often not recognized here. But an interesting reality is that Asian scholars often like to view "Silence" through the lens of cultural analysis, while unknowingly ignoring the fact that the writer Endo Shusaku is a Christian. However, I personally think that this does not refer to a cultural gap, but a cultural prejudice. Most of the time we can empathize with a movie with our familiar values, but we often maintain a sense of distance from drama stories in unfamiliar worlds, such as Film scholars scoff at comics, and literary masters ignore the study of martial arts novels. It seems that the niche of "Silence" comes from Scorsese's narcissism rather than the audience's arrogance. If the audience can accept the Christian perspective in the same way that they accept the popular settings in various types of films (ignoring logic and advocating violence, continuous luck or bad luck), I believe that the film "Silence" can be better understood.
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