Rashomon

Rashomon_360P

Rashomon-1080P

Rashomon-720P

Rashomon-480P

This was Kurosawa's first big international hit, from then on his films would be avidly watched and (usually) feted as Art. His style was always so breathtakingly simple that you can't help but get sucked into the rainy and sunny bestial world depicted in here, with a beautiful use of the black and white nitrate film stock contrasting against a sordid storyline. I've probably seen it 10 times now over the decades and it seems to get better every time I settle down to it - it's been a continual treat. A horror story from a few days previous is recounted on a ferociously wet day: beautiful woman is (apparently) raped by animalistic bandit in front of her husband who is then (apparently) murdered. But who really did what to who and why? It's told from four viewpoints: the bandit's, the honourable woman's, the heroic dead husband's via a rather startling medium and lastly a breathless version from a timid eye-witness. The event becomes a crime scene with the beauty of forest surrounding us and splintered sunlight beaming down on us through the trees bearing mute witness to the savage few moments. It's a salutary lesson in Human Beings vs Objectivity; the psychologies of the main protagonists are laid bare, as well as the story-tellers, even to Kurosawa and the viewers themselves. Who's telling the truth/ was it a mixture of all versions/ was there another truth untold? Only you can decide! I urge all innocent bystanders who have a problem with b&w non-HD 4:3 subtitled Japanese films from 1950 to try to get over it! Because it's a riveting journey, expertly handled by probably the best film director who's ever lived, all subjective of course.

Akira Kurosawa (aka: "AK", the "lesser Kurosawa", etc.) has one of those overblown reputations that earns praise from everyone who can't think for themselves. If the word "overrated" was assigned a picture reference in a dictionary, a portrait of "AK" would probably be the best choice. If the word "lemming" was assigned a synonym in a thesaurus, the term "AK follower" would fit the bill nicely. It's no understatement to say that the sheer level of brainless veneration that's repeatedly thrown at this guy hasn't been seen since the advent of organized religion – especially when one considers the fact that most of his movies suck, yet are somehow able to earn IMDb average ratings over 8.0. These people need to stop beating around the bush and simply construct cathedrals in his honor for daily worship. Well, I knew this day would come. I'm running out of Japanese movies to watch on Netflix, so I have decided to watch more Akira Kurosawa films - despite the fact that much of what I have already seen has been torture to sit through. However, I do typically enjoy films more after a second viewing, so I decided to give "Rashomon" a second chance. Ironically, I'm going to end up downgrading my original rating from a 4/10 to a 3/10. All it did was remind me of why I don't like this director. I truly dread this little project I've started on. Kurosawa directs yet another dud that tells multiple perspectives of a murder. As is the case with many of this director's films, the acting is wretched. Toshiro Mifune (a good actor) gives what is likely the worst performance of his career as he cackles and stumbles around like Jar Jar Binks. Meanwhile, Takashi Shimura (a terrible actor) basically just stares off into space with those bug eyes of his, mugging for the camera with that smug frown that Kurosawa loves so much (go watch "Ikiru" if you want 2+ hours of Shimura's sad puppy dog glances). As if that weren't bad enough, the lead actress contributes some horribly acted moments during the second half. But the acting isn't the only problem here. The scoring is non-stop and way off base. The mystery simply isn't that interesting or well-written. Some scenes drag on for far too long despite the film being only 88 minutes long. The sword duels are annoying to watch, with characters acting like looney tunes or incompetent doofuses (e.g., stumbling around, dropping swords, missing easy opportunities to kill, acting like children, etc.). Yep, poorly directed crap like this is what I expect from good ole A.K.

After watching movies for several decades, i still get puzzled which of them have been considered masterpieces. In this sense, Rashomon epitomizes everything i don't understand about cinema. Judging by the literature, Kurosawa drew part of his inspiration from classical Russian writers. In order to be on par with their Russian role-models, artists often feel the urge to make their work slow-paced and lengthy. For the average viewer this usually means boring. And we see that in Rashomon's long shots during which there is absolutely nothing going on. As far as acting is concerned, let's just say that Toshiro Mifune's delivery is too theatrical even for the time of movie's creation. There might be a discussion on various levels about Rashomon, but the bottom line is that it's an overrated piece of cinema.

"Rashomon", Akira Kurosawa's 1950 film about a horrible crime and the various versions of the "truth" that come to fruition during the investigation is absolutely amazing, pure and simple. The story is told four different times, each time from the point of view of one of the participants. The basic story of the crime is that a bandit (Mifune) comes across a husband and wife traveling through the forest. The bandit, Tajomaru, seduces/assaults the Masako (Kyo) after tying up her husband Takehiro (Mori), and soon after, Takehiro is dead. What happens between the times Tajomaru encounters the couple and the discovery of Takehiro's body is what is left to be discovered. Masako, Tajomaru and even Takehiro (with the assistance of a medium) each tell their account of the story, each taking blame for Takehiro's death. The fourth telling is from a passer-by, and the audience is left to decide which is the true account. I absolutely loved this film. I had heard that Yimou Zhang's "Hero" had, if not as an homage, employed the same technique of storytelling and perspective, but seeing this great film was a real treat. The story is original and rich, and Kurosawa always is able to pull great performances from his actors. I found "Rashomon" to be extremely compelling from start to finish, and even managed to be really creeped out at one point. (The psychic medium is pure, unadulterated nightmare fuel) From the very little that I know of Japanese cinema of the 1950's & 1960's, I realize that Kurosawa was not the only director, but he certainly was the trailblazer and set the bar for the genre for decades to come. His peers were putting out material, it was just fairly primitive. (It is easy to forget that not every country's film industry was as opulent as America's) To see this kind of film, a film that is actually incredibly simple, but so ingeniously conceived of and executed makes me remember why I have been and always will be both a student of and lover of film. 8/10 --Shelly

It's hard to tell just how striking "Rashômon" might have seemed to those who watched it in 1950, rather than seeing it after so many subsequent movies and other works have made use of its techniques and ideas. But it's clear that it is a technical and creative success. The story itself is not particularly satisfying, which was most likely by design, and the movie is carried by its structure and by the concept of the markedly different perspectives on the same series of events. The cast also deserve their share of credit for how well it works, and the photography is excellent, as it is in almost all of Kurosawa's films. Kurosawa's expertise makes the interwoven sequences of past and present - essentially telling two different stories - not only work flawlessly, but fit together thematically. It's even more commendable when compared to some of the subsequent films that have tried to use similar ideas, only to come off as pretentious rather than creative or innovative. Kurosawa was also working with much less in terms of possible precedents. In one sense, the choice of specific story material could seem a little odd. The downbeat, rather sordid scenario makes the movie somewhat less enjoyable than several of Kurosawa's other pictures (which is, admittedly, a pretty high standard), and as a result "Rashômon" is more a film to respect and admire than one to enjoy and take pleasure from. Still, it does have significantly more substance to it than do most of the more recent pictures that have been deliberately downbeat or negative in their portrayals of humanity. Such stories are more trendy at present, and they often receive undue praise simply for so being. At the same time, the lack of sympathetic characters and the paucity of hopeful developments bring out all the more its success in developing its ideas about narrative and about reality, ideas that are more fundamental and, in their way, perhaps at least as important as any specific story or events.

In a heavy rainy day on the Eleventh Century, a priest, a woodcutter and a common person are protected together in the ruined temple of Rashomon. They are discussing a recent murder of a man and rape of his wife by the bandit Tajômaru (Toshirô Mifune, in a superb performance). Each one of them has a version for the crime, including the one from the spirit of the dead husband. In the end, an event with an abandoned child and the symbolic appearance of the sun shine return hope in human race for the priest. "Rashomon" is amazing, stunning, a masterpiece. The screenplay is fantastic and shows different perspectives for a same event. This was the theme of one of the classes I had of Methodology of Science many years ago (the same event, watched by different persons in different angles, presents different testimonies). Akira Kurowasa offered us a magnificent (as usual) direction of a movie performed by an outstanding cast and a having one of the most wonderful black & white photography I have ever seen. My vote is ten. Title (Brazil): "Rashomon"