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Rashomon, like most of Kurosawa’s films, is set during a time of social crisis – pestilence, fires, civil war in 11th Century Japan. Three characters seek shelter from a driving rainstorm beneath the ruined Rashomon gate that guards the southern entrance to the court capital. As they wait for the storm to pass, the priest, the woodcutter and the commoner discuss a recent and scandalous crime – a noblewoman was raped in the forest, her samurai husband killed as a result of either murder or suicide, and a thief named Tajomaru was arrested for the crime. Upon its first screening in Venice, Rashomon stunned audiences with its visionary narrative approach – multiple flashbacks of a key event that fail to conform to one another – a striking narrative device that is now commonplace in both film and TV. More than this, Kurosawa’s genius is such that Rashomon has transcended its own status in cinema to influence modern culture and symbolize general notions about the relativity of truth, unreliability and subjectivity of memory. A genuine classic of World Cinema, the film is based on two stories by Ryunosuke Akutagawa and stars the inimitable Toshiro Mifune.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
61 of 61 people found the following review helpful
The Optimum dvd release is a definate improvement over the barebones BFI release and even give Criterion a run for their money!!!! This edition includes a 70 minute making of not featured on the Criterion copy!! There's a decent VERY packed 36 page booklet too! Comes housed in a slipcase (though features the same cover as the DVD sleeve). This could easily pass as one of the Eureka! Masters of Cinema DVDs which is praise enough in itself. Optimum have really made an effort here - buy this over the Criterion so hopefully we'll get more region 2 classics of this standard!
43 of 43 people found the following review helpful
A man is dead, a woman was raped, and that's all that can be definitely said. Somebody has committed murder, but nobody knows whodunnit. Genius filmmaker Akira Kurosawa's "Rashomon" is a classic for its skillful direction, suspense and wonderful acting. It's one of those movies you think must be vastly overrated until you see it, and are blown away by it.
At the Rashomon Gate in eleventh-century Japan, a man (Kichijiro Ueda) takes shelter with a priest (Minoru Chiaki) and a woodcutter (Takashi Shimura) during a rainstorm. The woodcutter is depressed and the priest is horrified, over a recent crime: the vicious bandit Tajômaru (Toshirô Mifune) was arrested for murdering a man named Takehiro (Masayuki Mori) and raping his wife Masako (Machiko Kyô). But when taken before the police, Tajômaru claims that he has his fun with the woman and killed her husband honorably in a fight.
But Masako begs to differ; she claims to be the victim first of the sadistic bandit, then of her cold-hearted husband. And when a medium calls up the spirit of Takehiro, he claims that Masako was unfaithful, asking the bandit to murder him, then spurned by Tajômaru. Her actions drove Takehiro to suicide. And the woodcutter himself claims to have seen the altercation -- and his version is wildly different from them all.
During the filming of "Rashomon," director Akira Kurosawa stated that the film is a reflection of life, which doesn't always have clear meanings. The same could be said of truth. Questions are raised by the events of "Rashomon," but given no easy answers -- sometimes no answers at all (my biggest question was how Masako's gown stays so white if she's always weeping on the ground).... Read more ›
At the Rashomon Gate in eleventh-century Japan, a man (Kichijiro Ueda) takes shelter with a priest (Minoru Chiaki) and a woodcutter (Takashi Shimura) during a rainstorm. The woodcutter is depressed and the priest is horrified, over a recent crime: the vicious bandit Tajômaru (Toshirô Mifune) was arrested for murdering a man named Takehiro (Masayuki Mori) and raping his wife Masako (Machiko Kyô). But when taken before the police, Tajômaru claims that he has his fun with the woman and killed her husband honorably in a fight.
But Masako begs to differ; she claims to be the victim first of the sadistic bandit, then of her cold-hearted husband. And when a medium calls up the spirit of Takehiro, he claims that Masako was unfaithful, asking the bandit to murder him, then spurned by Tajômaru. Her actions drove Takehiro to suicide. And the woodcutter himself claims to have seen the altercation -- and his version is wildly different from them all.
During the filming of "Rashomon," director Akira Kurosawa stated that the film is a reflection of life, which doesn't always have clear meanings. The same could be said of truth. Questions are raised by the events of "Rashomon," but given no easy answers -- sometimes no answers at all (my biggest question was how Masako's gown stays so white if she's always weeping on the ground).... Read more ›
15 of 16 people found the following review helpful
By the
Rashomon has changed the way cinema goers think of storytelling. As many will know it it a retelling of the story of a crime told by 3 different participants and we never know which story is the true one. All involved try to present it in the manner that is most flattering to them but the stories are contradicting each other. It challenges notions of truth in this most illusionistic of mediums: cinema and it does so in a straight forward, unpretentious way that makes a film to be enjoyed by all.
Rashomon, is an amazingly well crafted film. Some of the images are going to stay with you for ever. Maybe some will underrate the film because it has been so influential we have grown to take its contribution to cinema as a matter of fact, but i think it is impossible to dismiss how beautiful the film is and how well it is told.
This is a great edition though it is difficult to think of an edition good enough to do Rashomon justice.
Rashomon, is an amazingly well crafted film. Some of the images are going to stay with you for ever. Maybe some will underrate the film because it has been so influential we have grown to take its contribution to cinema as a matter of fact, but i think it is impossible to dismiss how beautiful the film is and how well it is told.
This is a great edition though it is difficult to think of an edition good enough to do Rashomon justice.
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
By Justinian
Akira Kurosawa's calling card to cinema worldwide is a brillant film in almost everyway, filmed with a handful of actors in no more then 3 locations it shows subjective nature of truth as told through a drama set in 11th century japan involving a rape and murder as told through 5 diffent accounts. This is a film that I really feel everyone should see at least one in there lives as even after almost 60 years it still is a eye-opener to what good cinema is and how it can affect the way we think.
Like all of Kurosawas films the direction, pace and sheer skill is second to none, I could could review and praise all his films however I feel this (ikiru & seven samurai close seconds) is my favorate of his films
Don't watch and you are missing out.
Like all of Kurosawas films the direction, pace and sheer skill is second to none, I could could review and praise all his films however I feel this (ikiru & seven samurai close seconds) is my favorate of his films
Don't watch and you are missing out.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
For many years I delayed getting a copy of this seminal film. Well good things come to those who wait. It is fabulous and unique and clearly as an early Kurosawa film displays the vision for camera angles, humour and seriousness of his palette.
Mifuno is superb and plays his role of the bandit chief to the hilt. he reprises aspects of this caracter more than you would think for Seven Samurai, a very different film
The film combines two Japanese short stories by Akutagawa, but you can read it in the extended booklet on this inside, this edition gives you the "in the grove" story itself. The other story about the Rashomon gate was so heavily adapted so does not bear inclusion here, although it is a good one in its own right.
The graphic ending says all there is to be said about killing. men come out of this film badly, women are no better. men are weak and driven by emotions, women are stronger and more intelligent but capable of more deliberate and vengeful cruelty.
I am slowly getting hold of all Kurosawa's film. Each is a revelation. This is a short film and easily demonstrates how the great man began
Mifuno is superb and plays his role of the bandit chief to the hilt. he reprises aspects of this caracter more than you would think for Seven Samurai, a very different film
The film combines two Japanese short stories by Akutagawa, but you can read it in the extended booklet on this inside, this edition gives you the "in the grove" story itself. The other story about the Rashomon gate was so heavily adapted so does not bear inclusion here, although it is a good one in its own right.
The graphic ending says all there is to be said about killing. men come out of this film badly, women are no better. men are weak and driven by emotions, women are stronger and more intelligent but capable of more deliberate and vengeful cruelty.
I am slowly getting hold of all Kurosawa's film. Each is a revelation. This is a short film and easily demonstrates how the great man began
Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
A must for Kurosawa fans
Rashomon is undoubtedly one of the best Kurosawa films and the additional background documentary makes this particular DVD a treat for Kurosawa fans. Read more
Published 24 days ago by Dr G
3.0 out of 5 stars
three points of view
Roshamon tells one story from three different people's viewpoint
Roshamon an OK film. The main theme is around a woman who is married but will happily cuckold her weak... Read more
Roshamon an OK film. The main theme is around a woman who is married but will happily cuckold her weak... Read more
Published 1 month ago by Bobby Klump
5.0 out of 5 stars
Forget the gripes.
There are lots of reviews here from viewers who obviously expected to see a modern style sword-fest along the lines of Hero. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Mr. P. Johnson
4.0 out of 5 stars
Thought Provoking Classic
Rashomon is a groundbreaking 1950 film by the legendary Akira Kurosawa and starring the peerless Toshiro Mifune relatively early in his career. Read more
Published 2 months ago by MLA
5.0 out of 5 stars
rashomon
i first saw this film many years ago when it was first released and liked it very much.
this dvd met all my expectatations and brought back memories.
this dvd met all my expectatations and brought back memories.
Published 3 months ago by ron beck
5.0 out of 5 stars
A masterpiece.
This is a great film. I show it in class when I get a chance to demonstrate narrative point of view and dramatic treatment of ethical issues and conflict. Excellent.
Published 5 months ago by Andrea P
5.0 out of 5 stars
What happens and why
'Rashomon' is, on the surface, a murder mystery: who killed a man and why. What sets the film apart however are the faulty and false narratives by the individuals present at the... Read more
Published 6 months ago by Xenophon
4.0 out of 5 stars
Mifune the live wire in a classic Kurosawa morality tale
What a masterpiece of physical theatre Rashomon is. Three men waiting out the rain discuss different accounts of a crime in the mountains involving three people - a robber, a... Read more
Published 14 months ago by Philoctetes
5.0 out of 5 stars
One of Kurosawa's finest
A genuinely classic film by one of the finest filmmakers the world has known. Years ahead of its time and with another perfectly-pitched, yet crazed performance by Toshiro... Read more
Published 16 months ago by JW
2.0 out of 5 stars
Interesting but disappointing
This is supposed to be a milestone film and if, like me, you find "multiple narrators" an intriguing idea, I'm told it's a first. Read more
Published 23 months ago by Mr. Pj Martin
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