Rashomon

Rashomon

By: Akira Kurosawa

                        What should be a simple recount of a rape and murder that occurred, turns into a surprisingly complex story about what MAY have happened.  The movie takes place under the gate of Rashomon where a woodcutter, a priest, and another man are seeking shelter out of the rain.  They begin talking about a murder that has occurred, in which the woodcutter has witnessed. We learn the story of what may have happened entirely through the flashbacks of four people: the lady that was raped, the man that was murdered through the use of a medium, a bandit who allegedly murdered the man and raped his wife, and the woodcutter who was the only witness. The audience never truly learns what actually occurred because each account is vastly different. I found that the purpose of this movie is not to tell us a story about the crimes, it is to makes us think about mankind and truth. To make us realize we can all see the same event but interpret it differently, that every human has a different version of the truth that we tell, even to ourselves.  At the end of the movie we find out the woodcutter had stolen a dagger from the crime scene in which makes the audience trust him even less. Shortly after finding this out, the men discover an abandoned baby. The woodcutter ends up taking the baby home to raise with his other children. By ending the movie with the woodcutter taking the abandoned baby home is almost like redeeming mankind.

This film contains brilliant acting and a choreographed fight scene that, although occurs at a serious moment, will have you giggling.  The acting of the bandit, played by Toshiro Mifune, is note worthy.  We see his character constantly scratching himself, which automatically gives the audience a feeling of him being dirty. Also, the acting of Machiko Kyo, and her ability to act out vastly different emotions in an instant is magnificent.

An aspect of this film worth mentioning is the use of weather.  The present day of the movie at the gate of Rashomon, it is raining. I found the rain to be symbolizing tears for human nature. We then flash back to the events and they are shown in bright sun light. Also, at the end of the film when the woodcutter is taking the baby home the weather breaks and bright sunlight comes pouring out as to indicate hope for humanity.

The downside to this movie is it can be tedious. The beginning starts out slowly but it does pick up the pace. There are parts in this movie that will have the audience forward to the next scene.

            Rashomon is definitely a film everyone should experience at least once, if not for the entertainment itself, but for the truth it reveals about human nature. This film is thought provoking and entertaining.  Just when it begins to lose the interest of the audience it jerks them back in with superb acting, great cinematography and thought provoking storyline.  A great film that will have you talking about it for weeks.