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IMDbPro

Rashomon

Original title: Rashômon
  • 19501950
  • Not RatedNot Rated
  • 1h 28m
IMDb RATING
8.2/10
166K
YOUR RATING
Rashomon (1950)
The rape of a bride and the murder of her samurai husband are recalled from the perspectives of a bandit, the bride, the samurai's ghost and a woodcutter.
Play trailer1:49
2 Videos
74 Photos
  • Crime
  • Drama
  • Mystery
The rape of a bride and the murder of her samurai husband are recalled from the perspectives of a bandit, the bride, the samurai's ghost and a woodcutter.The rape of a bride and the murder of her samurai husband are recalled from the perspectives of a bandit, the bride, the samurai's ghost and a woodcutter.The rape of a bride and the murder of her samurai husband are recalled from the perspectives of a bandit, the bride, the samurai's ghost and a woodcutter.
IMDb RATING
8.2/10
166K
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • Akira Kurosawa
  • Writers
    • Ryûnosuke Akutagawa(stories Rashomon and In a Grove)
    • Akira Kurosawa(screenplay)
    • Shinobu Hashimoto(screenplay)
  • Stars
    • Toshirô Mifune
    • Machiko Kyô
    • Masayuki Mori
Top credits
  • Director
    • Akira Kurosawa
  • Writers
    • Ryûnosuke Akutagawa(stories Rashomon and In a Grove)
    • Akira Kurosawa(screenplay)
    • Shinobu Hashimoto(screenplay)
  • Stars
    • Toshirô Mifune
    • Machiko Kyô
    • Masayuki Mori
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 387User reviews
    • 135Critic reviews
    • 98Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
  • Top rated movie #149
    • Nominated for 1 Oscar
      • 9 wins & 5 nominations total

    Videos2

    Re-release Trailer
    Trailer 1:49
    Re-release Trailer
    A Message From the Bluth Family
    Video 2:25
    A Message From the Bluth Family

    Photos74

    Minoru Chiaki, Takashi Shimura, and Kichijirô Ueda in Rashomon (1950)
    Toshirô Mifune and Machiko Kyô in Rashomon (1950)
    Toshirô Mifune and Masayuki Mori in Rashomon (1950)
    Toshirô Mifune and Machiko Kyô in Rashomon (1950)
    Rashomon (1950)
    Rashomon (1950)
    Rashomon (1950)
    Rashomon (1950)
    Minoru Chiaki and Takashi Shimura in Rashomon (1950)
    Minoru Chiaki and Takashi Shimura in Rashomon (1950)
    Rashomon (1950)
    Masayuki Mori in Rashomon (1950)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Toshirô Mifune
    Toshirô Mifune
    • Tajômaruas Tajômaru
    Machiko Kyô
    Machiko Kyô
    • Masako Kanazawaas Masako Kanazawa
    Masayuki Mori
    Masayuki Mori
    • Takehiro Kanazawaas Takehiro Kanazawa
    Takashi Shimura
    Takashi Shimura
    • Woodcutteras Woodcutter
    Minoru Chiaki
    Minoru Chiaki
    • Priestas Priest
    Kichijirô Ueda
    Kichijirô Ueda
    • Commoneras Commoner
    Noriko Honma
    Noriko Honma
    • Mediumas Medium
    Daisuke Katô
    Daisuke Katô
    • Policemanas Policeman
    • Director
      • Akira Kurosawa
    • Writers
      • Ryûnosuke Akutagawa(stories Rashomon and In a Grove)
      • Akira Kurosawa(screenplay)
      • Shinobu Hashimoto(screenplay)
    • All cast & crew
    • See more cast details at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Often credited as the reason the Academy created the "Best Foreign Film" category.
    • Goofs
      Around the 22:30 mark (in the Criterion release), the bandit explains to the husband about the sword and where it came from, but the words don't even come close to matching his lip movements.
    • Quotes

      Commoner: It's human to lie. Most of the time we can't even be honest with ourselves.

    • Alternate versions
      Criterion Collection releases of this film feature an English Dubbed Version in addition to the traditional, original Japanese version. This is unusual in that Criterion are usually film purists that do not put English language dubs on their discs that contain a foreign language film.
    • Connections
      Edited into Papillon d'amour (2004)
    • Soundtracks
      Woman's Tale Theme (Bolero)
      Written by Fumio Hayasaka inspired by Maurice Ravel's "Bolero", using the same background rhythm, and similar orchestration and build-up, but different melodic lines.

    User reviews387

    Review
    Top review
    To what extent does subjectivity affect perception?
    "Rashomon" tells a very simple tale in a very complicated manner, presenting four 'versions' of the truth, each from a party either witness to or involved in the incident depicted. It is not the film's intent to have you piece together a puzzle since that would be impossible based on how drastically the four tales differ. We know that lies don't enter the equation since the participating persons all claim to be guilty. "Rashomon" is not about choosing a version of the incident you believe is true; it is about human perspective and how it shapes what we see. Even if we truly believe what we have seen is true, is it really?

    The film opens when a priest and woodcutter are encountered by a man who engages in a conversation about crime with them and subsequently learns that a samurai has been killed in the woods and his wife raped by a bandit. These two details are the basic, practically undisputed facts which make up the foundation of the four versions of the story we hear: the bandit's, the woman's, her husband's (through a medium), and the woodcutter's (the only presumably objective account, which still does not make sense in relation to the others). In many ways the best thing about "Rashomon" is that it never reveals what actually happens (or if any of the four accounts is in fact true), and although we are not meant to solve the mystery (the idea here is that there is no objective truth since humans are too selfish and dishonest to view anything without bias) the story structure is still brilliant and adds a lot of ambiance to the film. The narrative flow is strong and the method seems fresh and inventive today despite countless imitations (including one inexplicably popular one- "The Usual Suspects").

    "Rashomon" is very much a visual film. It would be reduced to unimportant and insignificant fare without the cinematography, which captures the mood and feel of the jungle perfectly, as does the score. The film achieves an epic feel very rare for films filmed in fullscreen, especially during the battle between the bandit and the samurai during the last telling of the story. Kurosawa was also wise enough to choose a location for the film that would accurately capture the eerie, slightly disturbing mood of the story. Just picture the events taking place anywhere other than a jungle.

    "Rashomon" is not without its (minor) flaws, however. While theatrical acting (Kurosawa was fascinated with silent film) worked perfectly with films like "Seven Samurai" and "Throne of Blood", it does nothing but take away from the realism of this oft claustrophobic human drama. Yes, Mifune (Tajomaru, the bandit) does provide an interesting spin on his character for each telling, and Takashi Shumura (the woodcutter) seems as honest and real as any character could possibly be, but nearly all of that effect is lost every time Machiko Kyo appears on screen. It is hard to take her seriously and during moments when I should have been close to tears I was much closer to laughter. I'm not sure how much blame I would place on her as Kurosawa probably asked her to act exactly as she does. While discussing actors I have to (unconventionally) note Fumiko Honma as the medium, who brings a wonderfully eerie air to the film during its greatest scenes.

    I don't think "Rashomon" is Kurosawa's best or most important film, but it is still a masterful piece of cinema which is absolutely essential for any film lover. It's extraordinary how much Kurosawa accomplished at such an early stage in his career and without the benefit of the lavish budgets he was allotted for later projects. The film's main question is also still relevant and confusing today: is what we think we see really the truth, and to what extent does subjectivity affect perception?

    4.5/5
    helpful•69
    16
    • ametaphysicalshark
    • Sep 9, 2007

    FAQ4

    • A NOTE REGARDING SPOILERS
    • What is a "Rashômon"?
    • Is Rashomon based on two stories?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • December 26, 1951 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • Japan
    • Language
      • Japanese
    • Also known as
      • V gozdu
    • Filming locations
      • Komyoji Temple, Kyoto, Japan
    • Production company
      • Daiei
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $250,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $46,808
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $15,942
      • Jul 28, 2002
    • Gross worldwide
      • $46,808
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 28 minutes
    • Color
      • Black and White
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.37 : 1

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