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Rashomon
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Genre | Drama, Crime |
Format | Blu-ray |
Language | Japanese |
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Product description
RASHÔMON (Blu-ray) A Film by Akira Kurosawa
A woodcutter witnesses a horrific series of events - an ambush, rape and murder. In the telling of the tale, however, each of the four participants gives a different view of what actually happened is anyone telling the truth? Kurosawa's masterly and influential film plays on the subjective nature of truth while unfurling a riveting tale of violence and greed.
The first film to alert Western audiences to the riches of Japanese cinema, Rashômon was remade in Hollywood as The Outrage starring Paul Newman, and is credited as a key influence on Bryan Singer's The Usual Suspects
Special features: Newly restored in High Definition New audio commentary by Kurosawa expert Stuart Galbraith IV Rashômon at 65 (Stuart Galbraith IV, 2015, 34 mins): documentary visiting some of Rashômon's key locations, featuring interviews with former staff from Daiei-Kyoto Studios John Boorman on Rashômon (6 mins) 2010 BFI theatrical reissue trailer Illustrated booklet with a new essay by Stuart Galbraith IV and full credits
Japan | 1950 | black & white | Japanese language with English subtitles | 88 minutes | Original aspect ratio 1.33:1 | BD50 | 24fps | PCM mono audio (48k/24-bit) | Cert 12 (contains moderate violence and sex references) | Region B Blu-ray
Product details
- Aspect Ratio : 1.33:1
- Is Discontinued By Manufacturer : No
- Language : Japanese
- Package Dimensions : 18.03 x 13.76 x 1.48 cm; 83.16 Grams
- Media Format : Blu-ray
- Subtitles: : English
- Studio : Bfi
- ASIN : B00T05OAQ6
- Country of origin : United Kingdom
- Number of discs : 1
- Best Sellers Rank: 4,591 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)
- 3,553 in Movies (Movies & TV)
- Customer Reviews:
Customer reviews
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黒澤作品の中でも異色中の異色作だが、世界的にも驚愕の映画だったらしく、ベネツィア国際映画祭で初めて日本作品が金獅子賞を受賞した。翌年アカデミー賞名誉賞も獲得し、11作目にして初めて黒澤明の名が世界に轟いた瞬間だ。
全ての人類史に喧嘩を売るが如き野心的なテーマ、モノクロながら自然光を活かした鮮烈な画面と躍動的かつ溜めもあるカメラワーク、同じ役柄を全く異なる性格で4回演じる達者な役者達、映画用の格好良い殺陣ではなく素人同士の敢えてみっともない決闘を撮るセンス、そして主役は事件当事者達ではなく陪審員的な傍観者、何れもが当時の映画のセオリーを無視していたのだろう。
特に四者四様の自画自賛ストーリーこそ鍵だ。大映と黒澤の制作意図は人間のエゴイズムを嘲笑的に暴くだけだったかも知れないが、欧米映画関係者が日本作品として観た視点は全く違った筈だ。
それは「歴史は勝者によって記される」の太古からの欺瞞に挑戦する、敗者日本の未曾有の大胆な試みに映ったからだ。
原作通り「歴史の真実は常に藪の中」を、日本が撮ったのだから同じ敗者のイタリアのベネツィアで化学反応を起こした事はある意味で必然だったと言える。
それが偶然の産物だったのは大映は映画祭への出品を辞退したのに、イタリア映画制作会社の社長が惚れ込んで無理矢理出品したからだ。だからグランプリ授賞式に日本人が誰も出席しない珍事が起きたし、黒澤も授賞を知らなかった。
つまり大映も黒澤も、日本ですらヒットしなかった作品で世界に勝負する気はさらさら無く、ましてや世界的には黒澤は未だ無名なのに世界に訴える大それた作品とは思っていなかった。
が、人間と歴史への高尚なアンチテーゼに世界が勝手に盛り上がったのだ。
黒澤の類い稀な映像表現が有ってこその話だが、現実とは何と面白いのだろうと一人合点している。
また、芥川龍之介等の日本文壇が世界に対しても普遍的に通用するメッセージを書き遺してくれた偉業にも感謝したくなる。邦画を世界に知らしめた歴史的作品を丁寧にリマスターしてくれた角川映画、他二団体の英断にも感謝したい。
観る人の立場や主観でこれほど印象の違う作品は恐らく他に類をみない。無理矢理、観客も陪審員に引きずり込むとは何とも罪深い異色の傑作だ。

It is one of my all time top movies. Absolutely fascinating and definitely worth watching numerous times.
I hope you find my review helpful

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 14 November 2018
It is one of my all time top movies. Absolutely fascinating and definitely worth watching numerous times.
I hope you find my review helpful


In this 1952 film, a shabby, unscrupulous bandit sees a married woman being led through the forest on horseback by her samurai husband. A veil flowing from her hat entirely covers her face. By chance, a sudden gust of wind blows the veil aside and reveals to the bandit, such beauty, that he becomes instantly infatuated. He is driven to the most extreme lengths to have sexual intercourse with her. With the music of Ravel’s Bolero playing alongside the bandit’s story, it is totally riveting.
I wasn’t prepared for the final imagery and nature of the last story from the woodcutter, or the scene with the female medium channelling the spirit of the dead husband.
The deepest values of each person’s life is exposed at the crucial moment. It really is a masterpiece - absolutely brilliant - just watch it!!

In one of the most stunning openings in cinema (Kurosawa's influence on Leone seems obvious here), as rain and wind lashes down on the dilapidated Kyoto city gate (a 'hell on earth'), the great Takashi Shimura's woodcutter and Minoru Chiaki's priest stare into nowhere, the woodcutter sighing, 'I don't understand. I just don't understand' (a metaphor for much audience reaction, no doubt!). What follows are (at least) three versions of the truth as Masayuki Mori's travelling samurai and wife (Machiko Kyo) encounter 'notorious' bandit Toshiro Mifune's Tajamuro, leaving the samurai dead. Is it a simple case of 'bandit rape and murder' or is there a 'ritual murder' or even suicide involved? Kurosawa leaves it for us to decide, as the three (the deceased samurai via a medium, no less) give their accounts of events (in court) straight to camera. Throughout, in order to emphasise the 'differing POV' theme, Miyagawa's camera constantly (and cleverly) shifts between 'over the shoulder' shots from each of the three protagonists.
Acting-wise, given the film's cultural milieu these are stylised performances, owing much to the preceding silent film era. Mifune presages his Seven Samurai turn as Kikuchiyo, here as animated (hysterical even) bandit, in a performance of great infectiousness - a dreamer and liar who lives on base instinct certainly, more a petty criminal than cruel murderer, however. Kyo is equally impressive (insecure, desperate, fearful) as the dishonoured wife - either a brazen hussy or a devoted, compromised spouse (depending on your POV), whilst Mori is also good as the stoic cuckold. Shimura is (of course) superb as the priest's co-starer in a (relatively) peripheral role (albeit he is key to the film's denouement).
By the film's conclusion, at which woodcutter and priest achieve some degree of 'redemption', we are left with the strong suspicion that Kurosawa's (almost mythological) characters are mere ciphers for the failings of humanity, moulding the truth to suit their own (nefarious) purposes (base desire, social honour, reputation, etc). Whilst (for me) Rashomon does not quite convey the feel for humanity of Ikiru or the character development (or, of course, pyrotechnics) of Seven Samurai, it makes up for this via its subtle perception, evocative symbolism and technical innovation. And just to reiterate, it is a film (for me at least) whose power (and reputation) grows with each repeat viewing.

As Rashomon is a Kurosawa film, it is expertly directed. The pacing of the film is superb. Rashomon has quite limited periods of action but there is seemingly no let-up in the atmosphere. As a black and white film with subtitles for those without sufficient Japanese, it has a somewhat arty feel to it. Rashomon is thought provoking rather than exciting.
Rashomon stars Toshiro Mifune and he is absolutely excellent. He is clearly the class act on screen, able to move his performance with great subtlety to express the different views the story is told from. At times he is the brash and super confident bandit Tajomaru. From the perspectives that see the dangerous bandit as the belligerant, Mifune is imposing and strong, his facial expressions convey his dominance of the environment he inhabits. From other perspectives, Mifune is afflicted by nerves, the very same outcomes happen almost despite Tajomaru rather than because of him.
It is that distinction of perspective that makes Rashomon so cherished. Intriguingly each of the characters plays up their own negative role in the action rather than portraying themselves as heroic. Tajomaru sees himself as a brutal killer when others see him more comedic or even a victim of circumstances. The relationship between the couple in the woods is entirely dependent on the perspective being told from. From Machiko's perspective she is wronged by her partner seeing dishonour in her. From Mayusaki's perspective he is scorned by the woman he loves.
None of the narratives are reliable. There is no real way for the viewer to decide which perspective is true. It is a fascinating study to watch, to be exposed so bluntly to egoistic way each of us understands the actions of others.
Often great film is enhanced by tremendous music. This is not true of Rashomon. Fumio Hayasaka's score is not excellent. The sligtly disjointed tones of the majority of the film are somewhat ruined by an inappropriate use of Ravel's Bolero. Bolero really does not fit Rashomon, it was a bad choice by Kurosawa to insist on it.
There are other aspects of the experience though that are tremendous, in particular the lighting. The oppressive rain experienced by the three characters at the Kyoto city gate is beautifully lit. The various woodland scenes also work very well with incredible use of sunlight.
What makes Rashomon something special is the unreliability of each of the narrators. It is the subjectivity of perception explored so ruthlessly that makes it so intriguing. None of the narrators is willfully unreliable, the tale each tells seems genuinely theirs. These are not narrators manipulating the viewer deliberately and that makes them far more engaging.
The scope and feel of Rashomon does not itself necessarily suit film brilliantly. Kurosawa makes it work thanks to his own genious and the presence of Mifune. They turn a concept into something compelling. Still, Rashomon seems more suited to being a stage performance, it just does not have the scope of Kurosawa's greatest films, tales like Seven Samurai , Yojimbo , or Hidden Fortress . Rashomon is not an epic, it is a thought provoking piece that sets and then exceeds expectations.
The DVD Extras are ok. The Extras mainly offers a discussion among several of those who worked on the 1950 film. It is a somewhat technical discussion about how certain effects were created. The special edition includes a booklet with a terrific extract from The Emperor and the Wolf by Stuart Galbraith as well as text from the novellas Rashomon and In A Grove. Galbraith's history of the film and his own analysis are high quality and offers a fascinating 20 page insight.
Rashomon is a very good film, not the greatest of Kurosawa's unequalled career but still fascinating. The concept is thought provoking and can sit with a viewer for a long time afterwards. The unreliable narrator has a very long tradition but to see that unreliability come about through subjective egoism rather than as a deliberate act is a terrific concept.