Directed by: Akira KurosawaStarring: Tashiro Mifune
***1/2
As I review Rashomon, its easy to compliment how well it used and essentially invented the multiple perspective style of storytelling. Without getting too complicated, a very structured story changes slightly with each testimony from those involved that the audience because the judge and the jury. We're not so much interested in what is going to happen next or what's vastly different or somewhat similar in the stories but rather which story is true. Its certainly no mistake that the testimonials are spoken to the camera, to us.
Rashomon has garnered quite the repuation for a film that, yes, at one time, was perhaps something people had never seen before but now is nothing more than basic filmmaking done well. The fact that Kurosawa follows the basics is what makes this film as good as it is. There's no need for anything drastic or overly original. It was more important that the style of storytelling was focused on rather than the style of filmmaking. It takes a talented filmmaker to make this distinction.
Its a very hard movie to review because its simple and well, there's nothing really wrong with it from a story or style aspect. If there is criticizm I have of the film its that in a way, it doesn't really stand the test of time. That doesn't even include the fact that its plot outline suggests that a henious crime is recounted when the crime is just a murder and a kiss. Of course, production code restrictions may have played a part in that but even so, a rape/murder nowadays wouldn't really be enough to make this story original. Again, I don't hold that aspect against the films lack of timelessness. Things like the music and settings come across as low budget more than anything else. It may be accurate that court was held in an outdoor garden way back when, but in this instance, it just looked like a cheap setting. Additionally, I was somewhat disappointed and confused by the conclusion of the film. Without giving it away, I'll just say it seemed out of place and a whole new plot point that didn't have really tie in with the rest of the movie.
I somewhat coincidentally but admittedly somewhat purposefully watched Rashomon on the tail of watching The Last Samurai. There are likely other Kurosawa films more suitable for comparison with The Last Samurai but just briefly, Zwick really could have taken a lesson for the simplicity of Rashomon. Note that I suggest Zwick did get bogged down too much with details in Samurai where Kurosawa just let his story unfold. That so-called cheap setting I referred to seemed to be less distracting than a character explaining how a Samurai getting a haircut is dishonorable... or something like that.
It may seem like I'm reaching for problems with this film and its because I am. The fact of the matter is, Kurosawa could have had his characters standing in front of a white wall making their confessions and it would have been just as successful. Perhaps his understanding of this is what makes him the so-called Master. I look forward to finding out if that is in fact who he is by revisiting some of his films and finally catching up with the many I haven't seen.
***1/2
As I review Rashomon, its easy to compliment how well it used and essentially invented the multiple perspective style of storytelling. Without getting too complicated, a very structured story changes slightly with each testimony from those involved that the audience because the judge and the jury. We're not so much interested in what is going to happen next or what's vastly different or somewhat similar in the stories but rather which story is true. Its certainly no mistake that the testimonials are spoken to the camera, to us.
Rashomon has garnered quite the repuation for a film that, yes, at one time, was perhaps something people had never seen before but now is nothing more than basic filmmaking done well. The fact that Kurosawa follows the basics is what makes this film as good as it is. There's no need for anything drastic or overly original. It was more important that the style of storytelling was focused on rather than the style of filmmaking. It takes a talented filmmaker to make this distinction.
Its a very hard movie to review because its simple and well, there's nothing really wrong with it from a story or style aspect. If there is criticizm I have of the film its that in a way, it doesn't really stand the test of time. That doesn't even include the fact that its plot outline suggests that a henious crime is recounted when the crime is just a murder and a kiss. Of course, production code restrictions may have played a part in that but even so, a rape/murder nowadays wouldn't really be enough to make this story original. Again, I don't hold that aspect against the films lack of timelessness. Things like the music and settings come across as low budget more than anything else. It may be accurate that court was held in an outdoor garden way back when, but in this instance, it just looked like a cheap setting. Additionally, I was somewhat disappointed and confused by the conclusion of the film. Without giving it away, I'll just say it seemed out of place and a whole new plot point that didn't have really tie in with the rest of the movie.
I somewhat coincidentally but admittedly somewhat purposefully watched Rashomon on the tail of watching The Last Samurai. There are likely other Kurosawa films more suitable for comparison with The Last Samurai but just briefly, Zwick really could have taken a lesson for the simplicity of Rashomon. Note that I suggest Zwick did get bogged down too much with details in Samurai where Kurosawa just let his story unfold. That so-called cheap setting I referred to seemed to be less distracting than a character explaining how a Samurai getting a haircut is dishonorable... or something like that.
It may seem like I'm reaching for problems with this film and its because I am. The fact of the matter is, Kurosawa could have had his characters standing in front of a white wall making their confessions and it would have been just as successful. Perhaps his understanding of this is what makes him the so-called Master. I look forward to finding out if that is in fact who he is by revisiting some of his films and finally catching up with the many I haven't seen.
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