Rashōmon, directed by Akira Kurosawa, tells the story of three men that seek refuge from a storm in an abandoned gatehouse (Rashōmon). Of the group, the priest and the woodcutter recount the story, with the commoner listening, in which a bandit rapes a woman and murders her husband, a skillful samurai. Throughout the film, the story is told from four different perspectives (the woodcutter, the bandit (played by Kurosawa's muse, Toshirō Mifune), the woman, and the dead husband).
I enjoyed the way the movie was told and how the characters changed from the different perspectives. In one recount the woman is almost pitiful, while in another story she is seen as the one who orchestrates the duel between her husband and the bandit. The storytelling plays with the audiences' minds, as they attempt to figure out which story is actually true, if any of them are even true.
This movie was masterfully directed. On a technical level, Kurosawa uses light to his advantage, being able to direct the viewers' eyes in several different scenes. He keeps us engaged in the story, allowing us to follow what's going on without ever missing the beat of the movie. It makes the movie aesthetically pleasing. Light is used by Kurosawa to symbolically represent evil and sin. Take this scene below:
I enjoyed the way the movie was told and how the characters changed from the different perspectives. In one recount the woman is almost pitiful, while in another story she is seen as the one who orchestrates the duel between her husband and the bandit. The storytelling plays with the audiences' minds, as they attempt to figure out which story is actually true, if any of them are even true.
This movie was masterfully directed. On a technical level, Kurosawa uses light to his advantage, being able to direct the viewers' eyes in several different scenes. He keeps us engaged in the story, allowing us to follow what's going on without ever missing the beat of the movie. It makes the movie aesthetically pleasing. Light is used by Kurosawa to symbolically represent evil and sin. Take this scene below:
An innocent woman, taking a break while her husband seeks to buy weapons from the bandit. The light is used to foreshadow the horrific events that are about to come.
This movie goes on to show that Kurosawa is a master filmmaker, and I will make it a point to watch more of his films (specifically: The Hidden Fortress, Ran, Stray Dog, Throne of Blood) very soon.
This movie goes on to show that Kurosawa is a master filmmaker, and I will make it a point to watch more of his films (specifically: The Hidden Fortress, Ran, Stray Dog, Throne of Blood) very soon.
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