Rashomon (The Criterion Collection) [Blu-ray]

Blu-ray is the typical Criterion excellence keeping in mind the starting point of a 1950 Japanese B&W with mediocre fidelity monaural audio. Has some good extras including an in depth analysis commentary that provides deep insight about the story, script writing, cinematography and directing within the context of traditional Japanese culture. Options include Japanese or dubbed English dialog (both mono), and English subtitles. It's interesting to watch with dubbed English and subtitles as they are clearly different translations. Found using both together that it provides additional insight into the more subtle meaning of the Japanese dialog.Roshamon is not an original screenplay, it is an adaptation of two Akutagawa short stories, "Roshmon" providing the story-telling setting and infant scene, and "In a Grove" providing the plot and charcters. Even without the optional analysis commentary, it becomes clear within the first 20 minutes or so this is not a Kurosawa action film. It is intellectual and challenges the viewer's concepts about absolute Truth and reality. It is a mental exercise as the priest and the woodsman relate their story about a crime and trial they recently saw to a third party who is curious, wanting to be entertained while waiting out a torrential rainstorm in the shelter of the Rashomon Gate. The priest in particular is losing his faith and belief in the basic Goodness of humanity after hearing the very different and self-serving testimony at the trial. The basic facts that a rape and murder occurred are not disputed, but who committed the murder and how both were carried out are what substantially differ in five different versions of the events (woodsman with original and later revised stories, notorious bandit on trial, murdered samurai via a "medium, and samurai's wife who was raped by the bandit). It's an absolutely outstanding exploration of Truth, what it is, and how it relates to what people perceive, remember and want or wish to believe. Add to it strong probability of ulterior motives and self-interest tainting the testimony. The themes are universal and timeless, and Kurasowa's portrayal of the story allows the film to be readily understood in nearly any country/culture, 60+ years later. It is cited by some as Japan's "Citizen Kane," their all-time greatest film with groundbreaking flashback-driven screenplay, directing, acting and cinematography (albeit a much different plot). Not surprising to me that Roshamon received the 1952 Academy Award (Oscar) for Best Foreign Language Film, and has withstood the test of time, continuing to place high on lists of the best Japanese films.Like two other Kurosawa films that were remade as Westerns, "The Outrage" in 1964 with Paul Newman, Edward G. Robinson and a very young Willim Shatner very closely follows Roshamon (with Kurosawa credited for the screenplay. The other two are Seven Samurai / Magnificent Seven and Yojimbo / Fistful of Dollars. Other films use major elements or the same themes more abstractly, but analysis shows the source.This is a film well worth seeing, more than once as the finer details in the story and Kurosawa's directing become more apparent

If you haven’t seen a Kurosawa film, this is definitely one to watch.

Wow what a movie I absolutely adore this one. Easily in my top five Kurosawa films.

RASHOMONThis 1950 Kurosawa crime drama, set in 11th century Kyoto, is one of many pictures which contribute to Kurosawa's reputation as one of the great filmmakers of all time. With its groundbreaking use of flashbacks this picture not only influenced future filmmaking but also contributed to the lexicon of courtroom justice. Eyewitness stories which contradict each other became known as the "Rashomon" effect. In the story four characters are witnesses to, or participants in, a murder or a suicide - and a possible rape. Each character recounts his or her story seemingly in response to questioning, though we never see or hear from an interrogator. It quickly becomes clear that they can't all be right, and what really happened is anyone's guess - until the end of the film.The deluge at Kyoto's Rashomon Gate which opens the film made a powerful impression on me. Maybe you'll have the same reaction.This picture won't be everyone's cup of tea, though for some it may become an acquired taste. That said, it's worth seeing for the fantastic acting and directing alone - also for the memorable woodsy mountain scenery and thickets (a Kurosawa specialty also featured in Seven Samurai) where the characters go astray both literally and figuratively. All part of Kurosawa's design, as pointed out in one of the essays included with the Criterion Collection edition of this film.The picture runs an hour and 28 minutes.

The Criterion offer of "Rashomon" consists of an in-depth 44-page booklet that provides both illumination and clarity as witnessed through the film. The storyline does need help because as the story unfolds what is necessary is not clear. A case in point would be that there is an attempt to extend an intellectual quest at defining something that is in fact to strange to know or at the very least is in fact stranger than these particular characters are accustomed to dealing with. It is not to this opinion any more difficult than knowing something that would be, to know something that you would not as a rule be accustomed to knowing. A case in point would be whom to charge with what crime, or at the very least what crime exactly would you charge for such a strange crime? This is something of the feel of something of a soliloquy in the discourse of such a strange crime(?). This film is in fact overly clever and even perhaps wordy, that is driven by both distraction and wrongdoing. The film "Rashomon" has moments when it is interesting however often times the idea of an exaggerated appeal provides a misleading motivation. There is much made of the cultural differences and indeed there is something to the differences between cultures however the story may very well be that when cultural lines cross we have something that is strange and nearly unacceptable. There is a Medium introduced late and for what it is worth it is this opinion that is what was so strange. A Medium is a man who is dressed in a white gown looking very much like the murdered man's wife as she was portrayed in the earlier part of the film, however, this is a most strange character and as stated earlier it is this that is so strange to the discussion occurring at a much earlier point. Though the cultural differences are indeed cultural differences stateside we call a spade a spade. This is something of strange that they the film can not accept. This though however provoking may not be what is most important. The characters all end up I'am assuming having to testify to the Police. We are never shown any symbol at the very least something representative of "Law Enforcement" or retribution. There are to be certain confessions of all sorts but then again it is a bit overly clever and even unevenly portrayed. The characters all talk as it were into the void or better yet and more to the point directly into the camera. It is the camera that is in a manner of speaking the focal point of the confession and testimony. This is who seems to possess the quality of both Judge and Jury, truly this opens up a discussion of what is being judged or who is being judged. Are all being judged?

I have been very surprised and pleased to see that Amazon had in stock Akira Kurosawa's samurai masterpieces, including Rashomon (1950) ! And at very good prices.

Esta pelicula es mi favorita de todos los tiempos, adquiere vigencia con las nuevas tecnologias, la trama es de un asesinato que presenciamos con nuestros ojos, pero posterioente, se hace un juicio, con todos los involucrados, incluido el muerto. y descubrimos que a pesar de ser testigos del asesinato, condenamos rapidamente sin conocer el contexto, es similar a lo que sucede en estos tiempos de tik tok, a veces vemos un parte de un video y juzgamos y condenamos, pero posteriomente apararece el video completo y decubrimos que la victima es el victimario.

このレビューは、「羅生門　デジタル完全版[Blu-ray]と「羅生門　Blu-ray（北米版）[Import]のレビューです。この映画「羅生門」に関して、多くを語ることは必要ありませんね。日本映画界が世界に誇れる映画の一本と言って過言ではない作品です。インターネットでも簡単に検索し、情報を集められるので苦労しません。多くのレビュアーさんが詳しいレビューをされているので誰もが安心して購入できるレビューばかりです。そこで自分は、日本国内盤と輸入盤を比較してみました。比較対象品は、日本盤がもちろん角川書店さんが発売している正規品のブルーレイ。輸入盤は、賛否両論！ただし綺麗だという評価が多いクライテリオン社盤です。黒澤　明　監督作品や初代「ゴジラ」などのレビューでは、圧倒的に日本盤よりキレイ！見易い！と評価の高いクライテリオン社製のブルーレイですが、この「羅生門」に関してはちょっと事情が違うようです。両者を見比べると殆ど大差はない様子。ただし若干ですが、レストアして修復したフィルム傷が、多少消し切れていないかな？と思われるシーンが多く見受けられた（そのように見えた）のがクライテリオン社製の方。同じシーンでも日本版の方は、あまり目立たなかったというのが自分の感想です。しかし素人ながら感じたのは、同じマスターではないのかな？ということ。フィルム傷の見え方には、多少違うコントラストの関係が影響しているのかな？という感じです。画質の見比べは、案外簡単そうで難しく、２台のモニターで同時再生しても、モニターの設定や生産時期による違いで、電気店で同じ映像を流していても、どのモニターも画質が随分違って見えるように若干の違いが出てしまいます。自分は、１台のモニターしかないので本当に感じでしかわかりませんが、確認のため同じ条件でパソコンを使い画面キャプチャーして比較しています。黒澤　明　監督作品や初代「ゴジラ」などのブルーレイ・ソフトは、明らかにコントラストの違いやシャープネスの違いがハッキリわかりますが、この「羅生門」に関しては、甲乙つけがたいというのが率直な意見です。「羅生門」のブルーレイは、日本盤も輸入盤も殆ど変化はないというのが結論ですが、若干のコントラスト違いは見受けられます。ただし特典映像は、比べ物にならないほど輸入盤の方が上です。当時の撮影秘話や苦労などがわかるインタビューが盛りだくさん。英語字幕を消せば日本のテレビ番組を見ている感覚で全て見ることができます。この特典映像だけでも輸入盤を買う価値があるという感じです。自分は、両方買って大満足しております。と言うことで、星5つとさせて頂きました。

excellent

Uno dei miei preferiti di Kurosawa, il bello di questo film è la sua natura elusiva, che ben rappresenta quella soggettività compiacente tipica di ciascuno di noi, tendente, non a caso, all'autoindulgenza e all'autocelebrazione. Raccomandato a tutti i cinefili che ancora lo ignorino.Al solito, solo attenti alla lingua: la Criterion è solo in lingua originale con sottotitoli inglesi (qui è però incluso anche un doppiaggio anglofono).