Rashomon (1950)

I enjoyed some other Kurosawa movies, but in contrast to some reviews below I think this one has dated. And I agree with the comment that it now seems overacted. Three stars mostly for its historical significance.

Quality of images poor, modern viewers expect better quality. Story of some interest, when told 3 times, but at the fourth "go" I started to get a bit bored. For people interested in moral issues/questions and human moral nature, the issues of "truth". It ends on a positive note, a bit simplistic, I thought...

Over the years I have enjoyed many movies, those that I really liked I bought. This is one of those, as are all the other Kurosawa movies I own. Kurosawa managed to make black and white movies jump off the screen and they always had such good stories, this and Hiroshi Inagaki's "The 47 Ronin" are two great Japanese classics in the samurai cinema, or any genre . Long but you can pause it , make a coffee and start again. A must watch.

Another beautifully-crafted film by Kurosawa. Intriguing philosophical commentary on subjective constructions of reality - a little ponderous as a result.

A murder and rape take place. But was it murder and rape? Four witnesses give their versions. An award winning movie that put Japanese cinema on the map in the West. The problem is that some of the acting is overdone (particularly Mifune) and some scenes drag (particularly the fight sequences). An influential film that is worth watching. 3.5 stars

A masterpiece!! Simply one of the greatest movies of all time.

Although Rashomon is almost 60 years old it has not dated a single day. It's fragmented story gives it a smart structure and its characters, from the insane bandit Tajômaru to the soul-searching narrator, are fascinating and relevant.As far as crime mysteries go, you would be insane to pick a Hitchcock mess over this.

Another innovative Japanese movie from Akira Kurusawa, the first to introduce the concept of flashbacks from multiple points of view. This concept has subsequently been used in numerous movies, ranging from The Usual Suspects to the kids’ movie Hoodwinked. A nice touch is to use the effect of torrential rain to distinguish between the time in which the story is told and the time in which it actually takes place. I found the heightened aspect of the acting a bit off-putting, but otherwise it’s enjoyable and quite thought-provoking. Kurusawa wrote in his biography that: “ "Human beings are unable to be honest with themselves about themselves. They cannot talk about themselves without embellishing." That essentially is the central theme here.

another winner by top class Japanese film makers and actors.as usual intense acting seems over doneby our tastes but the whole feature is perfect,black and white filming adds to the dramatic effect.sub titles are clear.

Master Director Akira Kurosawa has made a wonderful mind bending film that tries to unravel the truth of an event without providing a straight forward solution. Using a series of flashbacks, four witnesses describe the death of a samurai, each observer laying guilt on themselves and casting themselves and the other participants in distinctive colours. Each account of the truth differs. Is Kurosawa saying that more important than what has actually happened is the perception we have of ourselves and the way others view us? Brilliantly shot in black and white, the simple uncluttered scenes (and story) make perceptive use of light and shadow reflecting (past?) Japanese culture as told from the ruins of Kyoto’s 8th century Rashomon Gate.

A brilliant perspective on how attitudes influence perception.

Awesome!

A truly classic film. It has become a metaphor for human frailty and perception/memory being influenced by what one wants to see/remember rather than what you actually saw. The use of the medium to give the dead man's perspective was brilliant innovation, but there are many others in this film. Even the constant rain is atmospherically pleasing.