DVD REVIEW

Rashomon: Criterion Collection  (1951)

Starring: Toshirô Mifune, Takashi Shimura, Machiko Kyô
Director: Akira Kurosawa

Rating: NR

Studio: Home Vision Entertainment

Review Posted: 3.11.03

Spoilers: Minor

Reviewed by Jon Bjorling

I was introduced to Rashomon and the world of Akira Kurosawa when I was in High School. At the time, I had a budding interest in film, but I lacked the knowledge of (or, for that matter, the interest in) the "classics." I was intrigued when I heard what the plot of Rashomon was. A film from the 1950's dealing with a rape and murder? Was such a thing possible in that time? The moment I laid eyes upon the dilapidated Rashomon gate as the rain pours down upon it, I no longer held any apprehension toward "classic" cinema. However, it was also the last time I had the opportunity to see Rashomon, until now.

Rashomon (based on the short stories "Rashomon" and "In A Grove" by Ryunosuke Akutagawa) is a story about the nature of reality. In 11th Century Japan, a woodcutter comes across the body of a murdered man. This leads to the arrest of Tajomaru, a bandit that freely admits to murdering the man after raping his wife. However, his testimony is far different from the testimony that the raped wife gives. And neither story can match up with that of the murdered man. So who is telling the truth?

The film is told in many different flashbacks. We start in the present, at the gate of Rashomon, where the woodcutter and a priest think about the events of three days ago. But when a "commoner" arrives seeking shelter from the rain, we are taken back to the trial, and then even further back into the actual event. What Kurosawa does most beautifully in the film is never
resolving who was right. Even the woodcutter's testimony is, in the end, subject to question.

Mifune's performance as Tajomaru is beautifully complex. In his own story, he's an honorable man, not wanting to take anyone's life and being proud of his victim's swordsmanship as they clash after the rape. In the woman's story he is more animal-like, while in the woodcutter's story, he is almost childlike. It's amazing to see the subtle changes in his posture and movements in each of the stories and it's clear as to why Kurosawa used him in many of his films.

Rashomon is a fantastic film. Its story is simple for mass audiences, yet deep enough for those who love to search for the subtext of any film. While this isn't Kurosawa's masterpiece (I'd vote for either Seven Samurai or Ran for that one), this is the film that anyone interested in seeing what Kurosawa is about should start with.

Rashomon's transfer is beautiful and crisp. The film is presented in 1.33:1 fullscreen. There are no hints of grain or softness to be found. Overall, it looks brand new.

The audio is presented in both the original mono Japanese soundtrack, which sounds beautiful, as well as the English dub (also in mono) which is decent.

-  Commentary by Japanese-film historian Donald Richie
-  Video intro by director Robert Altman
-  Excerpts from the documentary The World of Kazuo Miyagawa
-  Reprints of "In A Grove" and "Rashomon"
-  Excerpt from Akira Kurosawa's Something Like An Autobiography
-  Theatrical Trailer

The extras on this disc are limited, but excellent. Donald Richie's commentary track is phenomenal. He takes his time when describing the things Kurosawa did in the film, which is something many directors don't seem to care about in their own commentary tracks. The intro isn't all that important.

There are a few bits that have some interest, but as a whole it is just Robert Altman's reason for liking the film. The Kazuo Miyagawa documentary is definitely of interest to any aspiring DPs that may buy the DVD. The text features (printed in the booklet) are great.  It's nice to see where the basis for the films came from and to read, in his own words, Kurosawa's own take on Rashomon. Overall, no one buying this disc will feel
excluded from the extras.

As I stated above, this is the film to see if you're interested in coming into the world of Akira Kurosawa. This film is a remarkable bit of filmmaking, combining a simple, yet very deep story of reality with a striking, yet natural visual sense. This is a must have for any lover of film.

OVERALL DVD RATING: 9 out of 10

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