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Rutgers Films in Print
Rashomon
.
216 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1969
12 people are currently reading
316 people want to read
About the author
Donald Richie
118 books104 followersDonald Richie is an American-born author who has written about the Japanese people and Japanese cinema. Although he considers himself only a writer, Richie has directed many experimental films, the first when he was 17. Although Richie speaks Japanese fluently, he can neither read nor write it.
During World War II, he served aboard Liberty ships as a purser and medical officer. By then he had already published his first work, "Tumblebugs" (1942), a short story.
In 1947, Richie first visited Japan with the American occupation force, a job he saw as an opportunity to escape from Lima, Ohio. He first worked as a typist, and then as a civilian staff writer for the Pacific Stars and Stripes. While in Tokyo, he became fascinated with Japanese culture, particularly Japanese cinema. He was soon writing movie reviews in the Stars and Stripes. In 1948 he met Kashiko Kawakita who introduced him to Yasujiro Ozu. During their long friendship, Richie and Kawakita collaborated closely in promoting Japanese film in the West.
After returning to the United States, he enrolled at Columbia University's School of General Studies in 1949, and received his Bachelor's Degree in English in 1953. Richie then returned to Japan as film critic for the The Japan Times and spent much of the second half of the twentieth century living there. In 1959, he published his first book, The Japanese Film: Art and Industry, coauthored with Joseph Anderson. In this work, the authors gave the first English language account of Japanese film. Richie served as Curator of Film at the New York Museum of Modern Art from 1969 to 1972. In 1988, he was invited to become the first guest director at the Telluride Film Festival.
Among his most noted works on Japan are The Inland Sea, a travel classic, and Public People, Private People, a look at some of Japan's most significant and most mundane people. He has compiled two collections of essays on Japan: A Lateral View and Partial Views. A collection of his writings has been published to commemorate fifty years of writing about Japan: The Donald Richie Reader. The Japan Journals: 1947-2004 consists of extended excerpts from his diaries.
In 1991, filmmakers Lucille Carra and Brian Cotnoir produced a film version of The Inland Sea, which Richie narrated. Produced by Travelfilm Company, the film won numerous awards, including Best Documentary at the Hawaii International Film Festival (1991) and the Earthwatch Film Award. It screened at the Sundance Film Festival in 1992.
Author Tom Wolfe describes Richie as: "the Lafcadio Hearn of our time, a subtle, stylish, and deceptively lucid medium between two cultures that confuse one another: the Japanese and the American."
Richie's most widely recognized accomplishment has been his analysis of Japanese cinema. From his first published book, Richie has revised not only the library of films he discusses, but the way he analyzes them. With each subsequent book, he has focused less on film theory and more on the conditions in which the films were made. One thing that has emerged in his works is an emphasis on the "presentational" nature of Japan's cinema, in contrast to the "representational" films of the West. His book, A Hundred Years Of Japanese Film includes a helpful guide to the availability of the films on home video and DVD mentioned in the main text. In the foreword to this book, Paul Schrader says: "Whatever we in the West know about Japanese film, and how we know it, we most likely owe to Donald Richie." Richie also has written analyses of two of Japan's best known filmmakers: Yasujiro Ozu and Akira Kurosawa.
Richie has written the English subtitles for Akira Kurosawa's films Kagemusha (1980) and Dreams (1990)[8].
In the 21st century, Richie has become noted for his erudite audio commentaries for The Criterion Collection on DVDs of various classic Japanese films, notably those of Ozu (A Story of Floating Weeds, Early Summer), Mikio Naruse (When a Woman Ascend
During World War II, he served aboard Liberty ships as a purser and medical officer. By then he had already published his first work, "Tumblebugs" (1942), a short story.
In 1947, Richie first visited Japan with the American occupation force, a job he saw as an opportunity to escape from Lima, Ohio. He first worked as a typist, and then as a civilian staff writer for the Pacific Stars and Stripes. While in Tokyo, he became fascinated with Japanese culture, particularly Japanese cinema. He was soon writing movie reviews in the Stars and Stripes. In 1948 he met Kashiko Kawakita who introduced him to Yasujiro Ozu. During their long friendship, Richie and Kawakita collaborated closely in promoting Japanese film in the West.
After returning to the United States, he enrolled at Columbia University's School of General Studies in 1949, and received his Bachelor's Degree in English in 1953. Richie then returned to Japan as film critic for the The Japan Times and spent much of the second half of the twentieth century living there. In 1959, he published his first book, The Japanese Film: Art and Industry, coauthored with Joseph Anderson. In this work, the authors gave the first English language account of Japanese film. Richie served as Curator of Film at the New York Museum of Modern Art from 1969 to 1972. In 1988, he was invited to become the first guest director at the Telluride Film Festival.
Among his most noted works on Japan are The Inland Sea, a travel classic, and Public People, Private People, a look at some of Japan's most significant and most mundane people. He has compiled two collections of essays on Japan: A Lateral View and Partial Views. A collection of his writings has been published to commemorate fifty years of writing about Japan: The Donald Richie Reader. The Japan Journals: 1947-2004 consists of extended excerpts from his diaries.
In 1991, filmmakers Lucille Carra and Brian Cotnoir produced a film version of The Inland Sea, which Richie narrated. Produced by Travelfilm Company, the film won numerous awards, including Best Documentary at the Hawaii International Film Festival (1991) and the Earthwatch Film Award. It screened at the Sundance Film Festival in 1992.
Author Tom Wolfe describes Richie as: "the Lafcadio Hearn of our time, a subtle, stylish, and deceptively lucid medium between two cultures that confuse one another: the Japanese and the American."
Richie's most widely recognized accomplishment has been his analysis of Japanese cinema. From his first published book, Richie has revised not only the library of films he discusses, but the way he analyzes them. With each subsequent book, he has focused less on film theory and more on the conditions in which the films were made. One thing that has emerged in his works is an emphasis on the "presentational" nature of Japan's cinema, in contrast to the "representational" films of the West. His book, A Hundred Years Of Japanese Film includes a helpful guide to the availability of the films on home video and DVD mentioned in the main text. In the foreword to this book, Paul Schrader says: "Whatever we in the West know about Japanese film, and how we know it, we most likely owe to Donald Richie." Richie also has written analyses of two of Japan's best known filmmakers: Yasujiro Ozu and Akira Kurosawa.
Richie has written the English subtitles for Akira Kurosawa's films Kagemusha (1980) and Dreams (1990)[8].
In the 21st century, Richie has become noted for his erudite audio commentaries for The Criterion Collection on DVDs of various classic Japanese films, notably those of Ozu (A Story of Floating Weeds, Early Summer), Mikio Naruse (When a Woman Ascend
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
January 15, 2020
Yapılmak istenen çok güzel ancak ulaşılan sonuç fazla tatmin edici değil. Filmin çekim senaryosunun çıkarılmasındansa, orijinal çekim senaryosuna ulaşılıp onun basılmasını tercih ederdim. Daha etkili bir örnek oluştururdu.
Kitaba yazılan girişleri sevdim.
Çok teknik olması gereken ama o kadar teknik olamayan bu metini sinema öğrencileri ve sinema yapmak isteyenlere önerebilirim.
Fakat çekim senaryosu örneği arıyorsanız bu kitaptaki ne Kurosawa'nın kullandığı ne de sektörde kullanılan örnektir. Normalde tablolar, şablonlar vs vardır. Düz metin şekilde dekupaj yapıldığına hiç şahit olmadım.
Ayrıca travelling-panorama gibi kamera hareketleri birbirinden ayrılmamış. Bazı sürelemeler yanlış verilmiş. Lens-kamera gibi gerekli bilgiler verilmemiş. Dedim ya yeterince teknik olamamış bir örnek.
Kitaba yazılan girişleri sevdim.
Çok teknik olması gereken ama o kadar teknik olamayan bu metini sinema öğrencileri ve sinema yapmak isteyenlere önerebilirim.
Fakat çekim senaryosu örneği arıyorsanız bu kitaptaki ne Kurosawa'nın kullandığı ne de sektörde kullanılan örnektir. Normalde tablolar, şablonlar vs vardır. Düz metin şekilde dekupaj yapıldığına hiç şahit olmadım.
Ayrıca travelling-panorama gibi kamera hareketleri birbirinden ayrılmamış. Bazı sürelemeler yanlış verilmiş. Lens-kamera gibi gerekli bilgiler verilmemiş. Dedim ya yeterince teknik olamamış bir örnek.
September 3, 2025
من نسخه انتشارات نیلوفر رو خوندم با ترجمه عباس اکبری که فیلمنامه همراه دو داستان “راشومون” و “در بیشه” نوشته رینوسوکه آکوتاگاوا و چند یادداشت درباره سینمای ژاپن و فیلم راشومون هست.
خواندن داستان هایی که کوراساوا و همکار فیلمنامه نویس اش شینوبو هاشی موتو، از اون برای نوشتن فیلمنامه الهام گرفتند ، به شدت به فهم مضامین و ارجاعات فیلم کمک میکنه
داستان و فیلم به طرز شگفت آوری مفهوم “ نسبی بودن حقیقت” ، به عنوان ایده مرکزی، را هنرمندانه روایت کرده اند.
خواندن داستان هایی که کوراساوا و همکار فیلمنامه نویس اش شینوبو هاشی موتو، از اون برای نوشتن فیلمنامه الهام گرفتند ، به شدت به فهم مضامین و ارجاعات فیلم کمک میکنه
داستان و فیلم به طرز شگفت آوری مفهوم “ نسبی بودن حقیقت” ، به عنوان ایده مرکزی، را هنرمندانه روایت کرده اند.
October 31, 2018
Lepas tonton filem Rashomon, dari situ saya tahu apa maksudnya unreliable narrator. Dalam satu forum, saya dapat tahu bahawa filem Rashomon adalah berdasarkan dari cerita pendek oleh Ryunosuke Akutagawa bertajuk Yabu no Naka / In a Grove. Tapi AK menggunakan tajuk dari cerita pendek hasil tulisan RA juga iaitu Rashomon. Dengan erti kata lain, Rashomon ni adalah gabungan dari dua cerita pendek dari RA. Macam tu la kot.
Saya dapatkan buku ni tapi yang preloved je la melalui Amazon. Selain dari skrip filem, terkandung juga dua cerita pendek dari RA. Tapi yang lebih menarik lagi ialah gambar yang ada dalamnya. Tak dapat nak komen lanjut sebab saya tak baca sangat. Dengan erti kata lain, komen saya lebih ke arah filemnya.
SPOILER ALERT
Saya dapatkan buku ni tapi yang preloved je la melalui Amazon. Selain dari skrip filem, terkandung juga dua cerita pendek dari RA. Tapi yang lebih menarik lagi ialah gambar yang ada dalamnya. Tak dapat nak komen lanjut sebab saya tak baca sangat. Dengan erti kata lain, komen saya lebih ke arah filemnya.
SPOILER ALERT
April 23, 2018
Posted : 9 years, 8 months ago on 21 August 2008 10:23 (A review of Rashomon film...)
''It's human to lie. Most of the time we can't even be honest with ourselves.''
A heinous crime and its aftermath are recalled from differing points of view.
Toshirô Mifune: Tajômaru
( A review of the film and story...)
Ironically, Japanese critics were not enthusiastic about Rashomon when it was released in 50's Japan.
In today's world, however, Rashomon is generally considered to be the film that introduced both director Akira Kurosawa and Japanese cinema to the Western parts of the globe.
Since its release Rashomon has been adapted as a Broadway play and even remade as a Western. Paving the way and inspiring Western films such as The Killing, Last Year at Marienbad and Four Times a Night; Made in the 50s, 60s and 70s. Even The Usual Suspects and Reservoir Dogs from present day Cinema have copied the narrative slant that Rashomon took many years before in 1950.
Often cited as the film that prompted The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to create an award for Best Foreign Language film. It is widely regarded as a masterwork of world cinema.
Set in 12th Century Japan, the film's premise is at once both very simple yet very complicated.
The film depicts the rape of a woman and the murder of her samurai husband, through the widely differing accounts of four witnesses, including the bandit/rapist, the wife, the dead man speaking through a medium (Fumiko Honma), and lastly the narrator, the one witness that seems the most objective and least biased. Whilst the stories are mutually contradictory only the final version is unmotivated by other factors. Accepting the final version as the truth (the now common technique of film and TV of only explaining the truth last was not a universal approach at that time) explains why in each other version "the truth" was worse than admitting to the killing, and it is precisely this assessment which gives the film its power, and this theme which is echoed in other works.
The story unfolds in flashback as the four characters—the bandit Tajōmaru (Toshirō Mifune), the samurai's wife (Machiko Kyō), the murdered samurai (Masayuki Mori), and the nameless woodcutter (Takashi Shimura)—recount the events of one afternoon in a grove. The first three versions are told by the priest (Minoru Chiaki), who was present at the trial as a witness, having crossed paths with the couple on the road just prior to the events. Each of these versions has a response of "lies" from the woodcutter. The final version comes direct from the woodcutter, as the only witness (but he did not say this version to the court). All versions are told to a ribald commoner (Kichijiro Ueda) as they wait out a rainstorm in a ruined gatehouse identified by a sign as Rashōmon.
Rashomon has forever been among favourites of Kurosawa's directional works and it deserves every praise and Award acquired. Why? Simply because the story follows a unique narrative and story telling format never before seen at the time, in the World of Cinema.
During Akira's lifetime, he managed to confirm himself as one of the world's leading film-makers. A film maker whom created cinema which was impossible to compare, and his influence still resounds within even the most mainstream works from today. For example, the non-linear styling structure of Rashomon has been respectfully woven into numerous films since.
Kurosawa's admiration for silent film and modern art can be seen in the film's minimalist sets. Kurosawa felt that sound cinema multiplies the complexity of a film: "Cinematic sound is never merely accompaniment, never merely what the sound machine caught while you took the scene. Real sound does not merely add to the images, it multiplies it." Regarding Rashomon, Kurosawa said, "I like silent pictures and I always have ... I wanted to restore some of this beauty. I thought of it, I remember in this way: one of techniques of modern art is simplification, and that I must therefore simplify this film."
Accordingly, there are only three settings in the film: Rashōmon gate, the woods and the courtyard. The gate and the courtyard are very simply constructed and the woodland is real. This is partly due to the low budget that Kurosawa received from Daiei Studios.
''I'm the one who should be ashamed. I don't understand my own soul.''
Rashomon was the work which propelled the career of Kurosawa, even though it was not widely regarded in its own country at the time, it was hailed by the critics of the Western world as a definitive masterpiece.
Rashomon is the compressed story of an innocent woman's rape and her husband's murder, performed by a ruthless bandit (acted out by Kurosawa's long-time muse, Toshirô Mifune).
Even though the bandit is caught and consequently put on trial, the seemingly simple crime soon becomes questionably more complicated as it is recounted from four individually detached eye-witness perspectives. Posing many philosophical and debatable questions for the viewer, the picture asks which story is the one to believe, through -what was at the time and still remains- a highly stylized storytelling technique. Establishing a verdict upon the heinous crime in Rashomon is as much an ordeal as the crime itself because it proves to be an incident which provokes moral questioning and fierce debate.
The film-making techniques used in Rashomon gave birth to a distinctive style that Kurosawa was prepared to develop further in his later works, which can be seen in films such as Yojimbo and Shichinin no samurai.
Level-headed pragmatism plagued Kurosawa's features throughout his earlier years; This was something that came as an advantage for his films, being that the characters (even the bad) portrayed in his films were genuine people you could feel compassion and remorse for.
Also, Kurosawa began to define genres throughout the 1950s and 1960s, while also bringing to light some now-popular methods of camera movement, e.g. Dutch angles, revolving shots and amplified close-ups.
Symbolism also runs rampant throughout the film and much has been written purely revolving around this subject. Cinematographer Kazuo Miyagawa directly filmed the sun through the leaves of the trees, as if to show the light of truth becoming obscured. The gatehouse that we continually return to as the 'home' location for the storytelling serves as a visual metaphor for a gateway into the story, and the fact that the three men at the gate gradually tear it down and burn it as the stories are told is a further insight into the nature, concerning the truth of what they are telling.
For those who question the film's offbeat narrative structure, they should ask themselves whether or not the cut-throat editing is there as a means of symbolising the colliding viewpoints. I consider this to be a daring means of combining humanitarian lies and honesty, also resulting in a means of creating a disorientating, volatile impression upon film itself.
With Rashômon, Kurosawa's admiration for silent cinema is seen yet again; The minimalist set-pieces are a contrast to the complex storytelling procedure that his work embodies and captures. The ambiguity of Rashômon is detailed through subtly metaphorical cinematography and lighting techniques. The setting of the woods equalling a display of the work's central atmosphere (intrigue, depth) and the shadows periodically depicting a loss of empathy and symbolizing the isolated danger of the reflective surroundings.
Kurosawa's skill is not just restricted to dialogue and corresponding relationships; His visual acuity helps accentuate these themes. When the story begins, the woods is magical, it is alive and retaining intrigue. It is a woods of fairy tale proportions, with mystical breezes and tranquil streams.
As Rashomon progresses, the woods lose more and more of their mystical quality and become dirty, dry and ultimately real.
By the time the battle between the husband and the bandit is played out in a final representation, it is no longer a valiant battle of skill against two well-versed opponents, it is a stressful, scary affair that has the two kicking up more dust than swinging their blades. The dust itself shows the degradation of the story, that is Rashomon, coming away from the abstract qualities, qualities again attempting to grasp justice and truth.
If we accept the last version from The Woodcutter to be true we can assess what motivated each different story version regarding events that transpired. The truth appears to be a sorry but realistic state of affairs, filled with shame and cowardice. It must be remembered that all parties were present and all know the true sequence of events. There is therefore motivation behind each response.
In the bandit's version he accepts blame, but makes the fight appear an honourable and heroic battle. He therefore retains his reputation as a fierce and manly warrior.
In the wife's version, given that the truth lays alot of blame on her for inciting the duel, she has to appease for her actions. Morally she feels guilty for his death and so she accepts direct blame by saying she stabbed him.
The medium's version requires two interpretations: one if you accept that spirits can speak through a medium; a second if you presume it is the medium themselves giving this interpretation of events. If seen from the viewpoint of the now dead samurai, he has reason to be ashamed. Taking full blame for his own death, pardoning the bandit, and stating that his wife was largely to blame for the duel this is perhaps a fair approach. If we presume this version to be the invention of the medium, this interpretation has a slightly different slant (because they do not know the true events).
In this case, assembling information from the other witnesses paints a broad picture. Choosing a suicide option lays less blame on the two survivors and can be seen as a damage-limitation exercise.
However, the overall issue here is that one can be on a morally higher ground by admitting to a murder rather than admitting to other actual actions, and this is the revelation of the film.
Rashomon proves that truth lies with perspective. Lies can be used for selfish motivations yet also sometimes with good intentions; It teaches the treachery of humanity yet rekindles hope by the Woodcutter redeeming Man.
Did the Woodcutter steal the dagger from the murder scene? Maybe. Was it for selfish reasons? I don't believe so. The Commoner says all humanity is motivated by self interest and selfish impulses. Yet he is proved wrong.
The baby the three discover at the end prompts the priest and Woodcutter when alone together to reveal how selfless humanity can be. The woodcutter has six children, and despite all of this, he accepts the child as his own. So, if he did take the dagger it wasn't for selfish inclinations but to provide and care for his family. This reasserts glimmers of hope and redemption for humanity in the eyes of the priest and indeed audience.
''We all want to forget something, so we tell stories. It's easier that way.''
''It's human to lie. Most of the time we can't even be honest with ourselves.''
A heinous crime and its aftermath are recalled from differing points of view.
Toshirô Mifune: Tajômaru
( A review of the film and story...)
Ironically, Japanese critics were not enthusiastic about Rashomon when it was released in 50's Japan.
In today's world, however, Rashomon is generally considered to be the film that introduced both director Akira Kurosawa and Japanese cinema to the Western parts of the globe.
Since its release Rashomon has been adapted as a Broadway play and even remade as a Western. Paving the way and inspiring Western films such as The Killing, Last Year at Marienbad and Four Times a Night; Made in the 50s, 60s and 70s. Even The Usual Suspects and Reservoir Dogs from present day Cinema have copied the narrative slant that Rashomon took many years before in 1950.
Often cited as the film that prompted The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to create an award for Best Foreign Language film. It is widely regarded as a masterwork of world cinema.
Set in 12th Century Japan, the film's premise is at once both very simple yet very complicated.
The film depicts the rape of a woman and the murder of her samurai husband, through the widely differing accounts of four witnesses, including the bandit/rapist, the wife, the dead man speaking through a medium (Fumiko Honma), and lastly the narrator, the one witness that seems the most objective and least biased. Whilst the stories are mutually contradictory only the final version is unmotivated by other factors. Accepting the final version as the truth (the now common technique of film and TV of only explaining the truth last was not a universal approach at that time) explains why in each other version "the truth" was worse than admitting to the killing, and it is precisely this assessment which gives the film its power, and this theme which is echoed in other works.
The story unfolds in flashback as the four characters—the bandit Tajōmaru (Toshirō Mifune), the samurai's wife (Machiko Kyō), the murdered samurai (Masayuki Mori), and the nameless woodcutter (Takashi Shimura)—recount the events of one afternoon in a grove. The first three versions are told by the priest (Minoru Chiaki), who was present at the trial as a witness, having crossed paths with the couple on the road just prior to the events. Each of these versions has a response of "lies" from the woodcutter. The final version comes direct from the woodcutter, as the only witness (but he did not say this version to the court). All versions are told to a ribald commoner (Kichijiro Ueda) as they wait out a rainstorm in a ruined gatehouse identified by a sign as Rashōmon.
Rashomon has forever been among favourites of Kurosawa's directional works and it deserves every praise and Award acquired. Why? Simply because the story follows a unique narrative and story telling format never before seen at the time, in the World of Cinema.
During Akira's lifetime, he managed to confirm himself as one of the world's leading film-makers. A film maker whom created cinema which was impossible to compare, and his influence still resounds within even the most mainstream works from today. For example, the non-linear styling structure of Rashomon has been respectfully woven into numerous films since.
Kurosawa's admiration for silent film and modern art can be seen in the film's minimalist sets. Kurosawa felt that sound cinema multiplies the complexity of a film: "Cinematic sound is never merely accompaniment, never merely what the sound machine caught while you took the scene. Real sound does not merely add to the images, it multiplies it." Regarding Rashomon, Kurosawa said, "I like silent pictures and I always have ... I wanted to restore some of this beauty. I thought of it, I remember in this way: one of techniques of modern art is simplification, and that I must therefore simplify this film."
Accordingly, there are only three settings in the film: Rashōmon gate, the woods and the courtyard. The gate and the courtyard are very simply constructed and the woodland is real. This is partly due to the low budget that Kurosawa received from Daiei Studios.
''I'm the one who should be ashamed. I don't understand my own soul.''
Rashomon was the work which propelled the career of Kurosawa, even though it was not widely regarded in its own country at the time, it was hailed by the critics of the Western world as a definitive masterpiece.
Rashomon is the compressed story of an innocent woman's rape and her husband's murder, performed by a ruthless bandit (acted out by Kurosawa's long-time muse, Toshirô Mifune).
Even though the bandit is caught and consequently put on trial, the seemingly simple crime soon becomes questionably more complicated as it is recounted from four individually detached eye-witness perspectives. Posing many philosophical and debatable questions for the viewer, the picture asks which story is the one to believe, through -what was at the time and still remains- a highly stylized storytelling technique. Establishing a verdict upon the heinous crime in Rashomon is as much an ordeal as the crime itself because it proves to be an incident which provokes moral questioning and fierce debate.
The film-making techniques used in Rashomon gave birth to a distinctive style that Kurosawa was prepared to develop further in his later works, which can be seen in films such as Yojimbo and Shichinin no samurai.
Level-headed pragmatism plagued Kurosawa's features throughout his earlier years; This was something that came as an advantage for his films, being that the characters (even the bad) portrayed in his films were genuine people you could feel compassion and remorse for.
Also, Kurosawa began to define genres throughout the 1950s and 1960s, while also bringing to light some now-popular methods of camera movement, e.g. Dutch angles, revolving shots and amplified close-ups.
Symbolism also runs rampant throughout the film and much has been written purely revolving around this subject. Cinematographer Kazuo Miyagawa directly filmed the sun through the leaves of the trees, as if to show the light of truth becoming obscured. The gatehouse that we continually return to as the 'home' location for the storytelling serves as a visual metaphor for a gateway into the story, and the fact that the three men at the gate gradually tear it down and burn it as the stories are told is a further insight into the nature, concerning the truth of what they are telling.
For those who question the film's offbeat narrative structure, they should ask themselves whether or not the cut-throat editing is there as a means of symbolising the colliding viewpoints. I consider this to be a daring means of combining humanitarian lies and honesty, also resulting in a means of creating a disorientating, volatile impression upon film itself.
With Rashômon, Kurosawa's admiration for silent cinema is seen yet again; The minimalist set-pieces are a contrast to the complex storytelling procedure that his work embodies and captures. The ambiguity of Rashômon is detailed through subtly metaphorical cinematography and lighting techniques. The setting of the woods equalling a display of the work's central atmosphere (intrigue, depth) and the shadows periodically depicting a loss of empathy and symbolizing the isolated danger of the reflective surroundings.
Kurosawa's skill is not just restricted to dialogue and corresponding relationships; His visual acuity helps accentuate these themes. When the story begins, the woods is magical, it is alive and retaining intrigue. It is a woods of fairy tale proportions, with mystical breezes and tranquil streams.
As Rashomon progresses, the woods lose more and more of their mystical quality and become dirty, dry and ultimately real.
By the time the battle between the husband and the bandit is played out in a final representation, it is no longer a valiant battle of skill against two well-versed opponents, it is a stressful, scary affair that has the two kicking up more dust than swinging their blades. The dust itself shows the degradation of the story, that is Rashomon, coming away from the abstract qualities, qualities again attempting to grasp justice and truth.
If we accept the last version from The Woodcutter to be true we can assess what motivated each different story version regarding events that transpired. The truth appears to be a sorry but realistic state of affairs, filled with shame and cowardice. It must be remembered that all parties were present and all know the true sequence of events. There is therefore motivation behind each response.
In the bandit's version he accepts blame, but makes the fight appear an honourable and heroic battle. He therefore retains his reputation as a fierce and manly warrior.
In the wife's version, given that the truth lays alot of blame on her for inciting the duel, she has to appease for her actions. Morally she feels guilty for his death and so she accepts direct blame by saying she stabbed him.
The medium's version requires two interpretations: one if you accept that spirits can speak through a medium; a second if you presume it is the medium themselves giving this interpretation of events. If seen from the viewpoint of the now dead samurai, he has reason to be ashamed. Taking full blame for his own death, pardoning the bandit, and stating that his wife was largely to blame for the duel this is perhaps a fair approach. If we presume this version to be the invention of the medium, this interpretation has a slightly different slant (because they do not know the true events).
In this case, assembling information from the other witnesses paints a broad picture. Choosing a suicide option lays less blame on the two survivors and can be seen as a damage-limitation exercise.
However, the overall issue here is that one can be on a morally higher ground by admitting to a murder rather than admitting to other actual actions, and this is the revelation of the film.
Rashomon proves that truth lies with perspective. Lies can be used for selfish motivations yet also sometimes with good intentions; It teaches the treachery of humanity yet rekindles hope by the Woodcutter redeeming Man.
Did the Woodcutter steal the dagger from the murder scene? Maybe. Was it for selfish reasons? I don't believe so. The Commoner says all humanity is motivated by self interest and selfish impulses. Yet he is proved wrong.
The baby the three discover at the end prompts the priest and Woodcutter when alone together to reveal how selfless humanity can be. The woodcutter has six children, and despite all of this, he accepts the child as his own. So, if he did take the dagger it wasn't for selfish inclinations but to provide and care for his family. This reasserts glimmers of hope and redemption for humanity in the eyes of the priest and indeed audience.
''We all want to forget something, so we tell stories. It's easier that way.''
August 8, 2013
Definitely not for everyone but it did EVERYTHING for me.
July 10, 2025
«راشومون» آینهایست که در آن نه چهره حقیقت، که شکافهای روان انسان منعکس میشود. آکیرا کوروساوا، با اقتباس از دو داستان کوتاه ریونوسوکه آکوتاگاوا، روایتی میسازد از یک قتل، یک تجاوز، و چهار روایت ناسازگار از یک واقعهٔ واحد. اما راشومون صرفا فیلمی دربارهٔ جنایت نیست؛ فیلمیست دربارهٔ ادراک. دربارهٔ چگونگی ساختن «واقعیت» در ذهن آدمی، و فاصلهٔ هولناک میان حقیقت بیرونی و روایتی که هر انسان، آگاه یا ناخودآگاه، از آن برای خودش میسازد.
با بارش بیامان باران، و ویرانههای متروک معبد راشومون، فیلم در فضایی آغاز میشود که گویی خارج از زمان و مکان است. سه مرد، زیر سایبانی شکسته، میکوشند بفهمند که چه چیزی باعث شده انسان چنین بیرحم، دروغگو، و مرموز باشد. همین تلاش، که در ظاهر در مورد یک حادثه است، به کندوکاوی هستیشناختی بدل میشود؛ دروننگریای دربارهٔ شر، خودفریبی، و تمنای نجات خویشتن در برابر قضاوت دیگران.
راشومون در ذات خود ضدّ قضاوت است. در هر روایت، چیزی از ماجرا روشن میشود، اما نه به قصد کشف حقیقت، که به قصد آشکار کردن تاریکیهای ذهنی راویان. دزد (توشیرو میفونه)، زن، شوهر مرده، و حتی چوببرِ شاهد، همگی داستانهایی متناقض میگویند که ظاهراً بازنمایی حقیقتاند، اما در واقع به خود آنها بیشتر شبیهاند تا به واقعیت بیرونی. دروغ، در اینجا محصولِ شر نیست؛ بلکه نیازیست برای ساختن روایتی که فرد را قابل تحمل کند، روایتی که همزمان وجدان را آرام کند و هویت را حفظ.
کورسوا با استفاده از نورهای تند، برشهای سریع، قابهایی میان خیال و واقعیت، و حرکت دوربین در دل جنگل، جهان را به پرهیب کابوسواری از عدمقطعیت بدل میکند. جنگل، که در بسیاری از اسطورهها و افسانهها محل گمگشتگی و آزمون است، در راشومون همان جاییست که حقیقت گم میشود، یا بهتر بگوییم: زاده میشود، آنگونه که هرکس میخواهد.
راشومون، بیش از آنکه دربارهٔ یک حادثه باشد، دربارهٔ فروپاشی یقین است. دربارهٔ اضطراب انسان مدرن در مواجهه با جهان بیمعنا، جهانی که در آن، نه خدای داوری هست، نه حقیقتی مطلق، و نه حتی روایتی قابل اعتماد. آنچه باقی میماند، فقط ما هستیم؛ تنها، لرزان، زیر بارانی بیپایان، با چشمهایی که هرکدام فقط «بخشی» از واقعیت را میبینند ــ و دستهایی که به امید نجات کودکی، شاید به آیندهای روشنتر چنگ میزنند.
در دورانی که روایتها بیشمار شدهاند و حقیقت چون سایهای لغزان، راشومون همچنان زنده است؛ نه چون پاسخی به معمای انسان، بلکه چون سؤالی که هنوز کسی پاسخش را نمیداند.
با بارش بیامان باران، و ویرانههای متروک معبد راشومون، فیلم در فضایی آغاز میشود که گویی خارج از زمان و مکان است. سه مرد، زیر سایبانی شکسته، میکوشند بفهمند که چه چیزی باعث شده انسان چنین بیرحم، دروغگو، و مرموز باشد. همین تلاش، که در ظاهر در مورد یک حادثه است، به کندوکاوی هستیشناختی بدل میشود؛ دروننگریای دربارهٔ شر، خودفریبی، و تمنای نجات خویشتن در برابر قضاوت دیگران.
راشومون در ذات خود ضدّ قضاوت است. در هر روایت، چیزی از ماجرا روشن میشود، اما نه به قصد کشف حقیقت، که به قصد آشکار کردن تاریکیهای ذهنی راویان. دزد (توشیرو میفونه)، زن، شوهر مرده، و حتی چوببرِ شاهد، همگی داستانهایی متناقض میگویند که ظاهراً بازنمایی حقیقتاند، اما در واقع به خود آنها بیشتر شبیهاند تا به واقعیت بیرونی. دروغ، در اینجا محصولِ شر نیست؛ بلکه نیازیست برای ساختن روایتی که فرد را قابل تحمل کند، روایتی که همزمان وجدان را آرام کند و هویت را حفظ.
کورسوا با استفاده از نورهای تند، برشهای سریع، قابهایی میان خیال و واقعیت، و حرکت دوربین در دل جنگل، جهان را به پرهیب کابوسواری از عدمقطعیت بدل میکند. جنگل، که در بسیاری از اسطورهها و افسانهها محل گمگشتگی و آزمون است، در راشومون همان جاییست که حقیقت گم میشود، یا بهتر بگوییم: زاده میشود، آنگونه که هرکس میخواهد.
راشومون، بیش از آنکه دربارهٔ یک حادثه باشد، دربارهٔ فروپاشی یقین است. دربارهٔ اضطراب انسان مدرن در مواجهه با جهان بیمعنا، جهانی که در آن، نه خدای داوری هست، نه حقیقتی مطلق، و نه حتی روایتی قابل اعتماد. آنچه باقی میماند، فقط ما هستیم؛ تنها، لرزان، زیر بارانی بیپایان، با چشمهایی که هرکدام فقط «بخشی» از واقعیت را میبینند ــ و دستهایی که به امید نجات کودکی، شاید به آیندهای روشنتر چنگ میزنند.
در دورانی که روایتها بیشمار شدهاند و حقیقت چون سایهای لغزان، راشومون همچنان زنده است؛ نه چون پاسخی به معمای انسان، بلکه چون سؤالی که هنوز کسی پاسخش را نمیداند.
January 12, 2022
An excellent expose on the film Rashamon which is based on Akutagawa's two short stories, Rashamon and The Grove. Included is the film script to the movie as well as the short story by Akutagawa and numerous reviews of the movie by Western media (The New York Times, The New Yorker, etc) after the film was released in the early 50's. Some of the postulations by such media were truly shocking.
February 25, 2024
کوروساوا بلا شک یک نابفه است...
July 10, 2025
Gave it 2.5 stars but didn’t want to be too harsh so j rated it 3. I really liked the first story but all the other ones just weren’t for me.
January 4, 2014
ومعنى الإسم في اللغة اليابانية "بوابة القصر الكبيرة"
لربما كان أسم القصة القصيرة ومن بعدها هذا الفيلم سببه أن القصة أحداثها هناك "أو على الأقل في الفيلم تُروى أحداث القصة بين أشخاص هناك"
ولكن ربما كانت إشارة إلى بوابة كبيرة قد تتسع لقصص كثير وآراء محتلفة ... لربما البعض سيرى في الفيلم والقصة إشارة إلى أن الحقيقة تختلف من شخص لآخر .. وأنها نسبية
لكن أجدني لا أرى تفسيرا أفضل من أن الحقيقة واحدة .. فلا يُحتمل تعددها ..
إنما كيف فسّرها الأربع أشخاص فهنا كانت القصة
جريمة قتل ... وعند المحاكمة ثلاث نُسخ من الحادثة من قاطع طريق , زوجة المقتول , والمقتول نفسه
ثلاث قصص مختلفة لهذه الحادثة يرويها كلّ منهم على أنه هو القاتل
وقصة رابعة لشاهد لم يكن له دخل في القصة .. أو ربما كان له ؟!
الفيلم جميل جدا ... بإخراج الرائع أكيرا كوراساوا
أنصح بأن يُحضر ... بالرغم من أنّ كونه فيلم ياباني "أبيض وأسود" صُنع عام 1950 لن يجعله مشجعا لذلك :P
لربما كان أسم القصة القصيرة ومن بعدها هذا الفيلم سببه أن القصة أحداثها هناك "أو على الأقل في الفيلم تُروى أحداث القصة بين أشخاص هناك"
ولكن ربما كانت إشارة إلى بوابة كبيرة قد تتسع لقصص كثير وآراء محتلفة ... لربما البعض سيرى في الفيلم والقصة إشارة إلى أن الحقيقة تختلف من شخص لآخر .. وأنها نسبية
لكن أجدني لا أرى تفسيرا أفضل من أن الحقيقة واحدة .. فلا يُحتمل تعددها ..
إنما كيف فسّرها الأربع أشخاص فهنا كانت القصة
جريمة قتل ... وعند المحاكمة ثلاث نُسخ من الحادثة من قاطع طريق , زوجة المقتول , والمقتول نفسه
ثلاث قصص مختلفة لهذه الحادثة يرويها كلّ منهم على أنه هو القاتل
وقصة رابعة لشاهد لم يكن له دخل في القصة .. أو ربما كان له ؟!
الفيلم جميل جدا ... بإخراج الرائع أكيرا كوراساوا
أنصح بأن يُحضر ... بالرغم من أنّ كونه فيلم ياباني "أبيض وأسود" صُنع عام 1950 لن يجعله مشجعا لذلك :P
March 7, 2008
Richie was the Curator of film at the NY Museum of Modern Art for years, and the recognized expert on Japanese Cinema for even longer. As such he writes a great book on the groundbreaking Kurosawa, and goes a long way towards explaining why it should be seen as groundbreaking. Something that 57 years after the fact we loose sight of.
May 11, 2017
Rashomon is the best screenplay I've ever read. The screenplay which is a very hard text for the 1950s has a bit complicated story. However, Akira Kurosawa reflected the screenplay to cinema masterfully. Also, screenplays should be away from literary language. Rashomon is one of the scarce screenplays that have done this.
March 7, 2008
200 Illustrations make it a must have for any fan of Kurosawa. The book itself includes the script, the short story it was based on and 3 critical essays. A nice package.
October 4, 2009
Daingakt dari salah satu film Jepang klasik yang paling terkenal selain Shinichin no Samurai. salah satu cerita epik samurai terhebat selain Musashi ata Taiko-nya Yoshikawa
December 20, 2012
This short story, with it's clean, consise prose depicts the moral struggle of an unemployed servant. A small masterpiece.
August 10, 2011
i read it in my own language
July 13, 2013
Japanese culture and spirit is very particular.
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