Paper Sample on Rashomon: A Psychological Thriller & Crime Film (1950)

Introduction

Rashomon, created in 1950, was directed by Akira Kurosawa and Kazuo Miyagawa as the cinematographer (Akira 50). The movie was initially produced in Japanese languages with English subtitles. Rashomon is a psychological thriller and crime film. This movie stars several talented individuals such as Takashi Shimura, Toshiro Mifune, Masayuki Mori, and Machiko Kyo. The movie is famous for its unique plotting in which different characters tend to provide options, subjective and antithetical version of a popular event within the movie. Rashomon became the ever first Japanese movie to achieve international recognition; it won various awards, such as the Golden Lion and Academy Honorary Award. Akutagawa Ryunosuke's Rashomon story informs the plotting and characters of the movie.

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The movie begins on a woodcutter, in which kikori (role played by Takashi Shimura) and Tabi Hoshi (a priest a role played by Minoru Chiaki sitting below city gate of Rashomon to be able to stay dry from the downpour. Kichijiro Ueda, a commoner, seems to join them, and they, therefore, proceed to narrate a story that they felt that was really bothering them. The woodcutter said those there days ago, and he had discovered a lying body of a samurai who must have been murdered as the individual who is probably searching for wood amid the forest. Before actually finding the body, he said that he first discovered a hat that belonged to a woman, the bandit samurai cap, amulet, and finally reached the dead body. He further narrates that he had to flee upon seeing the authorities after finding the slain body. The priest further emphasizes that he had seen the Samurai and his wife the same day that they were murdered. Later in the movie, both men are finally summoned by the court to testify; they encountered the bandit Tajomaru, who was captured in the court. The bandit claimed that he had tailed the couple after he had desired the woman in the forest. The bandit claims that he lured the woman in the forest, intending to rob the man and rape his wife.

Mise-En-Scene

These scenes indicate imminent catastrophe. However, visual design can be employed to articulate any emotional subtext. Akira Kurosawa, in the film, indicates the inner state of the character. The character feels guilt over the murder he had witnessed. The woodcutter stared randomly in the concluding part of the movie. Moreover, the torrential rain represents the character’s inner disturbances as both his heart and storm are infuriated. The deserted ruined and burnt temple presents shelter to the actors; the temples' destructive nature represents a sense of moral corrosion as exposed by the movie. The woodcutter is dressed in unassertive attire representing his conscience and trait. The film is set a relatively dense forest, which further represents its symbolism. The forest is not actually clear just like most of the film characters as the audience become lost in conflicting point of views within the film.

Editing

There are effects of Rashomon that Kurosawa occasionally shot a scene with various cameras simultaneously. These helped to freely cut the movie and splice the events that might have caught the action forcefully. It seems like jumping from piece to piece. Stanley Kauffmann further applied short sots that were edited together to look like a single shot. For instance, there are over 400 separate shots in the body of the movie. The film shows the finesse of storytelling majorly due to its unique perspectives that unfolds as the movie progresses. Kurosawa’s vision as the editors tends to display some degree of clarity in terms of varied perspectives. The editor applies the "form" of filmmaking unconditionally, elaborated via lively editing. There is the extensive application of close-ups and mid-shots of Tajamaru while he tries to capture the Samurai. The presentation of the fighting scene between Samurai and the bandit is very energetic. Additionally, there is a lot of cutting on movement within the frame while the combat takes place.

Cinematography

In the film, various opinions are enhanced by Kazuo Miyagawa, who is the cinematographer for what is an influential strategy. For instance, the characters tend to focus on the triangular relationship between them on a single occasionThe cinematographer needed to apply natural light; however, it was relatively weak, and thus he used a mirror to reflect on the natural light. The sunlight makes the actors appear to have traveled through the branches. Additionally, the rain seen at the scene at the temple’s gate was tinted with black ink since the lenses of the camera were not able to capture the water pumped via the hoses. The sunlight tended to convey the real sense of heat, and it demonstrates the theme of the film of striving to seek the truth. The application of conflicting shots is also an example of the movie approach used in Rashomon. The duration of the bandit's shots acting barbarically and that of the Samurai's wife acting crazy are the same. The film had camera shots directly into the sun.

Acting

The characters were selected with lots of care. From their facial appearance, body physique ‘they can easily be related to the roles that they play based on their overall look. The wife appears weak and vulnerable. The characters wear different faces to meet their varied roles in the movie. The bandit's angry face shows how heartless and aggressive the actors are obsessed with Samurai’s wife. For instance, he does not hesitate to indulge in a fight with the Samurai, and he even does not become remorseful after killing him. Rashomon had been a successful film for Akira Kurosawa and the Japanese film industry. The film employed many seasoned characters. For example, Machiko Kyo began acting in the mid-1940s.

Sound

The music brings out the sense of Japanese culture due to its background; thus, the non-Japanese audiences may never perceive the movie the same way a Japanese audience would relate to the movie. The starting scene is when music plays a significant role in setting up the mood of the movie. The music commences with a slow that influence the film. Nonetheless, the harmony that these chords create is neither traditional Japanese nor Western. Instead, we hear strong dissonance held in the high register background, creating an ominous atmosphere as a result. The movie includes an adaptation of "Boléro" by Maurice Ravel.

Conclusion

This Japanese movie tends to be one of the greatest movies ever produced in the filming industry. It applies the unique quality of film to bring out the nature of the truth and show humanity's darkest side in a lifetime. When viewing the movie, one can see real things like trees. The movie is more like a poem and dramatic since it has no specific visual, and the audience's mind tends to make up things. It gives the audience a chance to make their own conclusion about the movie as it penetrates viewers’ minds as they react to their own persona. The rain and weather give the audience a chance to relate to the movie emotionally. Additionally, the music brings out the sense of Japanese culture due to its background; thus, the non-Japanese audiences may never perceive the movie the same way a Japanese audience would relate to the movie. Overall, Rashomon is a great film.

Work Cited

Kurosawa, Akira. "Rashomon [Film]." Producer: Daiei, Japan. Script: T. Matsuama (1950).