Rashômon (Rashomon) (In the Woods) (1951)
Average Rating: 9.3/10
Reviews Counted: 47
Fresh: 47 | Rotten: 0
One of legendary director Akira Kurosawa's most acclaimed films, Rashomon features an innovative narrative structure, brilliant acting, and a thoughtful exploration of reality versus perception.
Average Rating: 8.8/10
Critic Reviews: 11
Fresh: 11 | Rotten: 0
One of legendary director Akira Kurosawa's most acclaimed films, Rashomon features an innovative narrative structure, brilliant acting, and a thoughtful exploration of reality versus perception.
liked it
Average Rating: 4.3/5
User Ratings: 44,335
Movie Info
This landmark film is a brilliant exploration of truth and human weakness. It opens with a priest, a woodcutter, and a peasant taking refuge from a downpour beneath a ruined gate in 12th-century Japan. The priest and the woodcutter, each looking stricken, discuss the trial of a notorious bandit for rape and murder. As the retelling of the trial unfolds, the participants in the crime -- the bandit (Toshiro Mifune), the rape victim (Machiko Kyo), and the murdered man (Masayuki Mori) -- tell their
Dec 26, 1951 Wide
Mar 26, 2002
Janus Films
Watch It Now
Cast
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Toshiro Mifune
Tajomaru the Bandit -
Masayuki Mori
Takehiro the Nobleman -
Machiko Kyo
Masago the Wife -
Takashi Shimura
Woodcutter -
Minoru Chiaki
Priest -
Kichijiro Ueda
Commoner -
Fumiko Homma
Medium -
Daisuke Katô
Policeman
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All Critics (47) | Top Critics (11) | Fresh (47) | Rotten (0) | DVD (27)
What Akira Kurosawa and his tiny production team wrought is now an accepted maxim of modern life, a creed by which to live in a world where everyone has a blog and an opinion.
Not many movies make such an impact that their names enter into the language. Rashomon is such a movie
Film buffs should love it. But so should anyone who appreciates a good yarn or two (or three or four).
Rashomon is a novel, stimulating moviegoing experience, and a sure sign that U.S. film importers will be looking hard at Japanese pictures from now on.
Top CriticThis caused a flurry in critical circles for its brilliance of conception, technique, acting and its theme of passion.
An impressive piece of work, visually and rhythmically masterful.
With fast tracking shots, b&w chiaroscuro camerawork and a pessimistic intimation that what exactly was done is not essential, the result hit the bull's-eye with foreign filmgoers and critics.
Masterpiece about absolute truth. Best for teens.
"Rashomon" may be a prosecutor's nightmare, but it's a film lover's dream.
The mixture of bravura camera work, muscular direction and inventive storytelling remains unmissable.
Unmissable.
The film, a 1950 landmark exploration of the confoundingly elusive nature of truth, received an Academy Award at a time when the prize for foreign-language film did not exist.
a game-shifter that challenges all we think we know about truth
Innovative, experimental and brilliantly constrcuted, Rashomon is one of world cinema's truly great works, questioning the notions of truth and morality with its multiple perspective, a film that put Kurosawa and Japanese cinema on the international map
Astonishing.
...reveals Kurosawa's own influence, especially on the filmmakers behind the recent rash of Japanese horror.
Kurosawa is always worth a look but this is a particular classic that has influenced so much to come, it's almost essential.
Kurosawa's masterful tale of truth, deception and humanity.
It does nothing less than demolishing everything its characters -- and some of its audience -- believed in.
Audience Reviews for Rashômon (Rashomon) (In the Woods)
Super Reviewer
Great premise/story.
I can appreciate why this film is held in such high esteem...but it felt a little convoluted to me, to spite it's fairly short running time.
Super Reviewer
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- Commoner: In the end, you can't understand the things men do.
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- Commoner: It's human to lie.
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- Commoner: It's human to lie. Most of the time we can't even be honest with ourselves.
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Latest News on Rashômon (Rashomon) (In the Woods)
September 24, 2008:
Modern-Day Rashomon Remake Gets RollingOh dear. Is someone really planning a "Rashomon" remake set in modern-day America...and calling it...
September 16, 2008:
Restored Rashomon Premieres This WeekKurosawa fans in the Los Angeles area are going to want to make a beeline for the Samuel Goldwyn...
June 19, 2007:
"A Mighty Heart" Director Michael Winterbottom Talks Terrorism, Angelina With RTFeaturing a performance from Angelina Jolie that has already drawn praise as one of the best of her...
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Movie: ID: 17052 Title: Rashômon (Rashomon) (In the Woods) Release Date: 1951-12-26 00:00:00.0 MPAA: 6 Status: 1
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Foreign Titles
- Rashomon (DE)
- Rashomon (1950) (UK)
