Rashomon

Kim Huynh

Rashomon Critical Analysis

            There were multiple themes that were introduced to audiences in Rashomon. The film showcases human flaws, human desires, and the search for truth and justice in humanity. The whole film only has six central characters and the ones who were involved in the rape and murder all exemplify different aspects of human flaws and desires. The bandit of course is a cruel and despicable man in his own retelling of the story and in the retellings of others as well. There is also a noble side of him seen in the retelling of the samurai’s story when he freed him. The woman is a very weak but strong character as well for her influence over these two men. There were scenes that cut back and forth with close-ups from the bandit to the woman and to her husband. These shots symbolize a relationship between the three characters and their faces show how each of them feel about their strange and tormenting circumstances. Her desire to be someone else and live a new life is prevalent in many of the retellings but definitely not in her own retelling of the happenings. She was ashamed and wanted nothing more than either forgiveness or punishment from her husband and she received neither but a cold, harsh stare. The husband was a sad character that not only was tricked and captured by the bandit but also had to witness the bandit taking advantage of his wife. There is only one retelling that goes into detail about the supposed rape but the camera shows the husband plainly turning away in disgust rather than struggling or begging the bandit to stop. These three characters have very contradicting stories and all of which are showcasing their own moral attributes and disconcerting the others. All their stories were also shot in the same location but even seemed different in each retelling due to lighting and camera angle. All the differences play a large role in the mood and plot that the storyteller is trying to convey. The whole film is only shot in three different locations but somehow captures a different mood in each locale. The courthouse is a common area where the characters were able to tell their stories to the court and each persons account of what happened was told and retold and retold again until audiences and characters were left wondering whom was telling the truth. 

            The priest and the woodcutter are seen first in the film  at Rashomon and both are in very deep thought as they both ponder on what they witnessed and heard earlier that day at the courthouse. The rain symbolizes the darkness of the story and the sadness that both men are feeling. When the third man enters from the rain into Rashomon he is not greeted or even spoken to but ignored by both men who are still very disturbed. The camera shoots all three men together and shows the expressions on all the men’s faces when discussing the horrible happenings of the day. The priest and the woodcutter are melancholy whereas the third man is not affected by the information at all. He is very brash about the story of the rape and murder and shows no sign of forlorn for anybody involved. Later when he has taken the kimono from the baby he exits Rashomon the same way he came in, through the hard and relentless rain. Those shots symbolize his impurity and his unwillingness to change from his way of thinking and his way of life. The film ends with the woodcutter carrying the baby away when the storm has ended. Although he has been accused of stealing the dagger he learns his lesson from the horrid happenings of the day and decides to care for this child, which shows that he is the only character involved in the crime that still has an ounce of morale left as he is able to walk away into the sunlight.