REYES, Jose Lorenzo L.

2018-01375
II – BA Film
Film 151 – TWX

Rashomon (1950)

Akira Kurosawa's Rashomon (1950) has a reputation that precedes itself; being the paragon
of film narratives. The film was crafted in a simple yet complicated manner in the sense that it is
a compilation of four highly contrasting testimonies of a common incident as it also touches on
questions regarding the subjectivity of truth and justice according to humans and the natural world.
These testimonies were used as separate narratives of the film, under the cohesion of an umbrella
narrative that Kurosawa used as an allegory of post-war Japan; along with the use of semiotics.

A woodcutter, a priest, and a commoner find themselves underneath the gate known as the
Rashomon, a crossroad for the three, amidst the strong storm that led them into this encounter.
Rashomon, the rain, and its surroundings was used as an embodiment of Japan’s side of devastation
from the horrors of war. As the woodcutter and priest express their terror after witnessing a crime
robbing all good impressions on humanity, it is seen how both the commoner and priest represent
two different sectors of society belonging to one population severely affected by this metaphor for
war. Both these characters represent the coexistence of the religious and secular sectors in society
which had provided a contrast in character towards the end of the film. It was revealed that the
woodcutter refused to testify for he stole the dagger that was used to kill the samurai. This may
show how people are always driven by desire and self-interest. The priest on the other hand, has
an easily-shaken faith on humanity, thus tends to be reliant on kindness and morality.

The themes of relativity in truth and the lack of its absoluteness can be greatly seen in the
film’s rising action. The film’s rising action revolves around the four testimonies of the story: the
woodcutter’s, the samurai’s, the wife’s, and the bandit’s testimonies. Kurosawa had used these to
reflect a certain truth regarding the war. All four testimonies were compelling yet unreliable as
none of their accounts had matched each other’s and have seemed to be unlikely to have occurred
at the same time. Viewers are also left to question how much fabrication each testimony has due
to the priest’s claim that the human is a selfish being. However wildly contrasting each testimony
become, its highly resembles perspectives of truth regarding post-World War II. The samurai’s
fate resembles the devastated post-war Japan; forgiving as he was “ready to pardon his crime.”
The bandit which holds a reputation of being a notorious outlaw viewed the incident as an affair
of pursuing the woman, no blood was shed and he claimed to be the victor. It is possible that the
bandit is an embodiment of the Allied Powers. The two other testimonies; the wife’s and the
woodcutter’s can be inferred as the experience of Japan in essence and in form. Both men have
treated the wife as something to be possessed, and the film begins with the samurai and the wife
travelling together. The wife signifies the culture, nationhood, and richness of Japan. There are
striking differences on the portrayal of the wife in the four different testimonies. These four
different narratives tell something about how the wife will have responded if the testimonies were
held true. As similar to reality, Japan may be subjected to defend itself, give in to colonialism, or
abandon itself. The woodcutter on the other hand, represents the Japanese people. The woodcutter
refused to give a testimony however, holds his own version of the truth. With this, he is an
embodiment of the human nature and as well as a constituent affected in the affairs out of his
hands.

To top off the film’s series of events, an infant was found to be left alone in the shrine
during the storm. Despite how the woodcutter decides to satisfy of his own desire, he had decided
to take care of the lost infant among his six other children, regaining the priest’s faith in humanity.
These events turn out as the rain stopped pouring, signifying the new beginnings after all these
tragedies.

Kurosawa effectively used these symbols to tell the stories of war and its consequences but
with forwarding optimistic ideals for Japan. However insular this may be, the film has used
semiotics through the characters and setting of the film to reflect a bigger and contemporary spatial
and temporal reality. Rashomon possesses the quality of simultaneously having the three-act
structure and not having a directly linear narrative. The film may also show how biased and insular
Japan’s perspective of the war. Rashomon was able to embody how the samurai may have the
strongest argument. The samurai then is also dead, victimizing Japan in this context. Historical
accounts show that Japan; even present-day Japan, refuses to acknowledge and take accountability
of the happenings in the war as compared to how Germany apologizes and turns conversations on
Hitler a taboo. With this Rashomon’s narrative can also be used to analyze Japan’s sociology.
However close to the truth this claim may be, Rashomon still remains to be one of the greatest
films in history.

It is true that at this point in time, all stories and themes have been made into script. Akira
Kurosawa’s Rashomon was based on Akutagawa’s 1992 short story, “In a Grove,” yet is claimed
to be one of history’s best film narratives. It is important for one to use film as a visual poetry as
far as technicalities are not concerned. The narrative of the film brings its soul to life, which
essentially what should make each film unique on its own. Despite being based on a simple short
story with the pre-existing character bases, Kurosawa was able to maintain the core values of the
original story yet adding his own flavor by addressing a prevalent social situation post-war.