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Rashomon

Play trailer Poster for Rashomon 1950 1h 28m Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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98% Tomatometer 64 Reviews 93% Popcornmeter 25,000+ Ratings
Brimming with action while incisively examining the nature of truth, "Rashomon" is perhaps the finest film ever to investigate the philosophy of justice. Through an ingenious use of camera and flashbacks, Kurosawa reveals the complexities of human nature as four people recount different versions of the story of a man's murder and the rape of his wife.
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Rashomon

Rashomon

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Critics Consensus

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.

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Critics Reviews

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Kevin Maher The Times (UK) 01/09/2023
5/5
It’s easy to forget, nonetheless, that the movie offers more rewards than a dazzling superstructure. It’s beautifully shot, vividly performed and is ultimately an arresting pop treatise on the impossibility of objective truth. Go to Full Review Peter Bradshaw Guardian 06/17/2010
5/5
Unmissable. Go to Full Review Ty Burr Boston Globe 04/22/2010
3.5/4
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. Go to Full Review Michael Clark Epoch Times 09/21/2024
5/5
“Rashomon” isn’t a whodunit thriller. Instead, it’s an observation of the unreliability of human short-term memory, particularly of the multiple witnesses at a crime scene, who are also possible victims or perpetrators. Go to Full Review Mike Massie Gone With The Twins 07/20/2024
6/10
Thoroughly unique, crafting a recognizable template for future films that opt to distort their narratives through the eyes of multiple storytellers and unreliable presentations of facts. Go to Full Review Daniel Barnes Dare Daniel 11/14/2023
5/5
The fourth story is seemingly the most objective of them all, and it's probably the closest to the truth. But even in that story, there are big holes. Everyone has something to hide. Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Peter Santana 10/25/2022 The perspective of four sides of the story so original for 1950! See more Benjamin 10/25/2022 Literally no exaggeration, one of the best movies ever. See more Dustin Ornelas D @10dustinO 3d This movie, we are told the story of a murder and assault in a forest through conflicting testimonies from the bandit, the wife, the dead samurai, and a witness. Each version contradicts the others, revealing how truth is shaped by perspective and self-interest, leaving what really happened ultimately uncertain. This happens often in the real world, so I this movie is a great analogy to reality. See more Henry D @Henry_Domke 4d On our fourth viewing, expectation may have worked against it a bit. We both rated it 4 stars this time, partly because the yelling became tiresome. Still, it is clearly a classic, beautifully filmed and powerful, even if we admired it more than we enjoyed it this time. See more Tom F @RT55173143 May 6 The classics of ‘50 Japanese cinema earned their place in the hearts of film nerds. See more Rebecca O. @Rebecca_Orona May 4 I didn’t expect the movie to have an element of haunting or disturbing in a way See more Read all reviews
Rashomon

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Cast & Crew

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Akira Kurosawa

Director

Toshiro Mifune

Tajomaru

Machiko Kyō

Masako Kanazawa

Takashi Shimura

Woodcutter

Masayuki Mori

Takehiro

Minoru Chiaki

Priest
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Rashomon

Rashomon (1950) Rashomon (1950) View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis Brimming with action while incisively examining the nature of truth, "Rashomon" is perhaps the finest film ever to investigate the philosophy of justice. Through an ingenious use of camera and flashbacks, Kurosawa reveals the complexities of human nature as four people recount different versions of the story of a man's murder and the rape of his wife.
Director
Akira Kurosawa
Producer
Minoru Jingo
Screenwriter
Ryûnosuke Akutagawa, Shinobu Hashimoto, Akira Kurosawa
Distributor
RKO Radio Pictures
Production Co
Daiei Motion Picture Company
Genre
Drama
Original Language
Japanese
Release Date (Theaters)
Dec 26, 1950, Wide
Release Date (Streaming)
Mar 23, 2017
Runtime
1h 28m
Sound Mix
Mono
Aspect Ratio
Academy (1.33:1)