Invoke the phrase greatest movie of all time, and youd better bring your A-game.
Film fans dont take their bests lightly; while fleeting passions may prompt easy praise (Avataranyone?
An undisputed masterpiece, it not only established the directors reputation but it changed filmmaking in the process.
Hit the jump for my full review.
From a technical standpoint, the film is flawless.
Kurosawa often uses visual tools to convey his story, relying on dialogue only when absolutely necessary.
It creates a very Western look for the film while remaining quintessentially Japanese.
The genre often returned the favor, with American remakes attempting to find their own rhythm in his shadow.
(1964sThe Outragewas an acknowledged remake ofRashomon.)
A bandit who murdered a samurai on the road stands trial for the crime.
Kurosawa never reveals which account is the correct one, and thats really the point.
There is no real outcome here, besides the fact that a man is dead.
That applies to the tyranny of the camera as well as the characters.
As expected, Criterion has done their usual bang up job on the Blu-ray.
