The story is about fallibility of human nature. Told mostly through flashbacks, the story is about the murder of a samurai and the events that led to it including the alleged rape of the samurai’s wife. There are flashbacks within flashbacks. The story is told from the point of view of four people – the woodcutter, the spirit of the samurai, his wife and the bandit who is charged with killing the samurai and raping his wife.

Dialogue whilst sparse is powerful and the background music is a major element to the whole story. In many ways the story would not have the impact that it has without the sounds present in it.

The movie starts with the non digetic sound of a heavy downpour. The rain symbolises the torrential nature of man but it also can be seen as the water that washes away the sins of man. In terms of the narrative, it serves a powerful purpose – it separates the real time story and the flashbacks. For in the flashbacks it doesn’t rain. Therefore it becomes a useful ploy and adds to the dramatic setting of the story.

In many films, a heavy downpour acts another added element of turmoil and is theatrical in nature. That is the same with Rashomon. However, the film goes one step further – it makes it a tool for the audience to separate the past from the present.

The flashbacks – silent and sound

Akira Kurosava was a man who loved the era of silent films. And in Rashomon, he pays homage to silent films by using sparse dialogue and titillating background music. The first flashback is one of the wood cutters’. In film’s iconic scene, camera catches him walking a long path in the forest. In that scene, the first few seconds are of utter silence. This silence contrasts heavily with the silence and provides a jolt.

Slowly as the scene progresses, the background music starts to soar. It goes from quite thumping of the drums to a full orchestra. This is the way Kurosava honours the silent era, for in silent movies the background music conveyed the emotion of the scene to the viewer. Similarly Kurosava conveys the sense of impending disaster through his music. The music is haunting and pessimistic in nature. However, it can be argued that the background music does hinder the storytelling but without it the viewer will not be brought to the edges of their seats. The sound becomes louder and almost screeches at part to convey the dangers and horrors awaiting the woodcutter.

There is no background music in the flashback of the testimonies. It is the dialogue of the people directly involved. In the first flashback of the bandit, the music is distinctively similar to American Texan or “western” music. It complements the bandit’s view of himself – that he is a rebel, a law breaker and a cool wild cat. It even has the sound of the trotting of horses.

The wind

In the bandit’s flashback, wind plays an important role. It is the wind that provides him a glimpse of the samurai’s wife. When the wife is shown sitting, the music becomes very serene and melodic with a piano accompaniment. Again the music is distinctively western. The music matches the movement and the cuts of the shots.

The scene when the woman gives into the rape is very interesting because here the music goes from extreme tempo and decibel to a rather serene piano melody. And the music continues to the maniacal laugh of the bandit recounting the story to the tribunal.

The fire and water

The film is also about passion and it is portrayed by the various elements such as water (rain), wind, fire (the people in Rashomon are warming themselves in front of a fire), and earth. The music when focusing on the woman is almost always much more serene and sorrowful at the same time. The laugh of the bandit contrasts directly with her tears and the laugh itself acts as a transition to the flashback recounted by the young window.

When the ghost of the samurai recounts his side of the story, the music in the background adds to the effect of the supernatural. The music almost seems to moan and groan and then becomes sorrowful. The entire score feels like a funeral march.

Silence

In the fight sequence between the samurai and the bandit as egged on by the woman, there is no background music. It makes the scene more realistic. The men fight like cowards and do not fight well or fair. Therefore, the only sounds are the panting breathing of both men as they try to catch their breaths. It is ironic because in the end only one of the men will continue to breathe.

A baby’s wail – hope

At the end the viewer and the priest is given hope on the nature of mankind through the baby. The rain still pounds but so does the crying of a young child struggling to live. The wood cutter takes the baby and vows to take care of the baby. The rain slowly stops pounding and comes to an end, the baby continues to wail. The priest hands the baby over to the woodcutter and gains new perspective on life. The men walk out with new found hope and a hopeful music plays in the background.