laughing - Rashômon (1951) Discussion

[–] 16 years ago

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[–] Big G-2 16 years ago

It should be realized though, that the laughs seen here are from second hand sources mostly from the woodcutter's point-of-view, and who did not think highly of any of the three. We, the viewers have no idea how they laughed or if they laughed at all! It is the woodcutter's rendition we are basically seeing, and when one tells a story where he doesn't think much of the participants, yeah, they are always going to come out looking bad! The caricature laughs, I think fit perfectly well, when looking at all the scenarios involved.

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[–] rsheppard-1 16 years ago

At first, I was irritated by the laughter, too. But as the story progressed, I came to realize that its something like Big G says: these are caricatures of reality (although I'm not sure why Big G says this is mainly from the woodcutter's point of view--the bandit's laughing all occurs during the bandit's own story). The wife's crying is equally absurd, but because she is telling the story, and wants the court to see her as sympathetically as possible. What I at first thought was overacting was actually quite appropriate to the story (though if remade, it would surely be a bit more subtle on the second go-round).

there's no place you can be that isn't where you're meant to be.

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[–] Big G-2 16 years ago

(although I'm not sure why Big G says this is mainly from the woodcutter's point of view--the bandit's laughing all occurs during the bandit's own story).

Well, the bandit is telling the story during the trial, but remember that the trial itself is a flashback seen mostly from the woodcutter's point of view (and the bandit again does his hysterical laugh during that time!). We, the audience, were never first hand witnesses to the events that took place or even during the trial. We are very much like the commoner whom the story is being told to and trying to understand the whole meaning.

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[–] DoctorStrangelove 16 years ago

Big G, I dunno... IIRC, Mifune laughed exactly the same way in Seven Samurai.

He who is tired of "Weird Al"... is tired of life.

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[–] Big G-2 16 years ago

Big G, I dunno... IIRC, Mifune laughed exactly the same way in Seven Samurai.

Mmm... As I recall, Mifune certainly laughed, but I don't think it was in the exact same manner or tone as in RASHOMON. As the animalistic Kikuchiyo in SEVEN SAMURAI, Mifune's laugh was more of a high-pitched hee, hee, hee. In RASHOMON as the bandit, it was more of a low sounding ha, ha, ha, ha, making it more caricaturist in manner (and don't forget, the wife was also laughing like that as well).

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[–] FullyRealized 11 years ago

Just accept that it's his acting style and don't make a big deal of it. The laughing style also comes across differently because of the cultural differences and nothing more

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[–] 11 years ago

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[–] TheProctologist 16 years ago

With older films, a lot of people fail to recognize that many of the actors they're seeing are coming from a background of either silent film or stage acting where a certain amount of embellishment is required to convey emotions and ideas. I suppose this is probably still an unacceptable explanation. Whether or not you can forgive the over-acting, it enhances the experience for you, or it ruins it for you is just a matter of personal preference. I just don't think you can simply chalk it up to poor filmmaking. Also, with a film like Rashomon, its extremely easy (and often correct I imagine) to assume that when a particular scene seems a bit out of place, it is because the narrative is biased, and not because the filmmakers messed up. Having read about the exactness with which Kurosawa constructs his film, I think the former explanation is probably more accurate, and is one of the reasons why the film works so well. I personally find the visuals Kurosawa is able to achieve in black and white beautiful, perhaps even more so than in color films. Add an excellent script and a great score and you've got a film that is truly more than just the sum of its parts. But that's just a medical student's opinion. We're almost always wrong.

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[–] GotaFeeling 16 years ago

I liked the laughing a lot. I thought it was a sign of both insanity and anger at the others. It felt forced becuase it felt like they were trying to force it. People do not always laugh naturally in real life. Sometimes they force it out to make statements and that is what I saw here.

No needto defend it as if it was bad acting. I thought it was ingenious.

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[–] vwmoran 16 years ago

The laughing from the bandit was the only thing that I hated about this film. Other wise outstanding film!

Of course he has a knife he always has a knife, we all have knives! It's 1183 and we're barbarians!

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[–] gerald-flynn 16 years ago

There could be a cultural difference here as well. I am not a great student of Japanese film, this and Seven Samurai are about it and so maybe this style of acting is better understood in the Japanese culture as compared to our Western culture. I really don't know but this is one way to understand it, perhpas.

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[–] colt_89 16 years ago

The laughing didn't bother me as it was more of a mocking laugh not so much him laughing as if he was seriously amused.

"The world will look up and shout "save us"... and I'll whisper, no"
Yes, that's the movie quote.

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[–] 16 years ago

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[–] i_am_something 16 years ago

Yes, I loved this movie the first time I saw it, Top 10 stuff.

Then I watched it again several months later and could not stand the laughing by Mifune. It was annoying and completely took me out of the story. I was shocked, because I couldn't remember it being so bad. Ultimately, I turned the movie off, very disappointed.

This happens. This is something that happens.

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[–] cinema_forever19 16 years ago

Odd, I didn't find anything annoying about any of the laughter, in fact, I thought the laughter was one of the best parts of the movie - and I've watched this film at least 5 times or more. And I especially like the laughter of the woman, I don't know why, I just find it humorous. Anyway, don't give up on this movie easily, it's truly an amazing movie.

"Without Mercy, a man is like a beast."

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[–] km1987 16 years ago

I liked how he laughed in this film because it's over the top and exagerated in the same way that people's memory exagerates things over time. It's just a great way of showing the laugh from that perspective.

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[–] tarajane 16 years ago

I have noticed a distinctive laugh in Japanese films that points to a difference in its meaning, culturally. It's always a kind of forced and hearty laugh and seems meant to convey contempt or discomfort, not amusement. The first time I saw it in a film it struck me as odd and inexplicable -- but having seen it now quite a few times, I realize it has a meaning that's a social cue.

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[–] skinky_1999 16 years ago

It isn't a genuine "funny" laugh. It's more a "in-your-face" laugh.

It was as if the bandit was saying, "LOOK! I JUST RAPED YOUR WIFE RIGHT IN FRONT OF YOU MR. SAMURAI! HA!HA!HA!HA!HA!!!!!"

flat monotonic dirge

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[–] donbren-1 15 years ago

Yes ! Skinky_1999 and Big_G are both correct...but there's more, I believe, to make it realistically logical; The Japanese --especially those most successful-- are incredibly prideful -- to the point of utter "shock and awe" beyond what is bearable when they are shown up/lose face in the presence of underlings. A Samurai made to seem impotent in front of his wife would drive a prideful man practically insane ... he would be beside himself --literally-- in embarrassment and shame (note the repeated falling down with nothing tripping him other than his total loss of power. The bandit purposely raped the samurai's wife in front of him for just that reason -- total humiliation!! Beautifully portrayed with maniacal laughter, both by the samurai and his wife, both at a total loss as to what to do -- there's no possible way to save face, none. "Kill me! she said aloud, her husband with his painfilled eyes."

The laughter of the bandit was pure prideful bravado! He obviously bettered a samurai -- my God, what an accomplishment by a mere untrained bandit!! I laugh like a loon, were I he!
~~~
There are no ordinary moments; there's never nothing going on

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[–] gsmayes 15 years ago

The wife laughing was probably the most disturbing part of the film for me.

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[–] horrorshowmovie 15 years ago

this kind of overacting was very common in older movies

I bet the characters sound ridiculous too, I just don't understand Japanese.

watch any old film...none of the characters act like real people. It was more drama than movies that come out today

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[–] Big G-2 15 years ago

this kind of overacting was very common in older movies

I bet the characters sound ridiculous too, I just don't understand Japanese.

watch any old film...none of the characters act like real people. It was more drama than movies that come out today

Hey horrorshowmovie. As I stated earlier in this thread, did you ever stop to think that the laughing and so forth was intentional? Remember, we are not watching these events as they are happening. Never once do we see how the bandit really acted. For all we know, the bandit could have been quite mellow! We don't know! What we are all seeing is second hand accounts, and from someone who had a very unfavorable opinion on all of the participants involved. Naturally, everyone is going to come out looking rather buffoonish. Heck, isn’t that what happens in real life?

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[–] 15 years ago

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[–] vb_guy 15 years ago

Believe it or not, that is a natural laugh for an Asian woman.

I can't speak of the man's laugh, my father didn't remarry one.

Let's just say, those parts of this movie were unbarable for me.

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[–] BobLava 15 years ago

the constant laughing in the movie was very strange???? HA HA HA AHHH HAH HA ??????

I cant fly to the moon if my feathers have been clipped.

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[–] gizmomogwai 12 years ago

When I saw it the first two times I thought the laughing was overly obnoxious. Oddly enough when I watched it the third time today it wasn't an issue.

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