Film education continues, just with a different part of the Axis powers. (No, we didn't watch this in my film class, but how was I supposed to pass up that joke?)This really is one of the most essential films to see. It's more than a classic. Even if you don't like it because ambiguous or non-resolved endings make you crazy (like me), it's still a masterwork. If you get the Criterion Collection edition, there's a great interview with director Robert Altman that highlights some of the important cinematography and direction choices in a way that breaks it down for the layman.
A married couple traveled through the woods. The husband (Masayuki Mori) is murdered. A bandit (Toshiro Mifune) is arrested in possession of the couple's horse and gear. The wife (Machiko Kyo) is located at a temple, crying her eyes out. Each tells their side of the story, which differ as to the events. Then a medium (Noriko Honma) is summoned so the dead man can tell his version, which is different from both. So who's telling the truth? An eyewitness is revealed who claims that all three are lying, and he saw the whole thing. But is he reliable?
I'm not asking those questions to be rhetorical, either. The whole point of the movie is that you'll never know. That might turn some of you completely off, which is why I'm making a point of telling you now, so you don't watch it and get mad at me. But you should watch it anyway, if for nothing else, then for the sheer maddening frustration of this expertly crafted episode of Law and Order: SVU: Feudal Japan Edition.
Oh, yeah, because the one thing everyone agrees on is that the wife was raped. But that's not the central crime here. In fact, one of the implied stories is that she might have murdered her husband herself for judging her because she didn't immediately kill herself after being raped. Because it reflects badly on him that she was dishonored. Feudal Japan!
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