AT THE GATE OF THE GHOST is an adaptation of the Japanese film Rashomon mixed with the values of Buddhism.  The movie presents versions of the truth from three people and the ghost of the murder victim.  Each story is different and only one story might be the truth and the rest are lies.  A young monk has a crisis in faith and he wants to leave the order.  He decides to go on a journey and he ends up in a tunnel on a rainy night with one of the witnesses at the trial of infamous bandit Singh Khan who is accused of murdering a local warlord and raping the warlord’s wife.  The monk is disturbed by the conflicting witness stories from Khan to the warlord’s wife, a guy who is channeling the soul of the warlord, and the merchant who stumbled across the warlord’s body.  An old beggar and thief listens to the stories being retold and the viewer sees all of the different accounts and the trial.

 

AT THE GATE OF THE GHOST is well written and performed adaptation of Rashomon.  The different stories make you wonder who is telling the truth while the monk is trying to find his faith in Buddhism.  It is an interesting investigation of the truth via a well photographed movie.   I loved how the stories varied as you wonder who was telling the truth and why the witnesses would lie.   AT THE GATE OF THE GHOST comes highly recommended.

 

SPECIAL FEATURES:

THE MAKING OF A LEGENDARY STORY is a promotional featurette on the film that has interviews with the cast and the director.

 

Also on the disc are a Behind The Scenes montage, the international theatrical trailer, and previews for other releases from Maganolia Home Entertainment.

 

FINAL ANALYSIS:  AT THE GATE OF THE GHOST is a beautifully imagined movie with a fascinating investigation of the truth.  The performances are top notch for this wonderful remake of Rashomon.

 

This DVD Review is (c)4-13-2013 David Blackwell and cannot be reprinted without permission.  Send all comments to feedback@enterline-media.com