Born in 1910 in Ohi-machi, Tokyo, Akira Kurasawa rose to become a true legend in the history of film-making. His 1950 film, Rashomon, won the Golden Lion at the Venice International Film Festival the following year, giving him international fame and recognition, and establishing him among the elite of Japanese cinematographers. Whilst renowned for his reinterpretations of classic western literature such as Ran (King Lear), and Throne of Blood (Macbeth), Kurasawa was also known as a great innovator, developing and introducing new cinematic techniques into his movies which have been used by countless directors ever since.
His influence on western film-making is legendary. Without him there would be no Magnificent Seven or Fistful of Dollars. Even Star Wars may never have come to fruition had George Lucas not been so influenced by Japanese culture and the work of Akira Kurasawa.
Without doubt, Kurasawa is one of the most important figures in the history of cinematography. When he sadly died in 1998, he left behind a great legacy of classic movies for generations to enjoy.
Kurasawa referred to his previous film, Kagemusha (1980), as the "dress rehearsal" for Ran. This film was Kurosawa's obsession for more than 10 years, and he spent ten years painting every shot in the film as storyboards. He feared that the movie would never be made, but when it finally did get financing, it became at the time the most expensive film ever made in Japan. Such was his passion that when his wife died during production Kurosawa only halted filming for one day to mourn before he resumed work on the picture.
Approximately 1400 extras (each requiring a suit of armour, all of which were designed by Kurasawa) and 200 horses were used in the making of this film. The process of manufacturing the costumes alone took 2 years. Such was Kurasawa's brilliant use of cinematic techniques that by the time the film was ready for premiere it was reported in the Japanese media that many thousands of extras and horses were used to stage the battles.
Perhaps the most incredible thing about this movie is that Kurasawa was able to make such a visually stunning movie despite his eyesight deteriorating almost completely by the time photography began. He required assistants to frame shots, who used his storyboard paintings as guidelines.
Ran won the 1986 Academy Award for Best Costume Design, and was nominated in 3 other categories. It also won a myriad of other awards including BAFTA's for Best Foreign Language Film and Best Make Up Artist.
Set in feudal 16th Century Japan, the movie retells the story of Shakespeare's King Lear, but also draws on the Japanese samurai legend of Mori for inspiration.
At the age of 70, after years of bloodthirsty consolidation of his empire, the Great Lord Hidetora Ichimonji (Tatsuya Nakadai) decides it is time to relinquish the throne and castle to his eldest son Taro, whilst the other two sons will reside in his two other castles. His greatest wish is for family unity to be preserved, and he graphically illustrates this to his sons by showing them that a single arrow can be easily broken, but three arrows held together are strong. Hidetora's youngest son, Saburo believes fidelity between the brothers is impossible and pours scorn on his father's wishes. As a result, his father banishes him for his impudence.
Unfortunately, as the title 'Ran' (translated as Chaos in Japanese) suggests, the loyalty the Great Lord hopes for proves impossible and he watches as his former great empire falls to family disputes and culminates in civil war. As the character of the Great Lord Hidetora progresses from one of imperial splendour to a solitary figure in the wilderness, we watch as his emotions move from rage, to despair, and eventually to an almost emotionally detached acceptance of what has happened. Tatsuya Nakadai plays the role masterfully, often using silence to convey a message, which in turn makes the moments where he allows his emotions to flow far more startling.
Possibly the greatest performance however, goes to Mieko Harada as Lady Kaede, one of Hidetora's daughters-in-law. In one of the most accomplished acting performances I've ever witnessed, she manages to portray a sinister, serpentine elegance, which is deeply unsettling yet captivating at the same time.
The beautifully directed battle scenes in this movie are arguably the finest you will ever see. Kurasawa's innovative use of colour and sound is at times breathtakingly simple; the effect is absolutely stunning and totally original. It has to be said that whilst the battle scenes are an integral part of Ran, and that they create many of the most interesting visual images, the movie is so immaculately scripted that they don't overwhelm the complex interplay of characters or the plot itself.
At just over 150 minutes this is a long film, but it is one of those rare movies that manages to pull you in so completely that the time just flies. The film is widely regarded as being the pinnacle of Kurasawa's long and illustrious career, and well deserves that status.
The second disc, titled 'A.K. - The Making of Ran' is a real treat for fans of Kurasawa as it explains many of the techniques used, as well as an insight into the man himself. At 71 minutes long, and made by celebrated French director Chris Marker, this is far more than a 'bonus extra' thrown on to make up the weight of the package.
The picture quality of the recording of both DVDs is very good, as is the sound quality. The subtitles are good, and easily visible without being intrusive, after a while you forget you're reading them. For those looking for an introduction to Japanese cinema, there is no better place to start than here.
Length : 155 minutes Rating -12 Film: Colour, Widescreen Language: Japanese Subtitles: English Extras - 2 Disc Special Edition Disc 1 - Widescreen presentation Disc 2 The Making of Ran (71mins)
Price: £9.99 from HMV
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Soundtrack
Outstanding
How does it compare to others by the same director?
Outstanding
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Excellent
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Production Year: 2001 - Drama - Director: Phil Alden Robinson, Richard Loncraine, Mikael Salomon, David Nutter, Tom Hanks, David Leland, David Frankel, Tony To - Original Language: English - Classification: 15 years and over
![Ran [1985]](http://picnic.ciao.com/uk/65508934.jpg)
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