Review of Ran (1985) by Darrin B — 29 Feb 2008

As an adaptation of King Lear, Kurosawa made many changes, partly to fit a story he wanted to tell, party to fit the setting of Feudal Japan, and some have said it is actually an improvement over the source material.

This is probably one of the most visually, musically and emotionally moving films I have ever seen and it's scope is beyond comparison. From the fine intricacies of the ruined forts of yester-wars where the mad lord, his jester and his only loyal servant Tango (whom he actually banished earlier) take refuge, to the sprawling 1000+ man Ashigaru and Samurai formations firing volleys of arquebuses and swarming through the fortress on horseback into the flaming keep, said battle sequence being completely silent except for a moving musical arrangement that brings far more emotion to the images of destruction than the sound effects and voices could dream to do. There is also a massive 4-way clan battle that results in ruin for naturally all the "good" characters, though that's a poor term to use in a scenario such as Ran's. The use of colour is especially brilliant in nearly every scene, not only with the colour-coding of the armies but in the costumes, sets, natural photography etc. Kurosawa does not throw away the opportunities of the newer medium.

A father who had united his lands with bloody viciousness makes the mistake of assuming his well taught sons will share his handed down power evenly and peacefully. This mistake is magnified a hundred times with the subtle pulling of strings by the ruling Son's wife, a daughter born of an empire that the aging lord completely wiped out. She wants revenge and her hatred ruins the empire anew. The performances of the Great Lord Hidetora and Lady Kaede are specially memorable.

In the end, the gods weep, for they can not stop Man's wretched nature, and Kurosawa shows us a more cynical side than previous films have displayed.