Film: Ran
Director: Akira Kurosawa
Country: Japan
Released: May 1985
Runtime: 162 minutes
Genre: Epic
Studio: Greenwich Film, Nippon Herald
Influenced: Francis Ford Coppola, Hayao Miyazaki, Ridley Scott, Hirokazu Koreeda, Zhang Yimou
After Kurosawa's trio of stone cold 50s classics (Seven Samurai, Ikiru and Rashomon), I'm pretty confident in saying that Ran is the Japanese director's next greatest film, marking a late surge of creativity in his career along side Kagemusha (1980) and Dreams (1990). I'm also a huge fan of crime drama High & Low (1963) and adventure story Dersu Uzala (1975), both of which show Kurosawa's masterly ability to operate across different genres, but there's something about Kurosawa's return to the world of samurais and feudal Japan that makes Ran such a satisfying viewing experience. Loosely based on Shakespeare's tragedy King Lear, the film revolves around Hidetora Ichimonji, an ageing warlord who decides to abdicate his throne and divide his kingdom among his three sons: Taro, Jiro and Saburo.
The film starts with a mesmerising battle sequence, giving us a little taster of the grand-scale warfare that will become a central theme. Hidetora's decision proves to be disastrous as it ignites a power struggle among his sons and their retainers, leading to chaos and bloodshed, with each son's ambition and betrayal leading to calamity. When Hidetora's youngest son, Saburo, speaks out against his father's foolish decision, he is banished, setting in motion a series of tragic consequences. One of the most notable innovations in Ran is Kurosawa's use of colour to enhance the emotional depth of the narrative. Through a vivid palette of reds, blues and whites, Kurosawa creates a visual language that mirrors the characters' internal struggles and the chaos unfolding around them. In particular, the colour red, symbolising both passion and violence, is used widely in the war scenes, emphasising the destructive nature of power.
As Taro and Jiro fight for power, they lay siege to the third castle, leading to a brutal and captivating battle sequence. Lady Kaede, Jiro's wife, emerges as a cunning and manipulative character, driving the brothers further apart and exploiting their weaknesses. As Hidetora witnesses the destruction caused by his own decisions, he descends into madness, resulting in powerful and emotionally charged scenes that culminate in a devastating final battle scene (one of my favourite moments in all of cinema). As well as the production design and costumes that authentically recreate the feudal era, immersing the audience in the historical setting, what's most impressive about Ran is the cinematography. The film features breathtaking visuals, showcasing vast landscapes and meticulously choreographed battle scenes.
Kurosawa also skilfully adapts Shakespeare's King Lear into a Japanese setting, blending Eastern and Western storytelling traditions. Ran received widespread critical acclaim upon its release and won numerous awards and nominations, solidifying Akira Kurosawa's reputation as one of cinema's greatest directors. Its depiction of power, betrayal and the consequences of human folly make it a timeless classic, and it's so impressive to see Kurosawa continuing to defy the conventions of narrative structure, by subtly shifting the focus from Lord Ichimonji's perspective to his sons', offering us a multifaceted exploration of filial duty and the corrosive nature of ambition.
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