Just in time for its 30th anniversary — and the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare’s death — comes a beautiful 4K restoration of Akira Kurosawa’s Ran (“chaos”). A King Lear-ish take on Japan’s late-feudal civil wars, this is a fiercely cinematic experience of startling metaphors, sweeping battles, intense characters, and vivid color (the bright orange-red of blood!) that deserves to be seen on a big screen… and now’s your chance.
I’m “biast” (pro): big Shakespeare fan
I’m “biast” (con): nothing
(what is this about? see my critic’s minifesto)
(My Ratings posts are a quick way for me to share my reaction to a film. This post will be updated if/when I ever write a review. Feel free to discuss the movie in depth in the comments section.)
It isn’t Kurosawa’s final film – he made three more after Ran. His last film was Madadayo (1993), made when he was 83.
I misread something in the press notes. Updated rating above to reflect this. Thanks for pointing out my error.