Welcome once again to Foreign Movie Fridays, where each Friday, I’ll be taking a look at a well-known foreign film and giving my thoughts on it. Today, I will be taking a look at Akira Kurosawa’s Ran. Akira Kurosawa is considered to be one of the greatest directors in Japanese cinema, having revolutionized the industry with films like Rashomon, The Seven Samurai, and Yujimbo. Considered to be Kurosawa’s last epic drama, Ran is a great balance between family drama and historical epic and still showcases Kurosawa’s talents as a director and as a writer.
Set in 16th Century Japan, Ran tells the story of Hidetora Ichimonji, the monarch of the Ichimonji family, who decides to abdicate as the leader of the clan to his three sons; Taro, Jiro, and Saburo. However, when Saburo disagrees with his father’s lecture about unity, Hidetora exiles him, leaving his land under the leadership of his two sons. Unfortunately, as Hidetora begins to plan his retirement, he begins to realize that Taro and Jiro are being overwhelmed by this newfound power which soon leads to a war between the two castles and later Hidetora’s exile.
Made under a budget of $11 million, it is impressive to see how much Ran works as a period film, to the point you’d forget that it was released during the 1980s.
The setpieces and the costume design do a phenomenal job of adding to the film’s Sengoku setting, as every detail in clothing, props and buildings manage to recapture the feeling of its period. The cinematography is astonishing to look at and Kurosawa utilizes long-shot photography and color grading to achieve the movie’s powerful images. The script builds on its foundation from Shakespeare’s King Lear and keeps its focus on Hidetora’s downfall, as well as humanizing him and his sons, and delivers an interesting story dealing with turmoil and conflict between the family members.
Each member of the cast does an incredible job in their roles, with Tatsuya Nakadai shining the most as the elderly warlord who is closer to his final days and reflecting on his legacy as the ruler of the Ichimonji family. Nakadai’s performance is easily the biggest highlight of the film and the movie wouldn’t be as memorable without him. Another thing worthy of mention is the score by Toru Takemitsu, which adds to the movie’s somber tone and lines up with the character’s feelings. The only thing that bogs this movie down is the slow pacing, which, while great for dramatic scenes, it can make some scenes tedious and difficult to sit through.
Considered to be one of Akira Kurosawa’s greatest achievements in cinema history.
Ran is easily the most ambitious project Kurosawa has ever put in his career and it still manages in every aspect, as it’s a brilliant character study of a man blinded by his own power and how that power leads to his downfall, and it oozes with wonderful imagery in every scene, though the pacing does drag the movie down a bit.
Abdul
