Ran

Oscar-nominated Japanese director Akira Kurosawa's brilliant variation on Shakespeare's King Lear (the action is moved to 16th-century feudal Japan, and the daughters are replaced by sons) features some of the most stirring (and haunting) large-scale battle scenes put to film before CGI effects were readily available. Ran (which means "chaos" in Japanese) opens with Lord Hidetora (Tatsuya Nakadai) announcing his intentions to divide his kingdom between his three sons (Akira Terao, Jinpachi Nezu, Daisuke Ryu), a plan which youngest son Saburo (Ryu) tells him is foolish. Banished by the prideful Hidetora in retaliation for his seeming insolence, Saburo is ultimately vindicated--but only at a tremendous cost, after political machinations and bloodshed--when Hidetora, forsaken by his two eldest sons, becomes an exiled madman wandering in the wilderness. Like Shakespeare's classic play, Ran ends in tragedy, with Hidetora holding Saburo in his arms, pleading with his lifeless body ("I have tales to tell...forgiveness to ask"), before his own heart breaks from grief. Part of Wellspring's "Masterworks" series, the image has been considerably cleaned up and sharpened in this handsome transfer (as evidenced in a restoration demo included on the disc) backed by a Dolby Digital 5.1 soundtrack. For film buffs, Ran features two audio commentaries: one by Peter Grilli (producer of the documentary Kurosawa [VL-7/02]); the other--with more critical analysis--by film historian Stephen Prince. Highly recommended. Editor's Choice. (R. Pitman)[DVD Review—Nov. 15, 2005—Criterion, 2 discs, 160 min., in Japanese w/English subtitles, not rated, $39.95—Making its third appearance on DVD, 1985's Ran boasts a wonderful transfer and solid Dolby Digital stereo sound. DVD extras include audio commentary by film scholar Stephen Prince (also available on the earlier “Masterworks” release), the 74-minute Kurosawa profile A.K. by filmmaker Chris Marker, the 35-minute “Image: Kurosawa's Continuity” reconstructing Ran through Kurosawa's paintings and sketches, the 30-minute “making-of” documentary “Akira Kurosawa: It Is Wonderful to Create,” an appreciation of the film by filmmaker Sidney Lumet (12 min.), an interview with star Tatsuya Nakadai (10 min.), a 28-page booklet featuring film critic Michael Wilmington and interviews with Kurosawa and composer Toru Takemitsu, and trailers. Bottom line: an excellent edition of an outstanding film.]