Akira Kurosawa’s ‘Ran’ is a Must-See Masterpiece

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Rating: 5.0/5.0

CHICAGO – The master director Akira Kurosawa (1910-1998) gave us a treasure trove of cinematic wizardry, to savor and revisit for years to come. Rialto Pictures is distributing the latest 4K restoration of one of his greatest pictures, “Ran” (1985). As part of a nationwide road show, it’s currently at the Gene Siskel Film Center in Chicago.

The story is a loose adaptation of Shakespeare’s “King Lear,” if the kingdom were present in 16th Century Japan. This is part of Kurosawa’s fascination and film journey (“Throne of Blood,” “Seven Samurai”) with the Japanese warrior culture, in the days of the samurai rule. This is his epic, the color film adaptation that is spectacularly rendered, so beautiful in its restoration it will make your eyes hurt in the finest way. The tale is compelling, the acting is sublime and the action sequences are better than any hack superhero film. If you have an opportunity to get to experience any of these screenings, go for it. The restoration will eventually be released on Blu-ray and digital later in the year.

A legendary warlord, Hidetora Ichimonji (Tatsuya Nakadai), is redirecting his power and land because of old age. He wants to give his main castle to his eldest son Taro (Akira Terao), but all are protesting what they feel is a premature retirement. His other sons are Jiro (Jinpachi Nezu), who is given the second castle, and Saburo (Daisuke Ryu), who has been banished for his intense protestations. As soon as the new structure is in place, Taro’s wife Lady Kaede (Mieko Harada) starts scheming for more power.

The Warlord Hidetora Ichimonji (Tatsuya Nakadai) in ‘Ran’
Photo credit: Rialto Pictures

Taro is seen as weak by the warlord’s rivals and enemies, and battle plans are drawn up to strike. The old man Hidetora is distraught by this unexpected turn of events, and his retirement castle is the first to be attacked. Now one of the strongest warriors of history is banished himself, going mad in his wanderings. The power play for Hidetora’s legacy is about to begin.


Everything that makes Akira Kurosawa one of the greatest directors in film history is in this epic presentation. His precision with narrative – and the scope of that precision – gets the prime treatment in every element of a cinematic artistry that exists. We think of Kurosawa in terms of his magnificent black and white films, but here he uses color (with three cinematographers) as a fine painter uses the palette. The splashes of hues are absolutely breath taking, even in the use of “blood red,” through a memorable and symbolic deliverance.

The Japanese actor who portrays the warlord Hidetora, Tatsuya Nakadai, owns the film as few actors have ever owned a film. His presence is all-encompassing, from his opening scenes of hope to his desperate measures of dread. There is a unforgettable scene where he emerges from a burning castle. His image is other worldly, he marches through a phalanx of soldiers untouched, evoking fear and reverence. His wild beard and madness is very Shakespearian, his machinations and actions are pure Kurosawa.

Also notable is Lady Kaede (Mieko Harada), the schemer whose justification is essential to the story. In an era of strength and patriarchy, the Lady gets what she wants by knowing her determination – it’s part of “when you ain’t got nothing, you’ve got nothing to lose…” Her family was wronged by Hidetora, and that includes the religious symbolism of her sister-in-law Lady Sue (Yoshiko Miyasaki), and Sue’s exiled brother Tsurumaru (Takeshi Nomura). How these characters are used are transcendent in their defining truth.

The Scope of Akira Kurosawa Permeates his Masterpiece, ‘Ran’
Photo credit: Rialto Pictures

What is really important is how the communication of film can live and relive through its best creators, and the messages that Kurosawa creates will continue to resonate through the ages. It can be argued that this is one of the most powerful anti-war films ever made, because it is set among the futility of constant territorial in-fighting, the madness of an old man, and through the mist of the old saying, “an eye for an eye makes the whole world blind.” This is emphasized by the master Kurosawa like the pounding of nails to seal a coffin.

This restoration is playing concurrently with the Gene Siskel Film Center’s stewardship of the 21st Annual Asian American Showcase, a two week overview co-sponsored by the Foundation for Asian American Independent Media. Click here for more information.

By PATRICK McDONALD Writer, Editorial Coordinator HollywoodChicago.com pat@hollywoodchicago.com