Ran

Ran is stunning. It’s very interesting to see a Shakespearean classic adapted like this. It transplants and partially gender-bends King Lear into Japan’s Warring States period, in which an aging warlord splits his lands among his three sons. Eventually, this plan collapses as the warlord feels the consequences of his past actions. I’m a big fan of how the opening scene of the movie makes it out that the youngest child is the most unworthy of any land between the three, but as the film progresses, it becomes clear that his older brothers are more cunning and ready to turn on their father at the drop of a hat. I honestly thought the movie would feature more quarreling amongst the brothers, but I kind of forgot that King Lear was called King Lear and not King Lear’s Daughters. This movie has some incredible visuals. I thought the pacing was a bit slow at first, but it actually runs rather smoothly, and one could make the argument that the slow pacing at the start represents the relative peace in the Ichimonji clan, with more and more happening as Hidetora becomes more estranged from his sons, and his sons from each other. Overall, this movie is kind of long, but not Kurosawa’s longest, and is amazing. 10/10