Ran - Original Screenplay & Storyboards of the Academy Award-Winning Film

Ran - Original Screenplay & Storyboards of the Academy Award-Winning Film Review

If there is one word I would use to describe "Ran", it would be 'UNFORGETTABLE'. I shall do my best to describe what a powerful impact this film had on me, but as with some of the true classics in cinema, such efforts can be futile.

"Ran", directed by Akira Kurosawa, is a faithful but reimagined telling of Shakespeare's 'King Lear', using feudal Japan as the backdrop. Before I begin, I will give you a brief character list, since I personally have a tendency to confuse foreign-language names when I read reviews:

Lord Hidetora Ichiimonji --- The warlord who intends to give up his power

The Three Sons:
Taro --- oldest, married to Lady Kaede
Jiro --- the middle
Saburo --- the youngest, most loyal and loving of his father

Lady Kaede --- married to Taro, her family & lands were conquered by Hidetora


The opening shots of the beautiful mountains leave the viewer uneasy as the brooding music plays over the credits. Our tension is justified, because we suddenly see Lord Hidetora aim his bow at a hunted boar. His fierce gaze is as intimidating as his precise aim.

The story begins with Lord Hidetora (played by Kurosawa regular Tatsuya Nakadai) announcing to his family & court that he will divide his kingdom among his three sons. Saburo (the youngest) objects, because he believes that the division will lead to jealously and corruption, possibly war. But Hidetora knows no compromise, and bans his youngest from his lands.

It turns out that Saburo was right, as older sons Taro & Jiro begin to plot against each other for the lands. Meanwhile, Hidetora begins to go mad. He has turned away his most loving son. The sons he chose to reward have abandoned him. He is too proud to acknowledge his errors. His jester fails to amuse him during his sorrows. And when the ensuing battles leave Hidetora's castles in ruins, he descends into madness while wandering the lands he conquered. The destruction only deepens his descent.

Sadly, only through more bloodshed and chaos do the lessons and appreciation of life come to the men who survive the story. Only when that which matters most is lost, does life seem precious.

I can't really say if "Ran" is well-cast, because I don't speak Japanese, and I also understand that Kurosawa's dramatic style tends to overexaggerate the dialogue and emotions. In other words, Kurosawa's dramas love to have the characters use grand gestures when a simple facial expression would suffice. However, I think anyone will agree that Tatsuya Nakadai deserves high compliments for his lead role. His body language does the story a great service as he aimlessly wanders his ruined country. His face is weary from battle, and is in a constant trance for most of the picture.

Mieko Harada gives a fascinating performance as Lady Kaede, the woman who has been wronged by the Ichiimonji clan, and yet is bound to them through marriage. In Kurosawa's interpretation of 'King Lear', Kaede is closer to Lady Macbeth. Her role is to be loyal to Taro, but yet she possesses the power, confidence, and manipulative presence he lacks. Kurosawa's films don't often have strong female roles, but Lady Kaede is easily one of the best.

As powerful as "Ran" was for me, I can't say it's perfect. I've long admired Kurosawa's work, but "Ran" has scenes that go on for way too long. There are many scenes where characters just sit and talk, with very little movement. This wouldn't be a problem if the camera had more closeups or cuts, but instead some viewers may become restless during some conversations. The opening banishment of Saburo is one of the toughest to sit through.

In fairness, the unmoving distanced camera fits the story of "Ran". As I learned from Stephen Prince's DVD commentary track, the distanced camera is to imply how the gods of the earth have abandoned the corrupt creatures who inhabit it. I guess the best way to sum this complaint of mine is that Kurosawa's direction fits thematically, but occasionally falters theatrically.

Sometimes Kurosawa demands that we go to his pictures, rather than have them come to us. But when the dark, deceptive web of "Ran" gets spun, it tangles you up and rarely lets go. As these characters plot to control the lands, it becomes a gripping story of despair. There isn't a ton of violence in "Ran", but when it's there, it hits you hard. There is an unforgettable sequence where Hidetora's Castle is raided and burned. It concludes with a mournful music score and no sound effects, and I promise if for nothing else you won't forget it.

My appreciation for "Ran" has been cemented by its unforgettable ending. Simply put, in the hundreds of movies I've watched in lifetime, I don't think one has haunted me and impacted me as much as "Ran" has. I refuse to give it away. If you are patient and willing to descend into this desparate tale, then you will have earned the privilege to see the tragic ending under the blood-red skies.

"Ran" is not a perfect film, but it is exactly the way Akira Kurosawa intended it to be. Every single camera shot & scene --- for better or worse --- fits the dramatic flow of the story. I warn you that this film requires YOU to enter IT, and not the other way around. It will not be fed to you the way you expect. But then again, great art requires our horizons to be challenged. Once you break the boundaries that American movies have cemented in our minds, you experience a sensation that no other film can provide.

"Ran" is a one-of-a-kind experience. Go to it. It will not come to you.

DVD NOTES
---I've read countless reviews that this 2-disc set is the only way to experience "Ran". I haven't seen the other releases, such as the Masterworks disc or the Blu-Ray set. However, I can vouch for this Criterion set's superb quality. The video colorfully & richly maintains the cinematographers' work. I'm no sound expert, but I could hear everything from the most intimate conversations to the most hushed sounds of nature.

The great rewards are in the bonus features. Stephen Prince's commentary was probably my favorite of his tracks for Kurosawa DVDs. Sidney Lumet gives a great introduction on Disc 1, pretty much summarizing how Kurosawa impacted him, and what "Ran" is probably about at its core. Finally, Disc 2 has a 75-minute documentary detailing how "Ran" came into production. Like the other Kurosawa featurettes in the Criterion Collection, this one is a great watch.

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