Ran (1985)

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  SceneItReviews

  10 / 10

  Kurosawa's Ran is not only one of the most astounding technical achievements of 20th century cinema, but also one of the best adaptations ever made. Kurosawa takes King Lear and molds into Feudal Japan, embedding it with decidedly Japanese themes and story beats, all providing the film with a patented uniqueness that only Kurosawa could muster. The blocking in this film might be my favorite of all time. From the first shot we get the sense that Kurosawa doesn't see characters, motion and colors as pieces on a chess board, but rather as musical notes on sheet paper - allowing the elements of cinema to fuse together in a dance of unique visual glory. The message of violence begetting more violence is timeless, but its the core story of humanity valuing useless things and coveting revenge over compassion that illuminate the mastery of the storytelling. Kurosawa tells this tragedy with melancholic bravado, portraying suffering and disaster on the screen like no other before or after has, showing the effect one man's choices of violence on the multitudes affected.

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