Cheap Ran - Criterion Collection (DVD) (Akira Kurosawa) Price

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Customer Reviews of Ran - Criterion Collection

A magnificent DVD of a magnificent movie (five stars doesn't begin to cover it)
It's hard to know where to begin with this one. A movie immaculately filmed by one of the greatest directors of all time, given just about the most perfect presentation I've ever seen on DVD. I guess I'll start with the print: it's magnificent, with beautiful, golden colors, sharp focus, and barely a speck of dust on the film. As one would expect with a Kurosawa film, the composition is a feast for the eyes, with beautiful formal balances coming from the most mundane of elements in a shot. (George Lucas was very influenced by Kurosawa in many ways, but this sort of beautiful, balanced composition is one thing he's never mastered.) Then there's the score. Most people might not immediately think of the score when discussing a Kurosawa film, but I was struck here by how powerful and distinctive it is, while at the same time it never gets in the way of the film. Then there are the sets: simple, yet used to maximum effect. This was not a big budget film by Hollywood standards (though it was the most expensive Japanese film up to that time), but it feels far more epic than any of the recent, very expensive Star Wars "prequels," which just goes to show it takes more to make an epic than just money. Kurosawa reportedly only used something like 200 horsemen, yet you'll think you're seeing far more. <
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>Then there is the cast. Tatsuya Nakadai, as Lord Ichimonji, manages to perfectly portray a man going man who is both frightening in his stubbornness and sympathetic in his pathos at the same time. Not an easy job, especially under a ton of makeup that made him look far older than he was. The three sons, played by Akira Terao, Jinpachi Nezu and especially Daisuke Ryu (as the insightful and loyal Saburo) are distinctive and well-developed. The androgynous Peter (first name billed only) as Kyoami is memorable for his flamboyant, almost drag-queen gyrations and taunting of the aging, increasingly senile warlord with insights into his predicament. Yet the standout performance, the one I always remember, is by the stunning Mieko Harada as Lady Kaede. While Ran is supposedly a loose retelling of King Lear, Kaede is more Lady Macbeth than anything else. She is in two very memorable scenes that both involve severed heads. <
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>While the screenplay riffs on Lear, it also makes some notable changes. The three daughters are replaced by three sons. This "Lear" goes mad not because of a daughter's love but because, apparently, of the weight of wars fought in the past. The young Lord was very at odds with the image we see at the beginning of the film, of a man wishing to make peace with his demons. We discover through backstory that he has killed, kidnapped and waged much violence to bring together his kingdom, yet now he just wants peace and goodwill. I was thinking of the adage What goes around comes around, and wondered if Hidetora himself ever came to this realization. Is it what he was thinking as he emerged from the burning castle after a tremendous battle, dazed, wordless? That scene, shot without ambient sound but with that haunting score (composed by Toru Takemitsu), must go down as one of the greatest moments of film, and an example of how cinema can be used in a way no other art form can. <
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>The bonus features are both bountiful and meaningful. First there is a full-length commentary by film scholar Stephen Prince, though I confess I've not yet listened to it. Director Sidney Lumet gives a brief appreciation of Kurosawa and Ran. He likens the film to the late Beethoven quartets or the Seventh Symphony. Such comparisons often come off as glib or meaningless, but this actually struck a chord in me. I indeed think the comparison of Ran's energies to the Seventh are apt, and the introspection reminds me of the late quartets, particularly Op. 132. On the second disc, we have the A.K., a 75 minute documentary on Kurosawa's life. (In case you've seen the recent PBS documentary on Kurosawa, this one is different.) Then comes a half hour film on the making of Ran, which shows what a grueling shoot it must have been, going every day to the base of Mount Fuji and often working there even at night. Finally there's a 35-minute video piece exploring the costumes of Ran, as well as a new video interview with Tatsuya Nakadai (Lord Hidetora). There's also a color booklet with interviews with Kurosawa and composer Takemitsu. In short, there's enough supplementary materials here to keep any fan of the movie or the director happy for weeks. <
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>Many of Criterion's releases have defined what DVDs can be, but this title just takes the cake. What more could one ask for, short of summoning Kurosawa from beyond to talk about the film? Even if you own Ran in one of its other video versions, they are all vastly inferior to this release. And if you've never seen the film, or any work of Akira Kurosawa, this is probably the best place you could start. Highly highly recommended.

One of Akira Kurosawa's finest !
This review is for the Criterion Collection DVD edition of the film. <
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>Ran is a loose adaptation of Shakespeare's King Lear and remains one of Kurosawa's most popular films. <
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>It is about an aging feudal lord who divides his land between his three sons. The elder sons are satisfied and the younger one becomes corrupt. <
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>The film is very well made and includes an excellent scene of a burning castle that was constructed and burned solely for the film. The costumes are also very well designed and there are many other things about this film which make it very good. <
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>The Criterion DVD has some excellent special features too. <
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>Disc one contains the film with optional audio commentary by Stephen Prince, theatrical trailers and an introduction by Sidney Lumet. <
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>Disc two contains "A.K." a film about Kurosawa directed by Chris Marker, a segment of "Akira Kurosawa: It's Wonderful to Create" about the making of the film, an interview with actor, Tatsuya Nakadai, and a 35 minute montage of storyboard paintings and sketches.