RAN A film review by Steve Rhodes Copyright 2000 Steve Rhodes RATING (0 TO ****): ****
RAN, for its 15th anniversary, is being re-released to theaters with a stunning new print. One of the best films from one of the world's greatest directors, Akira Kurosawa, who shares the writing credits with Masato Ide, Hideo Oguni and William Shakespeare, RAN is based on Shakespeare's "King Lear." Set in 16th century feudal Japan, the movie takes its title from the Japanese word for "chaos" or "turmoil."
As the story opens, Lord Hidetora Ichimonji (Tatsuya Nakadai), who is in his waning years, surprises his three sons by abruptly deciding to retire and leave his kingdom to his eldest son, Taro (Akira Terao). His younger sons, Jiro (Jinpachi Nezu) and Saburo (Daisuke Ryu), will get just one castle each, which causes them great consternation. After a nasty confrontation, the Great Lord, as Lord Hidetora is called, banishes Saburo for insolence. This is just the start of many cataclysmic rifts in the family.
The Great Lord's Fool (Shinnosuke Ikehata), in a time of rigid social mores, turns out to be an extremely important character since he is the one person who dares tell the truth without fear of retribution. In contrast to the brash but honest Fool, Taro's wife, Lady Kaede (Mieko Harada), is the most duplicitous and malevolent in a story which has no lack of villains. Not a time of subtle leadership, the rulers, particularly the Great Lord, bark out their orders with such confidence and authority that they seem to be speaking to their entire kingdoms without aid of electronic amplification or transmission.
Extensive use of natural sounds and picturesque landscapes offers us a serenity that is soon shattered. Heavy use of dramatic music made with flute and drums signals the story's shift from the merely argumentative family squabbles to the terror that each side will unleash to crush the other. When the first battles begin, all sound effects and natural sounds are removed. They are replaced by a symphonic score of overwhelming intensity. Suddenly, as this music is lifted, we are jarred out of our seats as we are brought into the thick of the battle as the rolling thunder of the hoofs of the cavalry and the feet of the infantry compete with the crackle of gunfire and the whoosh of the arrows.
Magnificent blood reds and royal golds are used on Toru Takemitsu's Oscar winning costumes. One of the most visually striking movies ever, RAN had the bad luck to be released in the same year as OUT OF AFRICA, which beat it at Oscar time for best set decoration, cinematography and direction. I loved OUT OF AFRICA, but each of these awards should have gone instead to another nominee that year, RAN.
Visually and musically audacious, the movie's breathtaking images and sounds would suffice to tell the story. The dialog and incredible acting are icing on an already delicious cake. Of course, one could make an argument that it is the look and music that enhances the acting. Certainly they have a symbiotic relationship. Characters stand frozen at times and silence fills the theater as we contemplate the next actions.
The tragedy, told with grand opera flourishes, is at once intimate and epic. The story flags a bit toward the end and a little judicious trimming would have improved it a bit, but that's a minor quibble.
"We are truly in hell," one is heard to say. True, but what a devastatingly gorgeous hell.
RAN runs 2:40. The film is in Japanese with English subtitles. It is rated R for graphic war violence and would be acceptable for older teenagers.
Email: Steve.Rhodes@InternetReviews.com Web: http://www.InternetReviews.com
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