Ran (1985)

VHS CASE/ SIDE

Length of film:  160 Minutes (Edited: 152 Minutes)

Rated: 15

Genre: Drama, Action, War

Director: Akira Kurosawa

Starring: Tatsuya Nakadai, Akira Terao, Jinpachi Nezu, Daisuke Ryu, Mieko Harada, Yoshiko Miyazaki, Mansai Nomura, Hisashi Igawa, Shinnosuke Ikehata ‘Peter’

IMDB Rank: 8.2 /10

Part 1 Time:   78 Minutes (Edited: N/A Minutes)

Part 2 Time:   82 Minutes (Edited: N/A Minutes)

Where does the first part end? Tango (Masayuki Yui) and Kyoami (Shinnosuke Ikehata ‘Peter’) find Hidetora (Tatsuya Nakadai) in the field seemingly in a state of madness

Final line of dialogue on the first part: “One by one, they come floating. Rising before me,” sings Kyoami. Hidetora runs away and is clearly unable to process the catastrophe that has befallen him.

First line of dialogue on the second part: Kyoami, Tango, and Hidetora arrive at a peasant’s house and knock at the door. Tsurumaru (Mansai Nomura) asks “Who’s there?”

How jarring is it when the first part ends? Jarring, Hidetora and his retinue are ambushed at the abandoned castle. Hidetora is able to survive as well as his last two loyalists Kyoami and Tango, who manage to find Hidetora in a state of madness wandering in a field. Will Hidetora recover from his hysteria and regain control of the Ichimonji clan?

Which part is better? The plot of the film derives from a combination of the Shakespearean play ‘King Lear’ and the legends of the  daimyō Mōri Motonari. The film has received critical acclaim for its use of colour, motion and sound. The pacing of the first half is quick as chaos ensues within the Ichimonji clan, showing how humans can be corrupted by new found power. The major battle between Taro (Akira Terao) and Jiro’s (Jinpachi Nezu) combined forces against Hidetora is filmed masterfully as only a soundtrack can be heard as the brutality of war is showcased. As a result, part one is given the edge.

Academy Awards: 1986- Best Costume Design (Winner), Best Director (Nominated), Best Cinematography (Nominated), Best Art Direction Set Decoration (Nominated)

Other Awards: 1987 BAFTA- Best Foreign Language Film (Winner), Best Make Up Artist (Winner), Best Cinematography (Nominated), Best Costume Design (Nominated), Best Production Design (Nominated); 1986 Golden Globes- Best Foreign Film (Nominated)