CS Film Club II

I admit, when it comes to certain films and certain directors -- like Akira Kurosawa and Ran -- there's this daunting/intimidating quality to embarking on them.  Yes, to be totally upfront, these aren't typically the kinds of films I gravitate to on my own, but their towering statuses within film buff circles inevitably pull them into my gravitational orbit.  And yet again, as has been the case with the other Kurosawa films I've seen up to this point, I'm 100% glad I finally crossed Ran off the list because not only is it my favorite Kurosawa film I've seen up to this point, it's also simply a masterpiece of a film in its own right.

Ran is Kurosawa's adaptation/interpretation of Shakespeare's Macbeth, as framed through the lens of sixteenth-century Japan.  But being familiar with Macbeth beforehand is not a prerequisite, because Ran excels as its own story and as an engaging historical epic in its own right.  Everything -- from the story, the characters, the action, the production design, etc. -- is top-notch and wholly captivating.  From what I can gather, Kurosawa was known for making movies that functioned primarily as exciting action movies, albeit with deeper themes and such running underneath their stories that made the films that much more rewarding.  And while Ran absolutely has tons of deeper commentary and themes running through it as well, it also has a distinctly serious, somber and meditative quality to it that gives it that gives it a unique feel in comparison to his other works that I've seen.  To steal a piece of analysis from other film lovers who think about this kind of stuff much more than me, this film can be looked at as a very personal piece for Kurosawa when considering the way he frames the story.  It all starts with an aged warlord (Tatsuya Nakadi) who decides to abdicate as ruler and divides his kingdom between his three sons and from there, the Macbeth-style story of greed, power and betrayal unfolds.  A lot of people have used this warlord character as an avatar for Kurosawa himself, and when looked at that way, Ran takes on an interestingly intimate and reflective quality, even amongst all of the spectacular battles and lavish production.  But it's precisely that quality that helps Ran join the ranks of other great historical epics, because all the fighting and high production value mean squat if you can't get involved in the human drama.  Fortunately, however, that's the case with this film and then some.  Another thing I have to admit, though, is that I'm still not quite used to the acting style of Japanese films yet.  It just takes a certain adjustment period of sorts for me every time, but it's a testament to movies like Ran that once I get over it, the storytelling is so strong as to make me forget that and move past it rather easily.  This is the kind of story and these the kinds of characters that are universal, plus the Shakespearean qualities and undertones really come through strongly in the final product and help enhance everything even more.  Also, I have to single out Tatsuya Nakadi as the warlord.  Not only is Nakadi's performance compelling and full of emotional impact, but I love the makeup job on him throughout the film, especially in the second half where his appearance truly looks ghost-like, as if these tribulations really are draining the life out of him.

So, yeah, I obviously really loved Ran.  It's definitely my favorite Akira Kurosawa film thus far and the fact that the legendary director delivered something as high quality as this so late in his career is even more staggering.

****/****

Thief (1981)- PlutoTV, free with ads

Blow Out (1981) - PlutoTV, free with ads

Police Story (1985) - HBOMax

L'Argent (1983) - HBOMax

The Official Story (1985) - HBOMax

Cinema Paradiso (1988) - Paramount Plus

The City of Lost Children (1995) - Prime

All movies not yet in the 1980-1999 list I'd be happy to recruit votes for.

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