The Japanese film-maker’s adaptation of King Lear is still visually and dramatically breathtaking
This 1985 film was the last proper epic from Japanese maestro Akira Kurosawa, and it’s a magisterial achievement. An adaptation of King Lear, rereleased in a splendid 4K restoration, it tells the story of Lord Hidetora (Tatsuya Nakadai), an elderly warlord with a history of ruthless slaughter, who entrusts his domain to three sons, rather than daughters, their individual battle regalia – red, yellow and blue – giving the film a striking colour coordination. The increasingly livid, ghostly Noh-style makeup worn by Nakadai highlights the theatricality, as does a somewhat Brechtian performance from Peter (just Peter) as an androgynous fool.
Kurosawa’s deployment of huge armies in vast landscapes displays a pre-digital mastery that we can only gasp at today, and the castle siege sequence – arrows flying, blood flowing, stage crimson – is all the more magnificent for the...
This 1985 film was the last proper epic from Japanese maestro Akira Kurosawa, and it’s a magisterial achievement. An adaptation of King Lear, rereleased in a splendid 4K restoration, it tells the story of Lord Hidetora (Tatsuya Nakadai), an elderly warlord with a history of ruthless slaughter, who entrusts his domain to three sons, rather than daughters, their individual battle regalia – red, yellow and blue – giving the film a striking colour coordination. The increasingly livid, ghostly Noh-style makeup worn by Nakadai highlights the theatricality, as does a somewhat Brechtian performance from Peter (just Peter) as an androgynous fool.
Kurosawa’s deployment of huge armies in vast landscapes displays a pre-digital mastery that we can only gasp at today, and the castle siege sequence – arrows flying, blood flowing, stage crimson – is all the more magnificent for the...
- 4/3/2016
- by Jonathan Romney
- The Guardian - Film News
From Ishii Yûya, the director of last year's highly successful Japanese film The Great Passage, comes a heartbreaking drama based on the recently published novel by Hayami Kazumasa. Our Family (Bokutachi no Kazoku) centers on a shattered family that suddenly needs to come together when one of its members, the 60 year old mother, is diagnosed with a deadly disease. The poignant and distinctly tearful atmosphere of the first trailer is in perfect accordance with the even more depressing storyline, which is briefly summed up in the following few sentences:Since Reiko (Mieko Harada) turned 60-years-old, she seems to get more and more forgetful, but her husband Katsuaki (Kyozo Nagatsuka), first son Kousuke (Satoshi Tsumabuki) and second son Shunpei (Sosuke Ikematsu) do not care or notice. One day,...
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- 2/4/2014
- Screen Anarchy
The official website for Yasuo Furuhata’s upcoming road movie Dear has been updated with a new 90-second trailer.
In his first movie role in 6 years, Dear stars screen legend Ken Takakura as a prison guidance officer named Eiji Kurashima who drives an Rv from Toyama to Nagasaki to spread his late wife Yoko’s (Yuko Tanaka) ashes in the harbor of her hometown—both to honor her last request and to discover more about her life. Along the way, he meets various characters and reminisces about his time with Yoko.
The movie will be filled with well-known celebrities in small supporting roles, such as Koichi Sato as an ikameshi vendor and Tsuyoshi Kusanagi as a pub patron he has a heart-to-heart with. Other supporting roles are filled by Takeshi Kitano, Kyozo Nagatsuka, Mieko Harada, Kimiko Yo, Haruka Ayase, Takahiro Miura, Hideji Otaki, Tadanobu Asano, and Takashi Okamura.
“Dear” will...
In his first movie role in 6 years, Dear stars screen legend Ken Takakura as a prison guidance officer named Eiji Kurashima who drives an Rv from Toyama to Nagasaki to spread his late wife Yoko’s (Yuko Tanaka) ashes in the harbor of her hometown—both to honor her last request and to discover more about her life. Along the way, he meets various characters and reminisces about his time with Yoko.
The movie will be filled with well-known celebrities in small supporting roles, such as Koichi Sato as an ikameshi vendor and Tsuyoshi Kusanagi as a pub patron he has a heart-to-heart with. Other supporting roles are filled by Takeshi Kitano, Kyozo Nagatsuka, Mieko Harada, Kimiko Yo, Haruka Ayase, Takahiro Miura, Hideji Otaki, Tadanobu Asano, and Takashi Okamura.
“Dear” will...
- 6/8/2012
- Nippon Cinema
Sadao Abe and Miho Kanno will be playing a married couple in an upcoming movie called Kiseki no Ringo (literally “Miracle Apples”), directed by Yoshihiro Nakamura (Fish Story, Golden Slumber).
The movie is based on a true story. Abe will play Akinori Kimura, an apple farmer who faces poverty and extreme pressure from those around him, causing him to contemplate suicide. Kanno plays his wife, Mieko.
The real Kimura first told his story on the Nhk program “Professional Shigoto no Ryuugi” and it was later adapted to a book titled “Kiseki no Ringo: Zettai Fukanō wo Kutsugaeshita Nōka - Kimura Akinori no Kiroku” which has sold over 600,000 copies. (And oddly enough, Yoko Ono has painstakingly translated the entire thing on her website.)
After Kimura’s wife experiences an extreme allergic reaction to agricultural chemicals, he’s faced with the seemingly impossible challenge of growing apples without the use of any pesticides.
The movie is based on a true story. Abe will play Akinori Kimura, an apple farmer who faces poverty and extreme pressure from those around him, causing him to contemplate suicide. Kanno plays his wife, Mieko.
The real Kimura first told his story on the Nhk program “Professional Shigoto no Ryuugi” and it was later adapted to a book titled “Kiseki no Ringo: Zettai Fukanō wo Kutsugaeshita Nōka - Kimura Akinori no Kiroku” which has sold over 600,000 copies. (And oddly enough, Yoko Ono has painstakingly translated the entire thing on her website.)
After Kimura’s wife experiences an extreme allergic reaction to agricultural chemicals, he’s faced with the seemingly impossible challenge of growing apples without the use of any pesticides.
- 4/6/2012
- Nippon Cinema
Mieko Harada in Akira Kurosawa's Ran Ran Review: Part I Also, like Lear, all in the clan end up dead. But there are some major differences, aside from the depth and realism found in Kurosawa’s film. Lear’s past is an unknown. When we observe his suffering, we are apt to feel pity for him as a character — even in poorly wrought scenes. Hidetora, on the other hand, is (or was) a monster whose life entailed almost daily murder for fifty-plus years. Thus, Ran is an example of karma, not life’s randomness and folly. This also vitiates another of the most cribbed points of criticism about the film (one repeated in Stephen Prince’s audio commentary) — that it is somehow a meditation on war and violence, asking why it exists. There simply is no evidence of this. It's true that Hidetora asks these queries, but he is not the film.
- 3/29/2011
- by Dan Schneider
- Alt Film Guide
Ran (1985) Direction: Akira Kurosawa Cast: Tatsuya Nakadai, Akira Terao, Jinpachi Nezu, Daisuke Ryu, Mieko Harada, Yoshiko Miyazaki, Hisashi Igawa Screenplay: Akira Kurosawa, Masato Ide, and Hideo Oguni Oscar Movies Akira Kurosawa's Ran By Dan Schneider of Cosmoetica: "Critical cribbing" is a term I coined in regard to the tendency of critics, in all fields, to not engage a work of art directly, but rather to fall back on lazily repeating claims that have been made by others about the work they are reviewing. Sometimes, these are positive blurbs; other times, they are bits of misinformation repeated endlessly — e.g., the (nameless) characters' names in films such as Alain Resnais' Last Year in Marienbad and Michelangelo Antonioni's Blowup. Typical examples of critical cribbing can be found in reviews of Akira Kurosawa’s 27th (of 30) films, Ran (1985), a very good effort despite problems with character development and some mediocre acting.
- 3/29/2011
- by Dan Schneider
- Alt Film Guide
The IMDb250. A list of the top 250 films as ranked by the users of the biggest Internet movie site on the web. It is based upon the ratings provided by the users of the Internet Movie Database, which number into the millions. As such, it’s a perfect representation of the opinions of the movie masses, and arguably the most comprehensive ranking system on the Internet.
It’s because of this that we at HeyUGuys (and in this case we is myself and Barry) have decided to set ourselves a project. To watch and review all 250 movies on the list. We’ve frozen the list as of January 1st of this year. It’s not as simple as it sounds, we are watching them all in one year, 125 each.
This is our 40th update, my next five films watched for the project. You can find all our previous week’s updates here.
It’s because of this that we at HeyUGuys (and in this case we is myself and Barry) have decided to set ourselves a project. To watch and review all 250 movies on the list. We’ve frozen the list as of January 1st of this year. It’s not as simple as it sounds, we are watching them all in one year, 125 each.
This is our 40th update, my next five films watched for the project. You can find all our previous week’s updates here.
- 11/15/2010
- by Gary Phillips
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
Chicago – Of all the cinematic variations on Shakespeare’s “King Lear,” Akira Kurosawa’s “Ran” is one of the few that, dare I say, improves on the Bard’s original blueprint.
Rating: 5.0/5.0
Kurosawa’s vision of Lear is not merely that of an aging warlord undone by his own foolishness, but a ruthless warrior haunted by the countless lives he destroyed during his reign. His fate is anything but undeserved, and seems inspired by classic tragedies more Greek than Shakespearian.
“Ran” may be a devastating experience, but it also proves to be an uplifting one for anyone moved by watching a master filmmaker in peak form. It was an extraordinary triumph for the seventy-five-year-old Kurosawa, battling near-blindness in order to see his decade-old dream project through to its completion.
After a series of professional and personal setbacks, the filmmaker was widely considered to be washed-up, and “Ran” did not receive...
Rating: 5.0/5.0
Kurosawa’s vision of Lear is not merely that of an aging warlord undone by his own foolishness, but a ruthless warrior haunted by the countless lives he destroyed during his reign. His fate is anything but undeserved, and seems inspired by classic tragedies more Greek than Shakespearian.
“Ran” may be a devastating experience, but it also proves to be an uplifting one for anyone moved by watching a master filmmaker in peak form. It was an extraordinary triumph for the seventy-five-year-old Kurosawa, battling near-blindness in order to see his decade-old dream project through to its completion.
After a series of professional and personal setbacks, the filmmaker was widely considered to be washed-up, and “Ran” did not receive...
- 4/19/2010
- by adam@hollywoodchicago.com (Adam Fendelman)
- HollywoodChicago.com
With spectacular battle scenes and a creepy villainess, Akira Kurosawa's 1985 epic is a riproaring retelling of Shakespeare's tragedy in 16th-century Japan
Director: Akira Kurosawa
Entertainment grade: A–
History grade: B+
Mori Motonari was a daimyo in western Honshu, Japan, during the turbulent Sengoku period in the 16th century.
Ran (meaning discord) is based on his life and on the Celtic-Shakespearean story of King Lear.
Family
Hidetora (Tatsuya Nakadai), the film's version of Motonari, has decided to divide his kingdom between his three sons: the dutiful Taro and Jiro, and the rebellious Saburo. Saburo throws a strop. "You are either senile or insane!" he shouts. Hidetora explains that the three brothers will have to ally in the face of a threat and illustrates this by giving each of them an arrow. One arrow alone is easy to snap. But if you put three together, it is much harder to snap them as a bunch.
Director: Akira Kurosawa
Entertainment grade: A–
History grade: B+
Mori Motonari was a daimyo in western Honshu, Japan, during the turbulent Sengoku period in the 16th century.
Ran (meaning discord) is based on his life and on the Celtic-Shakespearean story of King Lear.
Family
Hidetora (Tatsuya Nakadai), the film's version of Motonari, has decided to divide his kingdom between his three sons: the dutiful Taro and Jiro, and the rebellious Saburo. Saburo throws a strop. "You are either senile or insane!" he shouts. Hidetora explains that the three brothers will have to ally in the face of a threat and illustrates this by giving each of them an arrow. One arrow alone is easy to snap. But if you put three together, it is much harder to snap them as a bunch.
- 3/4/2010
- by Alex von Tunzelmann
- The Guardian - Film News
Chicago – I have to admit to a bit of trepidation every time a studio outside of the widely acknowledged masters tries their hand at catalog releases but the Lionsgate/StudioCanal Blu-ray releases of “Contempt,” “The Ladykillers,” and “Ran” are spectacular. Not only do the films look amazing in HD but they’ve been given copious special features. Don’t miss them.
Blu-Ray Rating: 4.5/5.0
What do Jean-Luc Godard’s “Contempt,” Akira Kurosawa’s “Ran,” and Alexander Mackendrick’s “The Ladykillers” have in common? Basically nothing other than loyal followings and, apparently, the same production company that allows them to be released on Blu-ray on the same day. They’re all films well worth adding to any collection of classic titles, especially in packages this lavish and lovingly produced.
Contempt was released on Blu-ray on February 16th, 2010.
Photo credit: Lionsgate Home Video
Four words - “Brigitte Bardot in HD”. For movie lovers who know their classics,...
Blu-Ray Rating: 4.5/5.0
What do Jean-Luc Godard’s “Contempt,” Akira Kurosawa’s “Ran,” and Alexander Mackendrick’s “The Ladykillers” have in common? Basically nothing other than loyal followings and, apparently, the same production company that allows them to be released on Blu-ray on the same day. They’re all films well worth adding to any collection of classic titles, especially in packages this lavish and lovingly produced.
Contempt was released on Blu-ray on February 16th, 2010.
Photo credit: Lionsgate Home Video
Four words - “Brigitte Bardot in HD”. For movie lovers who know their classics,...
- 2/19/2010
- by adam@hollywoodchicago.com (Adam Fendelman)
- HollywoodChicago.com
With President’s Day weekend behind us it’s now time to think about some late Valentine’s Day presents. In case you want to pick up something extra for your valentine or you completely forgot to get something at all, a great movie on Blu-ray or DVD makes a perfect gift. Fortunately, there’s some new ones coming out this week just in time.
Among this week’s selection we’re interested in are new to Blu-ray movies such as Law Abiding Citizen, Halo Legends, the Dirty Harry Collection, Contempt, Akira Kurosawa’s Ran and debut of TV series Barnaby Jones and the latest installment of Cannon. Also, Martin Scorsese’s Goodfellas (pictured above with Joe Pesci, Ray Liotta and Robert De Niro) gets the 20th Anniversary treatment with a new Blu-ray release.
Movies
Black Dynamite ~ Michael Jai White (Blu-ray and DVD)
Cabin Fever 2: Spring Fever ~ Michael Bowen,...
Among this week’s selection we’re interested in are new to Blu-ray movies such as Law Abiding Citizen, Halo Legends, the Dirty Harry Collection, Contempt, Akira Kurosawa’s Ran and debut of TV series Barnaby Jones and the latest installment of Cannon. Also, Martin Scorsese’s Goodfellas (pictured above with Joe Pesci, Ray Liotta and Robert De Niro) gets the 20th Anniversary treatment with a new Blu-ray release.
Movies
Black Dynamite ~ Michael Jai White (Blu-ray and DVD)
Cabin Fever 2: Spring Fever ~ Michael Bowen,...
- 2/17/2010
- by Joe Gillis
- The Flickcast
[Our thanks to Twitch reader James Hadfield for the following review.]
Elementary school teacher Mr. Hoshi (Satoshi Tsumabuki) comes to class at the start of term with an unexpected friend in tow: a pig, which he informs his students that they will be raising over the course of the year and then eating. Under the watchful eye of the kindly school principal (Mieko Harada) and her disapproving deputy (Ren Osugi), the kids take to the task with aplomb, christening their new charge “P-Chan” and building her a sty in the school playground. But as the year wears on, many start to have doubts about whether they can turn the class pet into pork chops.
Elementary school teacher Mr. Hoshi (Satoshi Tsumabuki) comes to class at the start of term with an unexpected friend in tow: a pig, which he informs his students that they will be raising over the course of the year and then eating. Under the watchful eye of the kindly school principal (Mieko Harada) and her disapproving deputy (Ren Osugi), the kids take to the task with aplomb, christening their new charge “P-Chan” and building her a sty in the school playground. But as the year wears on, many start to have doubts about whether they can turn the class pet into pork chops.
- 10/29/2008
- by Todd Brown
- Screen Anarchy
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