Review by Ren Zelen
Directed by: Akira Kurosawa
Starring: Tatsuya Nakadai, Akira Terao, Jinpachi
Nezu, Daisuke Ryu, Mieko Harada
Akira Kurosawa's epic movie Ran is a cinematic masterpiece that has
survived the test of time. Dazzling cinematography on the mountain slopes
and volcanic plains of Kyushu and spectacular battle scenes earned Kurosawa
a Best Director Oscar nomination and made Ran the most expensive Japanese
movie ever produced.
One of the elements that makes the film so compelling is the skill with
which Kurosawa remodels Shakespeare's 'King Lear' to Japanese legend and
culture. Kurosawa takes the legend of Motonari Mori, a sixteenth-century warlord
whose three sons were paragons of virtue, and examines what might have
happened if they had more resembled the duplicitous daughters of
Shakespeare's King Lear.
Lear's daughters become the three sons of aged Warlord Hidetora (Tatsuya
Nakadai): Eldest Taro (Akira Terao) is a less malicious version of Goneril,
second son Jiro (Jinpachi Nezu) is as ruthless as Regan and Cornwall and the
youngest is Saburo (Daisuke Ryû), recalcitrant, but as genuine and devoted
as Cordelia.
Saburo and (Kent-like) retainer Tango (Masayuki Yui) are banished in a fury
by Hidetora for challenging his decision to cede power to Taro. Soon after
this rift, and spurred on by his Lady Macbeth-type wife Kaede, (played with
extraordinary menace by Mieko Harada), Taro compels his father to physically
sign away all power to him in a contract – seen as a humiliation contrary to
giri, Japan's system of interpersonal obligations and respect for elders and
parents. Taro's mistrust and ingratitude would be seen as even more
offensive than Goneril's.
Taro's disrespect is closely followed by insult from second son Jiro.
Envious of his brother's supremacy and resentful of his expected obedience,
he treats his father's appearance at his own castle after falling-out with
Taro with disdain, refusing entry to his father's entourage.
After the fine words of respect and gratitude from his first two sons,
Hidetora is stunned and enraged by their duplicity. Unlike Lear however, it
becomes clear that Hidetora is not "more sinned against than sinning." His
ruination resembles a form of penance and retribution for having spent his
life wreaking savage violence, war and oppression – he has spilled "an ocean
of blood" to gain his power, his property, his castles and his lands.
Jiro's religious wife Sue, who watched Hidetora burn her parents to death,
and her gentle brother Tsurumaru (an amalgamation of Edgar and Gloucester)
who had his eyes gouged out by Hidetora while still a child, find some
solace in Buddhism and music and although they have much cause to seek
revenge, find the compassion to forgive.
Toro's calculating wife Kaede, who saw Hidetora murder her father and
brother and drive her mother to suicide, is the instrument by which this
story is turned into a revenge tragedy. She first encourages Taro into
disrespecting his father and when Jiro, the second son, has Taro
assassinated, she seduces him so that she can use her sexuality and his
weakness to manipulate him into murdering his innocent wife Sue` and
complete her plan for the destruction of Hidetaro's entire dynasty.
Too proud to reside with Saburo, the son he banished, who now lives with his
father-in-law Fujimaki (equivalent to the king of France), Hidetora prefers
to save face rather than ask forgiveness for his misjudgement. He languishes
in his third castle when it is attacked by his other sons, and in an
arresting 10 minute battle sequence his world descends into hell as his
castle burns and his entourage commit sepuku.
As Hidetora slips into madness the make-up worn by actor Tatsuya Nakadai
becomes increasingly stylized to resemble the masks of Noh theatre.
Kurosawa's deployment of huge armies in vast landscapes displays a
pre-digital mastery that is truly astonishing, and the castle siege sequence
- with arrows flying, blood flowing and the whole bathed in a crimson light
- is all the more magnificent for the distancing use of Tôru Takemitsu's
sombre orchestral score.
Kurosawa tells his stories in a truly visual and cinematic language. The
final battle involved over 1,200 extras and 200 horses. The rival factions
are identified by contrasting colours, and hierarchically arranged in
circles.
The climax may be even more harrowing than Lear as the terrible final battle
destroys the kingdom - the innocent are slaughtered, Kaede lives only to see
her revenge come to fruition and after a sweet but brief reunion with his
joyful father, Saburo too is killed. Hidetora dies, grief-stricken and
broken.
Kurosawa chose the title Ran for his adaptation – it can mean "chaos," "rebellion" or more aptly "desolation of the soul." It falls to the
retainer Tango, addressing the sorrowing fool Kyoami, to sum up an anguished
view of humanity as "so stupid that they believe that survival depends on
killing. No, not even the Buddha can save us."
The final shot shows blind Tsurumaru, now abandoned, as he teeters
helplessly on the brink of a precipice, a sickly, scarlet sunset glowing
behind him.
Ran is in UK/ROI cinemas from June
27th.