Kermode Uncut: Ran Rules

[@PaulSch0]

“Ran reminds you why cinema exists.” Couldn’t have said it better.

[@simianinc]

I haven't seen a Kurosawa film in 20 years, so it was great to see Ran at the cinema last night. What struck me most - and probably what I wouldn't have noticed when I was younger - was that the camera rarely moves. It's set on sticks, and apart from the occasional pan, tilt and follow, it just sits there. No dolllies, no tracks, no zooms, no crane shots. No over the shoulder shots on characters in conversation either - when characters converse all participants are framed and given roughly equal weight in the frame if not in social status. There's no frenetic cutting either. I went with my 9 yr old, and it was interesting to compare to the Lord of the Rings, which we'd just watched the previous weekend. Talk about a contrast in style...

[@MaximTendu]

Possibly the best movie ever made.

[@ZeppelinBigFan]

Kurosawa is probably my favorite filmmaker of all time, and I love his Shakespeare adaptations. Ran is simply breathtaking, I just wish I could experience it again in cinemas. Nice to see that Rashomon is Mark's favorite Kurosawa film by the way, I've always considered that to be his greatest masterpiece.

[@zoobee]

Words cannot explain what a great movie this is. Perhaps the greatest adaptation of Shakespeare ever? Anyway, its an incredible cinematic vision, but also, an immense tragic vision of life. Kurosawa will abide forever with this late work, alongside his earlier visions.

[@Redem10]

Kurosawa a man that was ableto understand that's there more than Orange and blue as colors

[@liampendergast8670]

Ran is my personal favorite Kurosawa movie. Because It really shows the evolution of Kurosawa a film maker. I mean watching Ran alongside something like Rashomon and even Seven Samurai, it feels like it's made by an entirely different person. It's a culmination of 40 years of learning and experience, that he took to make one of the most pure and rich movies ever made.

[@MrBerserkinTime]

i just watched this a few days ago, a fantastic movie. Better than todays movies.

[@GrandiaKnight]

So tempted to go see this.

[@Warp75]

Me too

[@Kerri36982]

Did ye go?

[@BlaizeV]

I love this film and it's probably my fav Kurosawa film, looking very much forward to the new BD release

[@hanshotfirst1138]

You guys in the UK are so damned lucky to get to see this on the big screen. Mark is right, this is a reminder of the real power cinema can have.

[@Berenstein13]

It is the best film I've ever seen.

[@shippers6825]

I've watched a few Kurosawa's on the big screen but never 'Ran'. That last scene alone demands a big screen viewing. Spectacular.

[@isaaczurich9272]

Ran is one of the few Kurosawa films that I haven't gotten around to. Evidently I should be remedying that.

[@georgemorley1029]

Oh please, I know this was six years ago but for the love of god, tell me you’ve seen it at last?

[@asafisher7407]

saw this cinemas about a month ago and yes this one of film you have to see on the big screen

[@4Darco]

I was in 6th grade at a summer camp when I saw Ran. Looking back on it, the experience was surreal. Ran is so incredible it made a group of 10-12 year olds shut up for 3 hours.

[@sonofnumeric]

throne of blood is one of my fave films of all time

[@quidestveritas659]

Top 5 Kurosawa, Mark? 1. Seven Samurai 2. Ikiru 3. Throne of Blood 4. Ran 5. Yojimbo

[@ZeppelinBigFan]

+Quid Est Veritas My top 5 would be: 1. Rashomon 2. Seven Samurai 3. Ran 4. Yojimbo 5. Ikiru

[@TheSamuraiGoomba]

+Quid Est Veritas Throne of Blood Seven Samurai Ran Stray Dog Kagemusha/Rashomon The first two were never in any doubt. If I had more room, I'd include The Bad Sleep Well and Sanjuro.

[@terrellepps9548]

My Top 5 5. Kagemusha. Love the story and the visual shots 4. The Seven Samurai. Love the character development, shots, and story 3. Ran. Nobody can adapt Shakesphere's work like Kurosawa can. 2. Yojimbo. Toshiro Mifune and Kurosawa are cinema's underrated duo. 1. Ikiru. The GREATEST emotional film EVER.

[@jamesrowe9549]

The cinema I work in is showing it on the 14th of this month. I will be working that evening and so will get to see this wonderful film in it's restoration. I love this film and am very excited to be seeing it on the big screen.

[@sgtmajvimy]

He was 75 yrs old ... and blind. Had been for 10 yrs before making this amazing film.

[@Soaphist]

Epic and very, very depressing.

[@gorankatic40000bc]

+Soaphist unfortunately life, i..e. death, is depressing. And since the subject matter is limitless lust for power expect back stabbings, fake emotions, lack of love, lack of sincerity and lack of genuineness. Machiaveli's ''Il Principe'' is at its core. And the world had not changed, nor it will be changed, because human nature does not change.

[@georgemorley1029]

Oh god yes, that final scene is harrowing.

[@scapegoatee3989]

Ran is definitely underrated. Love that film.

[@defanged9630]

Yes Dr Kermode, RAN is indeed a stunning visual work and it derserves to be seen on a big screen. I do not know what the British theatrical exhibition situation is, but here in the wonderful land of Oz, quantity rather than quality is the norm. We have a lot of businesses that call themselves Cinemas but are really just a collection of theatrettes. Tiny rooms with ludicrously small screens running automated 2K DCP presentations, devoid of even the slightest nod to showmanship/creating an film going experience. If you are going to put down your hard earned cash and see this wonderful film (especially if it's your first time) I reccomend you ring around and find which outlets are running 4K setups and what are the screen dimensions. If it's 2K and in a shoebox, then you're better off wating for a Blu-ray (Don't watch it on DVD. A pointless exercise) release that will improve upon the existing Studio Canal release with its' dodgy DTS-MA audio.

[@paladinbob1236]

ran is a excellent film ..although I find it funny that I saw the opening for shogun total war[computer game] which had the intro with the assault on the castle...that alone hooked me into finding out the film and obtaining it :D

[@mrbeast85]

I need to see this at the Cinema!

[@SrdjanStijak]

Ran is one of the visually most impressive films I've ever seen. Still, I think Kagemusha is Kurosawa's best in terms of cinematography. That being said, my favorites of his are 'High and Low' and 'Dersu Uzala'. What a brilliant filmmaker he was. Japanese cinema is incredible.

[@SrdjanStijak]

+GiRayne Just to be clear, I prefer Ran to Kagemusha, it's not that close even. I think that Kagemusha might have a more impressive cinematography, but that's like picking Rembrandt's best painting. As for Dersu Uzala, that's the Kurosawa film that really pulled on my heartstrings. The film has 3 things that I'm a sucker for, people caught in changing eras, people in love with nature and great friendship, which I consider to be one of the most valuable things one can possess. Dersu was kind of in his own No Country for Old Men, too old to stay in the forest and too old to adapt to life in city, he was a simple man caught in complicated times. I was really touched by his and Arsenev's friendship, he was able to help Arsenev through the years a lot of times, but Arsenev was unable to return the favor, no matter how hard he tried. It's been a while since I've seen it, but the image of the 2 of them building the shelter during that windy sequence is still embedded in my mind. That scene was incredible, I could literally feel the cold. I don't need to point out that the film is visually gorgeous, as well (I guess I did that anyway). Maybe you should give it another chance some time or maybe our tastes just don't align. "De gustibus non est disputandum."

[@TheSamuraiGoomba]

+Srdjan Stijak Kagemusha was like a test run for Ran. It has all of the beauty of Ran without quite as much impact or meaning.

[@SrdjanStijak]

+TheSamuraiGoomba Well, I don't disagree with that.

[@georgemorley1029]

I do like both of those also. The scene with the theodolite tripod and the grass in the storm in Dersu Uzala and the astonishing confrontation at the end of High and Low; they’re very, very memorable.

[@PauLtus_B]

...I should watch that movie.

[@PauLtus_B]

***** I probably won't be able to watch this in cinema without going to another country.

[@PauLtus_B]

***** Errr I edited my comment.

[@PauLtus_B]

***** Netherlands... It's not like there aren't any arthouses there, but I suppose it's a national thing.

[@PauLtus_B]

***** Pretty sure I can't. I looked it up. It's already hard in this country to find a place where you can watch a big movie in 2D.

[@PauLtus_B]

***** Surely there are arthouses. But there's hardly any cinema that ever plays older movies. There's one place with 70MM, but they're pretentious enough to think Star Wars isn't good enough but Tarantino is.

[@alextromagnetic]

So, they aren't showing Lion King 1 and 2 then?

[@DrunkenM33rkat]

Off to see ran then

[@jonathanwarner1844]

Wish I knew this had been on. It was seeing Ran on the big screen in 1990 that got me into Japanese film, language and culture in the first place.

[@nunouno001]

and ironically this video was published on April Fools.

[@lsjshez6940]

+nunouno001 Why is that ironic?

[@nunouno001]

LSJ Shez Because this video was released on April Fools day, and some people might not take it seriously for that reason.

[@lsjshez6940]

+nunouno001 That's not irony.

[@ianrobinson4200]

Isn't it pronounced as 'Rarrrn'? Well that's what I always thought anyway

[@SidV101]

Fyi you should pronounce Ran like you would the name Ron

[@SidV101]

(Think of the 'a' in 'arigato'. That's how the Japanese 'a' is always pronounced)

[@Viktors633]

not as good as entourage , hey , jus kiddin

[@davegelink]

Seen this movie for the first time in 4K and didn't like it. Very slow and boring. The storytelling through visuals just made the acting awkward.

[@rebelcode7697]

i hope someone answers is there anyway to get every kurosawa film between late 40s until end of 60s? or do we wait for criterion to release ?