RAN
[乱]
Akira Kurosawa’s adaptation of William Shakespeare’s “King Lear,” RAN considers the disastrous consequences of Lord Hidetora Ichimonji’s (Tatsuya Nakadai) decision to split his kingdom among his three sons. A passion project for Kurosawa, the director spent 10 years storyboarding, in watercolor, every shot in the film. The resulting epic — the last such film he would make — is nothing short of his late-life masterpiece, a bold, sprawling feast of color and controlled chaos. This monumental achievement was recognized with four Academy Award® nominations: Director (Kurosawa’s sole Oscar® nomination), Art Direction, Cinematography and Costume Design, winning the latter for its elaborate, period-accurate costumes — over 1,400 pieces designed by Emi Wada and handmade by master tailors over two years. DIR/SCR Akira Kurosawa; SCR Hideo Oguni, Masato Ide, from the play “King Lear” by William Shakespeare; PROD Masato Hara, Serge Silberman. Japan/France, 1985, color, 162 min. In Japanese with English subtitles. RATED R
In Memoriam: Tatsuya Nakadai (1932–2025)
Run Time: 162 Minutes
Opening Date: Friday, September 04, 2026
Genre: War drama
