LAB CLASSICS: RAN (40TH ANNIVERSARY)
To celebrate its 40th anniversary, Ran returns to the big screen in a breathtaking 4K restoration that reaffirms its place among cinema’s greatest epic masterpieces.
Directed by Akira Kurosawa, one of Japan’s most influential filmmakers, the film represents the culmination of his lifelong fascination with history, human nature, and the chaos of war. Inspired by Shakespeare’s King Lear and Japanese history, Ran follows Tatsuya Nakadai as the aging warlord Hidetora Ichimonji, whose decision to divide his kingdom among his sons leads to betrayal, destruction, and madness. Renowned for its stunning cinematography, the film features meticulously choreographed battle scenes and a masterful use of color, influenced by Kurosawa’s background as a painter. Released in 1985, Ran is considered one of Kurosawa’s final masterpieces, cementing his legacy after decades of groundbreaking work—from Seven Samurai to Throne of Blood and High and Low. Four decades on, the film remains as grand, gripping, and philosophically profound as ever.
