hofbauer@utcsri.UUCP (John Hofbauer) (12/26/85)
In a year memorable for movies that weren't I finally saw a film which has classic written all over it. The film is RAN, the latest and possibly last film from the great Akira Kurosawa. If it turns out to be his last film it is a worthy crowning achievement of an illustrious career. RAN, which is Japanese for Chaos, is a retelling of King Lear set in 16th Century Japan. It is one of the most, if not the most, nihilistic films I have ever seen. Not the sort of film to see on Christmas eve, as I did. Kurosawa has very effectively used the setting of 16th Century Japan to make some very strong statements about the worst tendencies of human kind. Indeed the exotic setting and foreign culture make the universality of the statements even stronger than if the story had been set in, say, Medieval England. Its tone can best captured by quoting one line from the film: "Man is born crying. After he has cried enough, he dies." As a photographer I was particularly impressed by the visual style. The images are always strong, beautiful pastoral scenes juxtaposed with horrific battle scenes. The centre piece battle sequence contains some of the most powerful imagery ever put on film. The battle takes place on a barren fog shrowded field that could, quite literally, represent hell. No sound of the actual battle is heard, only a riveting musical score. It all adds up to a surreal effect which continues to haunt for days and probably weeks and months. It surpasses the helicopter attack in "Apocalypse, Now" or the Battle of Britain "ballet" in "The Battle of Britain" (1969). It's no accident that all three derive much of their power from music. Wagner for Apocalypse and a Sir William Walton score for the Battle of Britain. Perhaps all war should be fought to the accompanyment of music. This film is a must see for all who feel that film should be more than chewing gum for the eyes. It deserves this year's Best Foreign Picture Oscar but it won't get it because it is not Japan's official entry. Politics here, because Kurosawa has been shooting off his mouth about the Japanese film industry. Interestingly enough it is a French-Japanese co-production so maybe it will become the French entry. Given the kind of year it has been it should actually win the Best Picture Oscar.