WSR Detailed LaserDisc Review

Ran
Genre:Action Adventure

Reviewed In Issue 07 Of Widescreen Review® Stars:
Tatsuya Nakadai, Akira Terao, Jinpachi Nezu.

WSR Review Scores
Picture Rating: 3
Sound Rating: 3.5
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Reference Systems
Critics' Composite Score:
Internet Links

Supplementals

DVD General Information
(Studio/Distributor): 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment
(Catalog Number): 3732-85
(MPAA Rating): R
(Retail Price): $69.98
(Running Time In Minutes): 160
(Color Type): Color
(Chaptered/Scene Access): Yes
(Closed Captioned): No
(Theatrical Release): 1985
(LD Release Date): 01/01/94
(THX® Digitally Mastered): No

Credits Information
(Director): Akira Kurosawa
(Screenplay/Written By): Akira Kurosawa, Hideo Oguni & Masato Ide
(Story): NA
(Music): Toru Takemitsu
(Director Of Photography):
(Production Designer): Yoshiro Muraki & Shinobu Muraki
(Visual Effects):
(Costume Designer):
(Editor): NA
(Supervising Sound Editors):
(Re-Recording Mixers):
(Executive Producers): Katsumi Furukawa
(Co-Producers): NA
(Producers): Serge Silberman & Masato Hara

DVD Picture Information
(Principal Photography): Academy Standard Flat
(Theatrical Aspect Ratio): 1.85:1
(Measured LaserDisc Aspect Ratio): 1.85:1

DVD Sound Information
(DVD Soundtrack): Dolby Surround
(Theatrical Sound): Dolby Stereo A
(Theatrical Re-Issue Soundtrack):
(Remastered Dolby Digital):
(Remastered DTS Digital Surround):
(Additional Languages):

WSR Narrative Review
Story Synopsis:
Ran, which translates as “chaos” or “turmoil,” is the critically acclaimed crowning achievement of director Akira Kurosawa’s career and marks a new peak in his epic style of filmmaking, following Kagemusha, a similarly-themed period epic. The Japanese-French production stars Tatsuya Nakada, who plays the leading role of Lord Hidetora Ichimonji, the Shakespearean King Lear-like protagonist of Ran. The story is about the legend of a mighty feudal warlord who divided his kingdom among his three sons on the condition that they swear their loyalty. The sons turn against Hidetora, and each other. The once-omnipotent Hidetora is left to watch, powerless and insane, as his hard-won kingdom and his treasured family crumble around him.

LaserDisc Picture:
The 1.85:1 framed picture suffers from lack of sharpness and considerable grain as well as unnatural fleshtones, but the panoramic cinematography is spectacular.

LaserDisc Soundtrack:
The sound is generally well defined, particularly drum sounds, with excellent bass ex-tension and a subtle surround presence.
(Surround Bass Below 50Hz):
(Aggressive System Surround):
(Intense 25Hz Bass):
(Deep Bass Challenging):
(Aggressive 0.1 LFE):
(Holosonic Soundfield):
(Aggressive Split Surround):
(Center Back Surround Imaging):
(Directionalized Dialogue):
Superb Sound Effects Recording Quality:
Superb Music Score Recording Quality:
Superb Special Visual Effects Quality:
Superb Color Fidelity:
Superb Cinematography:
Reference LaserDisc:
Collector Edition: