Ran
1985 2 hr 42 min
R
Princeton University’s Junko Yamazaki will introduce this screening and lead a Q&A after the film.
RAN reimagines Shakespeare’s King Lear set in 16th century Japan, telling the story of an aging ruler who decides to divide his land equally among his three sons, causing a power struggle. The use of color, costuming, staging, and direction demonstrate Kurosawa’s mastery of filmmaking. A stunning cinematic experience punctuated by epic battle scenes and presented in a brilliant new restoration. In Japanese w/ subtitles. Rated R.
About the Speaker: Junko Yamazaki is an Assistant Professor of Japanese cinema and media in the Department of East Asian Studies at Princeton University. Her research is broadly centered on film, media aesthetics and practices of technological and cultural mediation, especially in regard to the questions of the history and politics of sensory life. Her current project investigates postwar revival of jidaigeki (Japanese period films).
About the Fashion: Devising the entire film in watercolors before production, Kurosawa collaborated with costume designer Emi Wada who spent 3 years making close to 1,400 costumes for Ran. The quest for authenticity extended to the use of 16th-century weaving and dying techniques, with some robes taking three months to dye and hand embroider. Wada would go on to become the first Asian female to win an Academy Award for her work. Her ability to delicately balance color and texture inspired not only costume design in films but also fashion in general.
Costume Designers: Emi Wada
About the Speaker: Junko Yamazaki is an Assistant Professor of Japanese cinema and media in the Department of East Asian Studies at Princeton University. Her research is broadly centered on film, media aesthetics and practices of technological and cultural mediation, especially in regard to the questions of the history and politics of sensory life. Her current project investigates postwar revival of jidaigeki (Japanese period films).
Director Akira Kurosawa
Country Japan
Language Japanese (with subtitles)
Aspect Ratio 1.85
