Ran (乱) ("Chaos") is a film by Akira Kurosawa, based on William Shakespeare's King Lear but set in Sengoku-era Japan.

Plot

In the film, the character of King Lear is replaced with Ichimonji Hidetora, the Great Lord, an aging warlord. Instead of daughters, he has sons: Taro, Jiro, and Saburo (who is the equivalent of Shakespeare's Cordelia). Hidetora decides to give control of his kingdom up to Taro, the eldest son, while Jiro and Saburo will be given the Second and Third Castles. Jiro and Saburo are to support Taro. However, Saburo criticizes Hidetora's plan, claiming that he is a fool to think they will be able to get along peacefully. Tango, one of Hidetora's servants, comes to Saburo's defense. Hidetora banishes both of them.

Eventually Hidetora is alienated from his sons, and he is forced to live alone with Tango and Kyoami, the fool. Jiro conquers Taro, and is then himself conquered by a rival warlord who has aligned himself with Saburo. In the end, Hidetora is reunited with Saburo, but Saburo is killed by a stray bullet, and Hidetora dies of grief.

The film also involves many intricate subplots involving betrayal and violence within families, and highlighting the vanity and falseness of courtly life.

Legacy of the film

The film is believed by many to be Kurosawa's finest. It has been hailed for its powerful images and expert use of colour, and won the Academy Award for Costume Design in 1985. The distinctive film score was written by Toru Takemitsu, and in many scenes replaces normal sound - particularly in a battle scene when a rival besieges Hidetora's castle, setting it afire.