Ran

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.