Ran (transl. “chaos” or “turmoil”) is a 1985 epic action drama film directed, edited and co-written by Akira Kurosawa. The film is Kurosawa’s interpretation of William Shakespeare’s King Lear and includes segments based on legends of the daimyō Mōri Motonari. Ran was Kurosawa’s second encounter with Shakespeare during his career. In 1957, Kurosawa directed Throne of Blood based on Shakespeare’s Macbeth.

As Kurosawa’s last epic, Ran has often been cited as among his finest achievements and is widely regarded as one of the greatest films ever made. With a budget of $11 million it was the most expensive Japanese film produced up to that time. The film was hailed for its powerful images and use of color; costume designer Emi Wada won an Academy Award for Best Costume Design for her work on Ran. The distinctive film score, inspired by Gustav Mahler, was composed by Toru Takemitsu.

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Shawn Levy, of the Portland Oregonian wrote, “In many respects, it’s Kurosawa’s most sumptuous film, a feast of color, motion and sound.” Apart from the fact that the film is a feast of color, motion and sound, Kurosawa’s interpretation of Shakespeare in the Japanese context remains one of the greatest achievements of adaptation in film history.

The film is currently not available for viewing.