On our recent trip to Toronto and Algonquin park we read about a Kurosawa marathon happening in major cities in the US. Lamenting that we wouldn't be able to see these stunning, classic films on the big screen we decided to do the next best thing: have our own "Samurai Marathon" in the comfort of our own home. It wouldn't be quite the same, but still a lot of fun.
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Rating: Q=7, P=6 / Can't Get Enough
Scale 1=4, Scale 2=3, Scale 3=3, Scale 4=3
Samurai, Epic, Action, Shakespeare
I was thoroughly mesmerized at this brilliant, tragic, and beautiful adaptation of Shakespeare's King Lear. Kurosawa's masterpiece, many claim. I mostly agree--though some of his earlier films have more subtle, thought-provoking artistry. Ran, in contrast, is full of vibrant color, chaos, and silent drama. I felt that the tragedy of King Lear works even better in a samurai setting, with selfish brothers vying for power. There is so much tension. Kurosawa is able to build so much emotional anxiety in his pacing and emphasis on Hidetora's rapid downfall and insanity.
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