My son is now old enough that I could share this with him - rewatching it for the first time in nearly 40 years. A friend dragged me to see it in the cinema on or near its release and it was probably the film more than any other that got me to consider and seek out “art house” cinema. Delighted to see that it still holds up very well in the new Apple TV 4K remaster. I had forgotten that it isn’t simply a gorgeous re-telling of King Lear in a different setting, but a devastating blend of Lear, Macbeth and Kurosawa’s own storytelling - in many ways superior to its “source material”.

Admittedly, my low rating of Ran does not accurately reflect the quality of the film, but only my enjoyment of it. The overdramatization of every sentence in the film wore me out. The cinematography was certainly beautiful at times, but I lost all interest by the third act.

Incredible adaptation of Shakespeare's 'King Lear'. The cinematography and direction is mesmerizingly beautiful, contrasting the tragic tale.