Catch This: 25th Anniversary Screening of Ran

Ran is technically a samurai film, and it's also a partial adaptation of King Lear. However it is really neither of these.

Akira Kurosawa's last epic film, Ran is an exploration of chaos and the nihilism of modern life.

Similar in storyline to King Lear, but actually based on Japanese history, Ran follows the fall of Hidetora Ichimonji, who, having achieved immense success in medieval Japan as a warlord, divides his kingdom amongst his three sons. Within no time, the sons and father begin to bicker over the inheritance, leading to an all out war that destroys Monotari's entire kingdom. 

Despite its bleak themes, Ran is one of Kurosawa's most beautiful films, filled with rich colors in costume, verdant natural settings (including Mt. Fuji) and historic landmarks from Japan's history. Tatsuya Nakadai's performance as the aging lord is a haunting and terrifying example of the ravages of power and war.

Show starts at 8:00pm, and runs at least through Thursday. Note: tickets are only $7 on Tuesdays!

Varsity Theatre, 4329 University Way NE