MARY CONWAY revels in a powerful reminder that human lives are not defined by physical perfection
Ran (12A)
Directed by Akira Kurosawa
5/5
LONG dead, out of copyright and with no manager to exploit the brand, Shakespeare has been a fabulous free source of inspiration for film-makers.
The Bard’s King John was filmed as long ago as 1899 and the advent of the talkies confirmed him as a crucial cinema source for everyone from Laurence Olivier, Max Reinhardt and Orson Welles to Charlton Heston and Howard Keel.
But for my money — and even as a critic I would happily pay to see it — Akira Kurosawa’s Ran is arguably the finest and most memorable Shakespearian film adaptation.
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