Japanese cinema at its best - a gift from Akira Kurosawa

Rating: 9/10 (21 December 2008)

Last night, I had this rare fortune of watching one more of Akira Kurosawa's magic "Ran". If you still haven't been able to lay your hands on it, make it the first thing on your priority list. How I wish, "Seven Samurai" could have been made in color. This movie is a pure joy to watch  as good as are other attributes of the movie, the cinematographic excellence leaves any other movie ever made so far behind. I have liked "The Last Samurai" for its imagery and amazing color presentation, but even that movie pales if compared to "Ran". Opening scene is spellbinding - music score along with those moments of deafening silence is way too good. No doubt, it was the most expensive Japanese film ever made. Lord Hidetora is superiorly awesome (especially when he turns mad) and Lady Kaede at times seems to be even more ruthless than Nurse Ratched (was in "One flew over cuckoo's nest"). Also, so many subtle and some not so-subtle references to Buddha are timely and apt. However, I would confess that movie is not perfect - the attack on the third castle is more or less ordinary, and I do wonder how even in that wilderness, Kyoami was able to maintain squeaky clean clothes for himself and his master.
So, if you really love movies, go and grab it - a movie must to watch before you die!!!