Internet Shakespeare Editions

Shakespeare in Performance: Film

Ran ["Chaos"] (1984, Akira Kurosawa)

TitleRan ["Chaos"]
Year1984
Release LocationsJapan
DirectorAkira Kurosawa
MediumColor video
Length2 hrs, 40 mins
Audiencecollege and university
general public
Play ConnectionsKing Lear (adaptation)

Description

Free adaptation of William Shakespeare's King Lear in which the sisters have been transformed into the sons of Hidetora, a medieval Japanese warlord. While there are major differences between Kurosawa's script and Shakespeare's play, there are enough similarities to make comparison inevitable

Description from Shakespeare on Screen : an International Filmography and Videography by Kenneth S. Rothwell and Annabelle Henkin Melzer. ©1990 Kenneth S. Rothwell. Cited by permission. — Added 2008-11-14

Cast Overview

Hidetora Ichimonji [King Lear]Tatsuya Nakadai
Lady KaedeMieko Harada
KuroganeHisashi Ikawa
IkomaKazuo Kato
Lady SueYoshiko Miyazaki
JiroJinpachi Nezu
TsurumaruTakeshi Nomura
KyoamiPeter
SaburoDaisuke Ryu
TaroAkira Terao
FujimakiHitoshi Ueki
TangoMasayuki Yui

Production Team and Crew Overview

DirectorAkira Kurosawa
Executive ProducerKatsumi Furukawa
ProducerMasato Hara
ProducerSerge Silberman
Costume DesignerEmi Wada
ComposerToru Takemitsu
Adaptor/TranslatorMasato Ide
Adaptor/TranslatorAkira Kurosawa
Adaptor/TranslatorHideo Oguni
Production ManagerLilly Pickardt
LightingTakao Saito
LightingMasaharu Ueda
ProductionYoshiro Muraki

Production information courtesy of: Kenneth Rothwell