Ran [Criterion Collection] [2 Discs] (DVD) directed by Akira Kurosawa

With "Ran", legendary director Akira Kurosawa re-imagines Shakespeare's tragic King Lear as a singular historical epic set in sixteenth-century Japan. Tatsuya Nakadai stars as Lord Hidetora, a warlord who cedes authority over his vast dominion to his eldest son, setting off a familial power struggle for control of the kingdom. Majestic in scope, "Ran" is a visual masterpiece in which Kurosawa contrasts the immensity of war with the crumbling of one family under the weight of betrayal, greed, and the insatiable thirst for power.

Audio Commentary, Documentary, Featurettes, Interview, Original Theatrical Trailer.

Japanese Language Film with English Subtitles; An Appreciation of the Film by Director Sidney Lumet; "A.K.": 74-minute Film by Director Chris Marker Examining the Making of "Ran"; "Akira Kurosawa: It Is Wonderful to Create"; "Image: Kurosawa's Continuity"; New Essay by Film Critic Michael Wilmington; 28-page Collectible Bbooklet Featuring Film Critic Michael Wilmington and Interviews with Kurosawa and Composer Toru Takemitsu.