Ran 4K Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.5
Video		3.5
Audio		5.0
Extras		5.0
Overall		3.5

Ran 4K Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov July 26, 2025

Akira Kurosawa's "Ran" (1985) arrives on 4K Blu-ray courtesy of StudioCanal. The supplemental features on the release include recent program with cinematographer Shoji Ueda; the documentary film "Akira Kurosawa: The Epic and the Intimate"; Chris Marker's documentary film "AK"; and more. In Japanese, with optional English, French, or German subtitles for the main feature. Region-Free.

The great Lord Hidetora (Tatsuya Nakadai, Kagemusha) announces that he has decided to step down and let his three sons -- Taro (Akira TeraoDreams), Jiro (Jinpachi Nezu, Farewell to the Land and Saburo (Daisuke Ryu, Lake of Illusions) -- take over his land. Taro, the eldest one, would inherit Lord Hidetora's biggest castle and become the leader of the Ichimonji clan, while Jiro and Saburo would support him. In return, Lord Hidetora asks that his sons allow him to spend the rest of his days with them.

Saburo openly criticizes his father’s decision and urges him to reconsider it. He believes it is unfair and that it will eventually force his brothers to confront each other. Angered by Saburo’s criticism, Lord Hidetora banishes his youngest son and vows never to see him again. Taro and Jiro reluctantly accept his decision.

In the days ahead, Lord Hidetora arrives at Taro's castle hoping to forget about his altercation with Saburo, but is soon faced with a new dilemma -- after he foolishly kills one of Taro's guards, he is asked to renounce his title. Enraged, Lord Hidetora heads to Jiro's castle, where Jiro and his most trusted man, Kurogane (Hisashi Igawa, Rhapsody in August), are plotting to kill Taro and take over the Ichimonji clan. When Lord Hidetora learns about Jiro's plan, he loses his mind.

Ran is not a perfect film, though it is often regarded as such. It is beautifully made and incredibly well acted, but also notably episodic, resembling a giant panorama of moving pictures united by a common theme. It is a uniquely personal film, too -- Kurosawa shot it at the age of 75, following years of preparatory work -- one that many film scholars believe reflects on a variety of issues the director struggled with in his life.

The bulk of the material in Ran is based on William Shakespeare's King Lear. However, a significant portion of it also incorporates elements of traditional Japanese samurai stories. Unsurprisingly, various parts of Ran look like extracts from an elaborate theater play conceived to impress in a very different way.

In one of the supplemental features offered on this release, Vittorio Dalleore, trainee assistant on Ran and Kurosawa's assistant on Dreams, recalls how incredibly demanding and specific the director was during the production process. Several of the massive battles, for example, were shot at locations hundreds of kilometers apart from each other. (Kurosawa was one of the first directors to use multiple cameras at once while filming elaborate mass sequences).

An integral component of Ran is Toru Takemitsu's music score. In a way, the music is very much like a real character -- it has a pulse of its own and a constantly evolving identity. For example, some of the most memorable sequences in Ran would not have been as effective as they are without the soaring, incredibly moving flute solos.

In 1986, Ran won an Academy Award for Best Costume Design (Emi Wada) as well as a Golden Globe Award for Best Foreign Picture.

Ran 4K Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

StudioCanal's release of Ran is a 4K Blu-ray/Blu-ray combo pack. The 4K Blu-ray is Region-Free. However, the Blu-ray is Region-B "locked".

Please note that some of the screencaptures included with this article are taken from the 4K Blu-ray and downscaled to 1080p. Therefore, they do not accurately reflect the quality of the 4K content on the 4K Blu-ray disc.

Screencaptures #1-23 are from the Blu-ray.
Screencaptures #26-34 are from the 4K Blu-ray.

The combo pack gives you the opportunity to view the recent 4K restoration of Ran in native 4K. This 4K restoration was first introduced on Blu-ray in France in 2016. You can see our listing and review of the French Blu-ray release here.

I do not have any new comments to add about the quality of the 4K restoration. I still think that is very problematic because it regrades Ran and gives it a contemporary appearance with various issues. For example, many areas with darker nuances reveal gamma anomalies that impact the dynamic range of the visuals. As a result, it is quite easy to tell that delineation, clarity, and depth often fluctuate in unnatural ways. Of course, all visuals now have an awkward color temperature, too. (You can read more about the anomalies that are associated with the regrading job in the review linked above). In native 4K, the HDR grade exacerbates many of the obvious issues. Several of the big battle sequences, for instance, lack the vibrancy and lushness that Ran is known for. Some even appear quite flat. Is there something that the native 4K presentation does better? Yes. All visuals have even better density levels now, so on a large screen, they can appear even tighter and more even. On the previous Blu-ray, while still boasting strong density levels, the 1080p presentation cannot replicate the strength of the native 4K visuals. In summary, in native 4K and 1080p the 4K restoration is, without a shadow of a doubt, the healthiest presentation of Ran. However, this presentation is yet another contemporary digital reinterpretation of a famous film.

Ran 4K Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

There are five standard audio tracks on this release: Japanese: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 (48kHz, 24-bit), Japanese: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 (48kHz, 24-bit), English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 (48kHz, 24-bit), French: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 (48kHz, 24-bit), and German: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 (48kHz, 24-bit). Optional English, German, and French subtitles are provided for the main feature.

I decided to revisit the 4K restoration of Ran with the 5.1 track, not the 2.0 track. I like the 5.1 track a lot. During the battles, its dynamic strength is quite impressive but never overwhelming, which I think is great, considering that Ran was completed in 1985. Also, Ran has a very unique and active music score, so when the great sounding battles and effective music are merged, Ran becomes quite the spectacle. Of course, the 2.0 track is equally satisfying, so you have options to experiment and enjoy Ran with the track that works best for you.

Ran 4K Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

4K BLU-RAY DISC

• Ran: The Restoration - this archival program highlights some of the unique challenges Eclair's restoration team was presented with during the initial digitization of Ran and later during the actual restoration work. Included in it are clips from interviews with restoration specialists Charlotte Quemy, Ronald Boullet, Christian Dutac, and cinematographer Shoji Ueda. In French, with optional English subtitles. (10 min).

BLU-RAY DISC ONE

• Ran: The Restoration - this archival program highlights some of the unique challenges Eclair's restoration team was presented with during the initial digitization of Ran and later during the actual restoration work. Included in it are clips from interviews with restoration specialists Charlotte Quemy, Ronald Boullet, Christian Dutac, and cinematographer Shoji Ueda. In French, with optional English subtitles. (10 min).

BLU-RAY DISC TWO

• AK - a French documentary feature by director Chris Marker focusing on the production history of Ran. In French and Japanese, with English subtitles. (72 min).

• Akira Kurosawa: The Epic and the Intimate - a French documentary feature exploring the Japanese director's rich legacy. In French and Japanese, with English subtitles.(42 min).

• Akira Kurosawa by Catherine Cadou - Japanese cinema expert and translator Catherine Cadou recalls her encounter with Akira Kurosawa during the premiere of Ran at the Cannes Film Festival. In French, with English subtitles. (12 min).

• Art of the Samurai - renowned French specialist on Japan's ancient warfare art Jean-Christophe Charbonnier talks about the weapons and costumes used in Ran, samurai art and rituals, etc. In French, with English subtitles. (42 min).

• Interview with the Director of Photography -- Mr. Ueda - in this archival program, cinematographer Shoji Ueda discusses Akira Kurosawa's working methods and some of his specific shooting/stylistic preferences. The program was conducted after the 4K restoration of Ran was completed. In Japanese, with English subtitles. (11 min).

• Interview with Ms. Mieko Harada - in this archival program, actress Mieko Harada recalls how she was approached to play Lady Kaede and discusses her work during the shooting of Ran. In Japanese, with English subtitles. (21 min).

• Michael Brooke - in this archival program, critic Michael Brooke discusses Akira Kurosawa's career, Ran and its production history. In English, not subtitled. (17 min).

• Festival Footage - presented here is footage from the Q&A session with actors Tatsuya Nakadai and Mieko Harada, costume designer Emi Wada, production manager Teruyo Nogami, and assistant director Vittorio Dalle Ore, which was held after the premiere of the 4K restoration of Ran at the Tokyo International Film Festival in 2015. In Japanese, with English subtitles. (15 min).

• The Samurai - a fascinating documentary on samurai art, samurai rituals, and the history of samurai culture. The documentary was produced by Bernard Guerrini. In English. (53 min).

ADDITIONAL CONTENT

• Soundtrack - the film's complete original soundtrack is presented on CD. 16 tracks. Total running time: 73 min.

• Posters - two posters for Ran from StudioCanal and Kadokawa.

• Book - a 100-page illustrated booklet with writings on Ran, archival production and promotional materials, and technical credits.

Ran 4K Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

On the 4K Blu-ray disc and one of the Blu-ray discs, there is an archival program highlighting some of the challenges that emerged during the digitization and restoration of Ran. If you view the program, you will see several interesting comparisons between unrestored and restored footage, both with drastically different color schemes. The unrestored footage -- which is not ungraded footage extracted from the original camera negative, but unpolished footage extracted from an archival source -- retains most of the proper colors and color temperature of the film Akira Kurosawa shot. The restored footage is a digital reimagination of Kurosawa's film, finalized in 4K at the French lab Eclair, which, unfortunately, cinematographer Shoji Ueda endorsed. This gorgeous Limited Edition 4K Blu-ray/Blu-ray box set from StudioCanal presents Eclair's 4K restoration on 4K Blu-ray and Blu-ray. (Initially, the 4K restoration was released only on Blu-ray). It is undoubtedly the healthiest presentation of Ran, but it is not a faithful replica of the beautiful film Kurosawa shot forty years ago.