Akira Kurosawa’s RAN Getting A 40th Anniversary 4K Release

Akira Kurosawa’s award winning final film, RAN next month will be heading back to UK Cinemas.

An exclusive 40th Anniversary 4K UHD Collector’s Edition will be available to own in July. This special four-disc edition comes complete with a host of extras-material including the soundtrack composed by Tôru Takemitsu (Harakiri) and a 100-page booklet.

US!!! WE ARE A SMALL, INDEPENDENT FILM WEBSITE WITH NO BIG BACKERS, SO IF YOU LOVE OUR SITE AND OUR WRITERS, PLEASE CONSIDER HELPING US TO KEEP FILM JOURNALISM ALIVE!

Studiocanal UK have also commissioned artist Sterling Hundley to create fantastic artwork. His creation embraces and pays homage to many of the film’s iconic visuals.

Hidetora Ichimonji (Tatsuya Nakadai – Yojimbo, Kagemusha) is an ageing warlord who, after spending his life consolidating his empire, decides to abdicate and divide his kingdom amongst his three sons, Taro (Akira Terao – Letter from the Mountain, Dreams), Jiro (Jinpachi Nezu – The Man in White, Red Shadow: Akakage) and Saburo (Daisuke Ryû – Tono monogatari, Gojo reisenki: Gojoe).

When Hidetora’s youngest son Saburo voices concerns about the wisdom of his father’s plan, claiming that treachery within the family will be inevitable, Hidetora mistakes these comments for a threat and banishes him. This allows Taro and Jiro to take the reins of power unopposed, leading to a brutal and bloody struggle to win absolute power.

Majestic in scope, RAN is a profound examination of the folly of war and the crumbling of one family under the weight of betrayal, greed and the insatiable thirst for power.

40TH ANNIVERSARY 4K COLLECTOR’S EDITION
UHD and BD / Original soundtrack / 100-page booklet / 2 posters / Fully illustrated packaging by acclaimed artist Sterling Hundley.

EXTRAS
Feature UHD + Feature BD
[Disc 1 + Disc 2]
Ran: The Restoration

Bonus BD [Disc 3]
-A.K. documentary
-Akira Kurosawa: The Epic and The Intimate
-Interview with director of photography Shoji Ueda
-The Art of the Samurai
-Interview with Michael Brooke
-Interview with Ms Mieko Harada
-Stage Appearance at Tokyo FIlm Festival 2015
-Akira Kurosawa by Catherine Cadou.
-The Samurai

Akira Kurosawa‘s RAN will first return to UK and Irish cinemas on 27th June. Then on 21st July you can buy the film’s 4K UHD Collector’s Edition.