courtesy impawards.com

SYNOPSIS
Akira Kurosawa’s brilliantly conceived retelling of King Lear combines Japanese history and Shakespeare’s plot with the director’s own feelings about loyalty and betrayal. In 16th century Japan, the aging Lord Hidetora (Tatsuya Nadakai) passes the decree that his land be divided among his three children. Blinded by the false flatter of his two older sons, he banishes the youngest for speaking the truth. The remaining heirs, driven by power and greed, wage war upon each other. A broken man. Hidetora descends into madness while death and destruction threaten the survival of the kingdom.

Source: DVD Cover

REVIEW
A tragedy by any means, though I am not sure the movie communicates the root of tragic consequence sufficiently. Maybe it is a cultural thing, but I just was not able to grasp the continuity. It certainly is a long movie — causing me to doze off towards the middle — but I rebounded and watched the movie in its entirety.

I loved the costumes and sets. The first castle looked awfully like Matsumoto Castle. The make up of Hidetora was questionable at the very least; perhaps a bit overdone, but then again, that could be a cultural thing. I thought Saburo (Daisuke Ryû) was kind of handsome.

In the end, I think Hidetora got his just desserts.