The Offbeat Marquee: Film and TV Reviews

INTRODUCTION Akira Kurosawa is likely one of the most important filmmakers of the 20th century. Through his feudal films, we saw the works of Shakespeare reborn and new tales that have been told for decades. Through his modern day exploits, we looked into the heart of humanity at the time, peering into the souls of many. In his 1985 latter-day masterpiece Ran , we saw the best of both worlds. This is likely one of the most powerful pieces of film I've ever seen. I simply can't fathom one word against it. So I am going to bring you all on a tour of the elements of Ran , and how they are absolutely astonishing in execution and affect. Now this review will delve into mild spoilers, nothing too serious, but I highly recommend that you all watch this masterful film prior to reading. But if you do read through this, I hope it compels you to watch this gargantuan marvel of a motion picture, or heck, even rewatch it on account of this. STORY Akira Kurosawa's Ran is a 198

INTRODUCTION If there was ever a niche genre of film that I could simply watch whenever I want, without needing to be in a certain mood, it would have to be the iconic Japanese genre of  daikaijū   eiga. I love the emphasis of practical visual effects, the raucous musical scores, and the pure surrealistic qualities of the concepts presented in these films. One of the titans of the genre is Toho, the company behind the legendary Godzilla franchise. Begun and initially helmed by producer Tomoyuki Tonaka, director Ishirō Honda, special effects director Eiji Tsuburaya, and composer Akira Ifukube, this long-running science fiction franchise became the international face of the genre. But these men were also at work on other projects in the genre that weren't attached to the Big G. In 1966, the crew at Toho would produce one of the most unique  daikaijū   eiga committed to celluloid, the tale of two Frankenstein monsters (yeah, you read that right) wreaking havoc across Japan know