Enjoy a truly unique cinematic experience of Shakespeare’s bleakest tragedy as Ran is played at the BFI in glorious 4k resolution. King Lear is transported from Celtic Britain to feudal Japan to spectacular and unsettling effect in Ran, a late triumph for a director in the twilight of his career. By fusing the narrative – about an arrogant King who’s betrayed by his resentful children – with non-naturalistic Japanese aesthetics from the samurai epic and Noh theatre, Kurosawa crafts an arresting and singular cinematic (re)vision of Shakespearean drama. Epic and bloody spectacle is underscored by a sombre mood of loss, regret and mortality, making Ran both enthralling and disturbing. Running time: 2 hours 43 minutes. Certificate: 12A. Tickets are non-refundable.