Ran or Oz?

Both epic films about a kingdom in turmoil, betrayal, and the corrupted souls of power-hungry schemers. Ran has the Ichimonji clan, Oz has the Lollipop Guild. Which screen reigns supreme?

Oz! It took much more money to produce and the effects, and hidden charms within, still awe the masses!

Good question to pose Humu!

Mahalo

McTiki

[ Edited by: McTiki 2007-03-14 16:52 ]

I say Oz too. Imagaine seeing that movie in the theatre when it was first released. Just think what it must have been like when Dorothy first steped out of her house and into the colorful land of Oz. People must have just been stunned. To be fair, I've never seen the other one, but even so I'd still say Oz all the way.

I still have trouble remembering the lyrics to the movie Ran, though I whistle its playful melodies whilst skipping down the cobblestone lane to granny's house.

The Wizard of Oz or Ran?
Tough choice for most of you but not for me.
When I was young we would watch the Wizard of Oz whenever it was on TV. It was and still is a favorite of mine. But when I saw my first Akira Kurosawa film on Okinawa it was in Japanese without subtitles but it didn't matter. I think it was Yojimbo and it was 1969 when I was 15 and it was great. From that time on I was a fan.
Kurosawa made Ran in 1985 and we saw it LA at the theater. If any of you have the chance to see this on the big screen, don't miss it as this is a big screen masterpiece. This film in his long string of master pieces going back to Rashomon won a number of Oscars that year. His long career has inspired countless artists in this world including everyone who reads this. If you enjoyed Star Wars then you are a Kurosawa fan and didn't know you were. Lucas credits Kurosawa's film Hidden Fortress for the Star Wars story. So Ran gets my vote even though the Wizard of Oz is a great film .

[ Edited by: Ojaitimo 2007-03-15 14:51 ]

Question:

What would the Seven Samurai have done if they were tasked with escorting Dorothy on her journey?

I thought Wizard of Oz was a coming of age story about how a girl finds the strength within herself to overcome the scary idiocies of the adult world, and to lead her at-first intimidating but later (by showing them trust and understanding) lovable friends to do the same, but maybe I'm reading the metaphors wrong. The original Baum book was even better, a cutting socio/political satire that he never quite reached with his later Oz books.

Anyway, Kurosawa jumped the shark when he went to color. His best flicks were all made on the cheap in b&w. Hidden Fortress smokes, but so does High and Low and Yojimbo. The guy wasn't known for makin' bad movies.

The Seven Samurai would have diced up that Wicked Witch into little itty bitty chunks of teriyaki grilled meat and sold her at 50 yen a pop to the Munchkins, then bought Dorothy a nice dress to go with those va-va-va-voom flashy red pumps.

I vote Oz.

close call, but I still would have to go with Oz...

I gotta pick Ran.

What is with this double posting crud!? Stupid mouse. (Homer voice)

[ Edited by: Mr. NoNaMe 2007-03-19 08:10 ]

I gotta go with you Mr. NoNaMe,
But Ozzy is quite the rocker too.

Jeff(bigtikidude)