Ran The Criterion Collection Movie   ••••½ Picture/Sound   •••• Extras   •••••

Ugetsu The Criterion Collection Movie   •••• Picture/Sound   ••• Extras   •••½

Although each of these late-career masterpieces was made by a giant of Japanese cinema and is set in the country's turbulent feudal past, they are worlds apart. Ran (1985) is more accessible for Western viewers because of its source (King Lear) and its dramatic staging, striking visuals, and narrative pacing. Director Akira Kurosawa's depiction of an aging lord brought down by his ambitious sons draws out all the play's universal qualities.

Ugetsu (1953), a melodrama that follows the fates of two couples whose lives are sent in four different directions by a marauding army, has a uniquely Japanese sensibility. Kenji Mizoguchi blends traditional ghost stories, Noh theater, and everyday rituals and routines in a beautiful, dreamlike mood. The stunning images — a series of lengthy, flowing shots, all with a detached feeling — only add to the film's entrancing atmosphere.

Both two-disc sets have pictures with fine contrast and detail. Ran is filled with walls of yellow silk and seas of red flags, while Ugetsu's exceedingly deep-focused compositions display a breathtaking range of grays, with textures distinct from front to back. Ugetsu’s sound is a clear mono, while Ran’s stereo track sends troops clattering across the wide soundstage. Each title comes with an insightful analytical commentary, interviews, and a large booklet. Ugetsu has a bizarre, three-hour examination of Mizoguchi's life but not his films. By contrast, Ran has a fascinating on-set documentary by renowned filmmaker Chris Marker, two substantial half-hour featurettes, and an incisive introduction by Sidney Lumet that will set you up for the cinematic feast to follow. Both: [NR] letterboxed (1.85:1) and anamorphic widescreen; two dual-layer discs. Ran: Japanese (with English subtitles), Dolby Digital stereo. Ugetsu: Japanese (with English subtitles), Dolby Digital mono.