A.K.

It's interesting to see a behind the scenes documentary on an art film instead of those gigantic spectacles showing every trick of an Hollywoodian flick, those we are fed constantly on home videos - a trend so worthy and so special that some directors even plan the DVD documentaries before the actual movie is completely made and/or hit the theaters. Chris Marker's "A.K." takes us on a small but enjoyable journey following the making of Akira Kurosawa's "Ran", one of his most accomplished films. Far from the Hollywood system, this is quite primitive if compared but very special in the way everything is made and composed - the main focus here was the exterior shots, the battle scenes and actors rehearsal, and there was plenty of those since actors weren't allowed to film their scenes repeatedly.

Visually extraordinary just like "Ran" was and the narration and the chapters were brilliantly presented. But I missed certain things: Akira, the Sensei (as he's called in here) doesn't speak about the film and the experience behind this labor of love that took him several years to convince investors to fund the film. But we have shots of him directing cast and crew, so controlled and so happy, a very atypical behavior coming from a director (he only lost his temper in one scene and it's so subtle that you won't notice, and even doing so he was a complete gentleman). And "A.K." forgets to mention how difficult it was the whole process to get to the point where the film was made, "Ran" almost wasn't made. Kurosawa's energy and effort were so significant that the Academy board of directors insisted on a future Oscar nomination for him as Best Director in 1986 and he made it to the final list.

With views exposed and the results achieved by the film (highly praised by critics and audiences but a box-office failure) in the years to come and "A.K." would be a better film. 8/10

I got the Ran DVD and this was packaged with it. i thought it would be great because this is from Chris Marker director of La Jetee. how wrong i was this is boring pretentious filmaking at its best. if you like long takes of a tape recorder and an old man walking round who we are told on numerous occasions that he has impeccable manners then this is right up your ally. Avoid this you could probably learn more about the making of the film from watching it. this provided no insight in the world of Kurosawa all i know about him is he has impeccable manners or have i mentioned that already... But anyway just because you are a competent filmmaker doesn't mean your a competent filmmaker about filmaking. Oh and PS Akira Kurosawa has impeccable manners!

A documentary that shows the production of "Ran" and discusses the film techniques of Akira Kurosawa himself.

This documentary is not necessarily great in itself, as it may mean very little to those not otherwise familiar with its subject, but serves as a wonderful supplement for the movie "Ran". Anyone who loves "Ran" or Kurosawa's work will certainly get something more out of seeing the actors and director at work when the cameras are not rolling. Well, the cameras are still rolling... but different cameras.

Coming from Chris Marker, it is no surprise that even a simple making-of documentary would have some artistic license. He shows some footage via a television set, and some audio via a tape recorder, rather than incorporated into the documentary itself. Clever or pretentious? Who knows?

Chris Marker's elliptical, oblique documentary on the making of Akira Kurosawa's "Ran" is an uneasy blend of hagiography (usual Cahiers du Cinema stuff) and Marker's trademark meditations on the mediating role of technology in memory and the human experience, plus probably aging, and etc., etc., etc. These Gallicisms seem out-of-place; but the philosophies are easily discarded. What makes the film a pleasure are the glimpses we see of Kurosawa's work processes, in addition to all the detail and work that goes into the making of a true epic.

It's more artsy and potentially interesting than the average making-of documentary- to the point where it's hard to call it a making-of documentary- but it is a little dull at times, even with the short length.

Still, not bad- just wish Werner Herzog had directed it, as I feel he's better at these sorts of quirky, fly on the wall, occasionally weird, sort of artsy and psychological documentaries/ character studies.

Does tell me I need to watch Ran again though- it's been about eight years. And while 17-year-old me appreciated it, 25-year-old me would probably be able to watch it without feeling bored.