is this better or worsier than RAN

it's not better or "worsier", it's just "differenter"

I think it's better. I like the story of this one more. Both are excellent.

Watch both. That way you cannot really lose. :)

Ran > Kagemusha
More emotion, better score.
It seems that Kurosawa had an idea with Kagemusha and perfected it in Ran since they are quite similar in both style and story.

Ran is a far superior movie. Both Ran and Kagemusha fall into an era in which Kurosawa was very interested in the epic tragedy. The difference is that Ran was made 5 years later. If you watch them both, you will see how Kurosawa polished elements of Kagemusha in Ran. The characters are richer, the pacing is overall better, the story is phenomenal. Ran is based off of King Lear, and that play lends itself to parallels with Japanese culture, especially medieval social structure and enthusiasm for transience.

That being said, Kagemusha contains some of the must gorgeous scenes Kurosawa has ever filmed, particularly the beginning scene and the end scene are very powerful and project the characters and themes very powerfully.

I'd say Kagemusha has some of Kurosawa's greatest film moments, but on the whole Ran is a more polished, more consistent masterpiece in epic tragedy on film.

It is far worse. Ran is a very good movie. Kagemusha is not a good movie.

They're both masterpieces, I will say that. However, more parts of Ran sticked with me - the one thing about Kagemusha I will never forget is the colors. It has the most disturbing, haunting, and gorgeous color palette I've ever seen.

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Much better IMHO, as it's a story on its own right, whereas RAN is stolen.

SpiltPersonality