Solntse (2005)

User Rating:

7.4/10   

Director:

Aleksandr Sokurov

Writers:

Yuri Arabov (writer)
Jeremy Noble (writer)

Release Date:

8 April 2005 (Estonia)

Genre:

Drama | History

Plot:

Third part in Aleksandr Sokurov's tetrology, following "Moloch" and "Taurus", focuses on Japanese Emperor Hirohito and Japan's defeat in World War II when he is finally confronted by Gen. Douglas MacArthur who offers him to accept a diplomatic defeat for survival.

Plot Keywords:

Emperor | Defeat | Japanese | Douglas Macarthur | Japan

Awards:

1 win & 2 nominations

Cast

Issei Ogata	...	Shouwa-Tennou Hirohito
Robert Dawson	...	General Douglas MacArthur (as Robert Dawson)
Kaori Momoi	...	Empress Kojun
Shirô Sano	...	The chamberlain
Shinmei Tsuji	...	Old servant
Taijiro Tamura	...	Scientist
Georgi Pitskhelauri	...	McArthur's warrant officer
Hiroya Morita	...	Suzuki, Prime Minister
Toshiaki Nishizawa	...	Yonai, Minister of the Navy
Naomasa Musaka	...	Anami, Minister of the War
Yusuke Tozawa	...	Kido
Kôjirô Kusanagi	...	Togo, Minister of Foreign Affairs
Tetsuro Tsuno	...	General Umezu
Rokuro Abe	...	General Toyoda
Jun Haichi	...	Abe, Minister of the Interior

Also Known As:

Солнце (Russia)
Il sole (Italy)
Le soleil (France)
The Sun (International: English title)

Runtime:

115 min | Japan:110 min | Hong Kong:110 min | Canada:110 min (Toronto International Film Festival)

Country:

Russia | Italy | Switzerland | France

Language:

Japanese | English

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Italy:T | France:U | Netherlands:MG6 | Brazil:Livre | Argentina:Atp | UK:PG

Company:

Nikola Film

Trivia:

Aleksandr Sokurov kept the name of the actor playing the Emperor secret, since it is taboo in Japan to play an Emperor on film. Sokurov was afraid for the safety of the actor, after Nagisa Ôshima told him there have been two attempts on his life after he criticized Imperial Japan during WWII.

Quotes:

Shouwa-Tennou Hirohito: Our chances of victory in the war with the west were 50 out of 100. Germany's chances in this war were 100 out of 100.
General Douglas MacArthur: What are you talking about?
Shouwa-Tennou Hirohito: I'm talking about the alliance with Germany.
General Douglas MacArthur: Well, that is all in the past. There is only one unresolved issue left. That is the issue of your fate.

Movie Connections:

Follows Molokh (1999)

Soundtrack:

4th & 5th movements from UNACCOMPANIED CELLO SUITE NO.5 C-MINOR, BWV. 1011

A brilliant movie

It's been a week that I have seen The Sun. I would say that this is one of the best movies I have seen in recent times. Initially I went to watch the film with some qualms about Sokurov's over-ambitious (so I thought) project. 5 minutes into the film and I knew that I was watching a real good movie- hat's off. The subtle interplay of characters, the thought process of the emperor, the surroundings, the Americans will seem all too real. The film is slow in terms of change of events- but you will never feel it. The emperor Hirohita ad the human Hirohita and the obscure line between them is fabulous. It is like going through a brief period of emperors life right in front of him. Mark my words, you'll like it! Vikram