Black Rain (1989/I)

Director:

Ridley Scott

Writers (WGA):

Craig Bolotin (written by) &
Warren Lewis (written by)

Release Date:

22 September 1989 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Crime | Drama | Thriller

Tagline:

An American Cop in Japan. Their country. Their laws. Their game. His rules.

Plot:

Two New York cops get involved in a gang war between members of the Yakuza, the Japanese Mafia. They...

Plot Keywords:

Mafia | Japan | Yakuza | New York | Shootout

Awards:

Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 1 nomination

Cast

Michael Douglas	...	Nick Conklin
Andy Garcia	...	Charlie Vincent
Ken Takakura	...	Masahiro
Kate Capshaw	...	Joyce
Yusaku Matsuda	...	Sato
Shigeru Kôyama	...	Ohashi (as Shigeru Koyama)
John Spencer	...	Oliver
Guts Ishimatsu	...	Katayama
Yûya Uchida	...	Nashida
Tomisaburo Wakayama	...	Sugai
Miyuki Ono	...	Miyuki
Luis Guzmán	...	Frankie (as Luis Guzman)
John Costelloe	...	The Kid (as John A. Costelloe)
Stephen Root	...	Berg
Richard Riehle	...	Crown
Bruce Katzman	...	Yudell
Edmund Ikeda	...	Japanese Businessman
Tomo Nagasue	...	Japanese Translator
Clem Caserta	...	Abolofia
Tim Kelleher	...	Bobby
George Kyle	...	Farentino
Vondie Curtis-Hall	...	Detective
Joe Perce	...	Detective
Louis Cantarini	...	Detective
Doug Yasuda	...	Japanese / American Translator
Toshio Sato	...	Japanese Embassy Official
Jun Kunimura	...	Yashimoto
Roy K. Ogata	...	Sato's Man (as Roy Ogata)
Shirô Oishi	...	Sato's Man (as Shiro Oishi)
Professor Toru Tanaka	...	Sugai's Man
Rikiya Yasuoka	...	Sugai's Man
Jôji Shimaki	...	Sugai's Man
Goro Sasa	...	Ohashi's Man
Taro Ibuki	...	Ohashi's Man
Daisuke Awaji	...	Ohashi's Man
Keone Young	...	Karaoke Singer
Jim Ishida	...	Escort Officer
Shôtarô Hayashi	...	Mediator (as Shotaro Hayashi)
Toshirô Obata	...	Mediator (as Toshihiro Obata)
Michiko Tsushima	...	Noodle Woman
Linda Gillen	...	Peggy
John Gotay	...	Danny
Matthew Porac	...	Patrick
Ken Kensei	...	Masahiro's Son
Josip Elic	...	Joe, the Bartender
Mitchell Bahr	...	Friend
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Bruce Locke	...	Sato's Man (uncredited)
Chris Nelson Norris	...	Motorcyclist (uncredited)
Celia Xavier	...	Nori, Bar Hostess (uncredited)

Directed by
Ridley Scott

Writing credits (WGA)
Craig Bolotin		(written by) &
Warren Lewis		(written by)

Produced by
Craig Bolotin	....	executive producer
Stanley R. Jaffe	....	producer
Julie Kirkham	....	executive producer
Sherry Lansing	....	producer
Yosuke Mizuno	....	line producer: Japan
Alan Poul	....	associate producer

Original Music by
Hans Zimmer

Cinematography by
Jan de Bont		(director of photography) (as Jan De Bont)

Film Editing by
Tom Rolf

Casting by
Dianne Crittenden

Production Design by
Norris Spencer

Art Direction by
John Jay Moore		(as John J. Moore)
Herman F. Zimmerman

Set Decoration by
Leslie Bloom
John M. Dwyer
Richard C. Goddard
Alan Hicks		(as John Alan Hicks)

Costume Design by
Ellen Mirojnick

Makeup Department
Richard Alonzo	....	prosthetic makeup artist
Allan A. Apone	....	prosthetic makeup artist (as Allan Apone)
Fred C. Blau Jr.	....	makeup artist (as Fred C. Blau)
Kathryn Blondell	....	hair stylist (as Kathryn L. Blondell)
Richard Dean	....	makeup artist
Arnold Gargiulo	....	prosthetics
Michael Hancock	....	tattoo artist (as Michael A. Hancock)
Yasue Ishikawa	....	hair stylist: Japan
Yasue Ishikawa	....	makeup artist: Japan
Susan V. Kalinowski	....	hair stylist
Mark Maitre	....	prosthetics
Neal Martz	....	prosthetic makeup artist
Lyndell Quiyou	....	hair stylist
Christina Smith	....	makeup artist
Yukio Ueda	....	hair stylist: Japan
Yukio Ueda	....	makeup artist: Japan
Kenneth David Walker	....	prosthetic makeup artist
Monty Westmore	....	makeup artist
Akemi Yoshikado	....	hair stylist: Japan
Akemi Yoshikado	....	makeup artist: Japan

Production Management
Mel Dellar	....	unit production manager (as Mel D. Dellar)
Yuki Otsuka	....	unit manager: Japan
David Salven	....	unit production manager
Michael Tadross	....	unit production manager
William Watkins	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Bobby Bass	....	second unit director
Jodi Ehrlich	....	second assistant director
Bettiann Fishman	....	second assistant director
Katy Garretson	....	dga trainee (as Kathleen E. Garretson)
Bob Lewis	....	additional second assistant director
Dennis Maguire	....	first assistant director: second unit
Kenneth Payton	....	second assistant director: second unit
Aldric La'Auli Porter	....	first assistant director
Benjamin Rosenberg	....	first assistant director
Akiko Sakagame	....	second assistant director: Japan (as Akiko N. Sakagami)
Masayuki Taniguchi	....	first assistant director: Japan
Eric Wall	....	additional second assistant director
Cellin Gluck	....	second assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
Richard T. Allen	....	construction coordinator
Rubin Andreatta	....	greensman (as Rubin A. Andreatta)
Richard J. Bayard	....	construction coordinator
James R. Bayliss	....	set designer
James H. Betts	....	painter (as Jim Betts)
Gary Clark	....	painter (as Gary A. Clark)
Yasushi Daikoji	....	property master: Japan
Glen R. Feldman	....	assistant property master (as Glenn R. Feldman)
James V. Gartland	....	head construction grip
Michael W. Hirabayashi	....	art department technical advisor
Michael P. Hunter	....	assistant property master
Roger M. Janson	....	construction foreperson (as Roger Janson)
Alan S. Kaye	....	set designer
Sherman Labby	....	illustrator
Loren Levy	....	property person
Robert Maddy	....	set designer
John Matheson	....	general construction foreperson
Dave Newhouse	....	greensman (as David Newhouse)
Douglas W. Randall	....	carpenter
Thomas Saccio	....	property master
Kyoji Sasaki	....	set decorator: Japan
John Schacht	....	lead person (as John A. Schacht)
Charles Sertin	....	property person
Barton M. Susman	....	lead person
Kazuo Takenaka	....	art director: Japan
Robert Van Dyke	....	propmaker foreman
Kenneth Weinberg	....	assistant property master
Dean Wilson	....	property master
Robert A. Woolfe	....	scenic artist
Max E. Brehme	....	props (uncredited)
Teresa Carriker-Thayer	....	assistant art director (uncredited)
Andrew Neskoromny	....	set designer (uncredited)
Michael Saccio	....	assistant property master (uncredited)
Robert Topol	....	master scenic artist: New York (uncredited)
M. Tony Trotta	....	camera scenic artist: New York (uncredited)

Sound Department
Richard Adams	....	sound editor
Milton C. Burrow	....	supervising sound editor
Neil Burrow	....	sound editor
Scott Burrow	....	sound editor
Greg Curda	....	foley mixer
Gordon Davidson	....	sound editor
Steve Dewey	....	additional sound effects (as Stephen Dewey)
Ken Dufva	....	foley artist
Dan Engstrom	....	assistant sound editor
David Lee Fein	....	foley artist
Mark C. Grech	....	utility sound technician
Douglas Greenfield	....	stereo sound consultant: Dolby
John G. Hill	....	apprentice sound editor
Kelly L. Manger	....	assistant sound editor
Robyn A. Manger	....	apprentice sound editor
William L. Manger	....	supervising sound editor
Larry Mann	....	sound editor
Donald O. Mitchell	....	sound re-recording mixer
Wendy Oates	....	looping coordinator
Kevin O'Connell	....	sound re-recording mixer
Richard Oswald	....	sound editor
Kay Rose	....	sound editor
Greg P. Russell	....	sound re-recording mixer
James Sabat	....	production sound mixer (as James J. Sabat)
Louis Sabat	....	boom operator
Timothy P. Salmon	....	boom operator
Chester Slomka	....	sound editor (as Chester L. Slomka)
Bill Voigtlander	....	adr editor
Keith A. Wester	....	production sound mixer
Bill Wylie	....	sound editor
Jim Yant	....	sound editor

Special Effects by
Al Griswold	....	special effects (as Albert Griswold)
Stan Parks	....	special effects supervisor
Ken Pepiot	....	special effects (as Kenneth D. Pepiot)
Kevin Quibell	....	special effects (as Kevin S. Quibell)
John Chapot	....	special effects technician (uncredited)
Andy Clement	....	special makeup effects (uncredited)
Michael Meier	....	pyrotechnician (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Wayne Baker	....	effects camera assistant (uncredited)

Stunts
Jay Amor	....	stunts
Gregory J. Barnett	....	stunts (as Greg Barnett)
Bobby Bass	....	stunt coordinator
Peter Bucossi	....	stunts
Phil Chong	....	stunts
Gary Davis	....	stunts
Andy Duppin	....	stunts
Kenny Endoso	....	stunts
Frank Ferrara	....	stunts
Al Goto	....	stunts
John Hateley	....	stunts
Peter Hock	....	stunts
Daishi Ichizawa	....	stunts
Brian Imada	....	stunts
Steven Ito	....	stunts (as Steve Ito)
John Kayton	....	stunts
Daniel Lee	....	stunts (as Danny Lee)
Geoff M. Lee	....	stunts
Leo Lee	....	stunts
Al Leong	....	stunts
Jim Lovelett	....	stunts (as James Lovelett)
Harry Madsen	....	stunts
John Patrick McLaughlin	....	stunts
Sandy Richman	....	stunts
Michael Runyard	....	stunts (as Michael G. Runyard)
Bill M. Ryusaki	....	stunts (as Bill Ryusaki)
Alex Stevens	....	stunts
Mak Takano	....	stunts
Hiroshi Tom Tanaka	....	stunts (as Tom Tanaka)
David Webster	....	stunts
Danny Wong	....	stunts
Lightning Bear	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Howard Atherton	....	additional photographer
Larry J. Aube	....	first company grip
David Augsburger	....	second assistant camera
Edward A. Ayer	....	chief lighting technician
Robert L. Blatman	....	aerial photography technician (as Rob Blatman)
Buz Brown	....	aeriel photography technician
David Canestro	....	second company grip
Michael J. Coo	....	dolly grip
Jerry DeBlau	....	assistant chief lighting technician (as Jerry De Blau)
John W. DeBlau	....	chief lighting technician (as John W. De Blau)
James 'Packy' Dolan	....	chief lighting technician (as James E. Dolan)
Richie Ford	....	electrician
Steven W. Gage	....	grip (as Steve Gage)
Bill Gerardo	....	second assistant camera (as William Gerardo)
Vinnie Gerardo	....	first assistant camera (as Vincent Gerardo)
Craig Haagensen	....	camera operator
Howard J. Hand	....	first assistant camera
David James	....	still photographer
Michael Kelem	....	aerial photography technician
Ted J. Kredo	....	assistant chief lighting technician (as Ted Kredo)
Bobby Mancuso	....	second assistant camera (as Robert Mancuso)
Nicholas J. Musuraca	....	first assistant camera
Mitsuki Nakamura	....	first company grip: Japan (as Mitsuyoshi Nakamura)
David B. Nowell	....	aerial photographer (as David Nowell)
Takeshi Okubo	....	chief lighting technician: Japan
Billy Patsos	....	dolly grip (as William Patsos)
George Patsos	....	first company grip
Richard Randall	....	grip (as Richard Jeffrey Randall)
Calmar Roberts	....	first assistant camera (as Calmar King Roberts Jr.)
Robin Roberts	....	second company grip (as Robin L. Roberts)
David Roth	....	second assistant camera
Alan B. Samuels	....	video assistant
Andrew D. Schwartz	....	still photographer (as Andy Schwarz)
Phillip Silver	....	video assistant (as Philip A. Silver)
Bruce W. Talamon	....	still photographer
Sharon L. Wilson	....	second assistant camera
Alexander Witt	....	camera operator (as Alexander B. Witt)
Thomas Enright	....	electrician (uncredited)
Craig Haagensen	....	director of photography: second unit (uncredited)
Tom Hopkins	....	video assist operator: Japan (uncredited)
Ron Kunecke	....	musco light operator (uncredited)
Robert Shepherd	....	house electrician (uncredited)

Casting Department
Joy Dickson	....	casting associate
Steve Dobbins	....	extras casting
Debi Manwiller	....	casting assistant (as Debbie Manwiller)
Nobuaki Murooka	....	casting: Japan
Melissa Skoff	....	additional casting
Joy Todd	....	extras casting

Costume and Wardrobe Department
William A. Campbell	....	wardrobe supervisor
Lisa Grace Erndt	....	costumer
Joseph L. Gruca	....	costumer
Elaine Maser	....	costumer (as Elaine P. Maser)
Jennifer L. Parsons	....	costume supervisor
Kazuko Shimada	....	wardrobe coordinator: Japan
Melissa Stanton	....	wardrobe supervisor (as Melissa A. Stanton)
Richard von Ernst	....	assistant costume designer (as Richard Von Ernst)

Editorial Department
Jacqueline Cambas	....	additional editor
Nancy Frazen	....	second assistant editor
Garet Gluck	....	apprentice editor
William D. Gordean	....	additional editor (as William Gordean)
Aubrey Head	....	color timer
Deborah Peretz	....	second assistant editor
Robert P. Walzer	....	apprentice editor
William Webb	....	first assistant editor

Music Department
James Flamberg	....	supervising music editor
Jay Rifkin	....	music scoring mixer
Dick Rudolph	....	music supervisor
Shirley Walker	....	conductor
Shirley Walker	....	orchestrator
Bob Bornstein	....	music preparation (uncredited)
David Paich	....	composer: additional music (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Bill Curry Jr.	....	transportation captain (as William J. Curry Jr.)
Lee Garibaldi	....	transportation co-captain
Masahiro Hirose	....	transportation manager: Japan
Dennis Salomone	....	transportation co-captain
Tommy Tancharoen	....	transportation coordinator (as Vanchat 'Tommy' Tancharoen)

Other crew
Mary Ellen Brennan	....	video coordinator
Alan Brown	....	dialogue coach
Gary Burns	....	assistant: Mr. Scott (as Cary Burns)
Kevin Richard Buxbaum	....	accountant (as Kevin R. Buxbaum)
Laura Carriker	....	production assistant
Al Cerullo	....	helicopter pilot
Jeff Chamberlain	....	dialogue coach
Maggie Constantinidis	....	assistant: Mr. Jaffe
Peter DePalma	....	assistant: Mr. Douglas
Robert Doyle	....	location manager
Susumu Ejima	....	location manager: Japan
Kazuaki Enomoto	....	location manager: Japan
Kim Festa	....	assistant: Ms. Lansing
Dan Furst	....	dialogue coach
Mimi Polk Gitlin	....	production associate (as Mimi Polk)
Cellin Gluck	....	production assistant
Anthony Goldschmidt	....	title designer: main titles
Ken Haber	....	location manager (as Kenneth Haber)
Michiyo Hayashi	....	assistant: Mr. Jaffe, Japan
Kenichi Horii	....	location manager: Japan
Claudio Jacobells	....	production assistant (as Claudio Jacobellis)
Debra D. Jeffreys	....	assistant production office coordinator
Thomas B. Jones	....	craft service
Keiko Kanzaki	....	assistant: Mr. Douglas, Japan
Carol Keith	....	assistant production office coordinator
Eric Klosterman	....	location manager (as Eric S. Klosterman)
Luca Kouimelis	....	script supervisor
Terry Ladin	....	production office coordinator (as Terry Ellen Ladin)
David R. Lawson	....	first aid
Yuriko Mameshiro	....	accountant: Japan
Carol Mann	....	assistant: Ms. Lansing
Patt McCurdy	....	production office coordinator
Kim McLaren	....	assistant production accountant
Alison Meyer	....	production assistant
Justin Morrit	....	production assistant
Eric Myers	....	unit publicist
Koichi Nakajima	....	translation advisor: Japanese
Trisha O'Brien	....	assistant: Mr. Jaffe
Mitsuko Oki	....	assistant: Mr. Mizuno, Japan
Jennifer Pinkerton	....	assistant production office coordinator
Bob Roddy	....	first aid
Wendi Rose	....	production assistant
Debbie Schwab	....	production office coordinator (as Deborah L. Schwab)
Jake Scott	....	assistant: Mr. Spencer
Frank Serrano	....	production assistant
Steven Shkolnik	....	location manager (as Steve Shkolnik)
Atsushi Takayama	....	location manager: Japan
Robert Thorson	....	production auditor (as Bob Thorson)
Roni Wheeler	....	production assistant (as Roni Wheeler-Poole)
Robert 'Bobby Z' Zajonc	....	helicopter pilot (as Bob Zajonc)
William M. DeLuca	....	mechanic (uncredited)
Seiji Okamura	....	bilingual assistant unit publicist (uncredited)
Aaron Sadovsky	....	production assistant (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Paramount Pictures
• Pegasus Film Partners

Distributors

• Paramount Pictures (1989) (USA) (theatrical)
• Argentina Video Home (Argentina) (DVD)
• Argentina Video Home (Argentina) (VHS)
• CIC-Taft Home Video (19??) (Australia) (VHS)
• Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) (1995) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)
• Criterion Collection, The (2004) (USA) (DVD)
• Paramount Home Entertainment (2004) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Paramount Home Entertainment (2008) (Netherlands) (DVD) (Blu-Ray Disc)
• Paramount Home Video (2006) (USA) (DVD)
• Prem'er Video Fil'm (Russia) (VHS)

Special Effects

• Makeup Effects Laboratories

Other Companies

• Central Casting  extras casting
• Cinema Research  titles and opticals
• DENTSU Music And Entertainment  thanks
• Directors' Catering  catering
• Dolby Laboratories  sound post-production
• Film Link International Inc.  production service
• For Stars Catering  catering
• Goldwyn Sound Facility  sound services
• Musikwerks  additional sound effects
• New York City Mayor's Office of Film, Theater & Broadcasting, The  thanks
• New York Police Department Motion Picture Unit  thanks
• Nissan Motor Company  thanks
• Northwest Airlines  thanks
• Osaka Hilton  thanks
• Panasonic  thanks
• Pepsico Japan  thanks
• Reel People Inc.  negative cutting
• Suzuki  thanks
• Trifari  thanks
• Tristone Entertainment Inc.  production services
• Unique Movie Cars  picture cars
• Virgin Records  soundtrack published by (as Virgin Movie Music)

Also Known As:

Black Rain (Canada: French title) (France) [fr]
Lluvia negra (Argentina) (Spain) [es]
Black Rain (Spain) [es]
Black Rain (Spain: Catalan title) [ca]
Black Rain - pioggia sporca (Italy) [it]
Chuva Negra (Portugal) [pt]
Crna kisa (Serbia) [sr]
Czarny deszcz (Poland) [pl]
Fekete esö (Hungary) [hu]
Geshem Shahor (Israel: Hebrew title) [iw]
Kafti vrohi (Greece) [el]
Kara yagmur (Turkey: Turkish title) [tr]
Must vihm (Estonia) [et]
Musta sade (Finland) [fi]

Runtime:

125 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Japanese

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

70 mm 6-Track (70 mm prints) | Dolby SR (35 mm prints)

Certification:

Netherlands:16 | Brazil:14 | New Zealand:M | Australia:M | Argentina:18 | Chile:18 | Finland:K-16 | France:U | Norway:18 | Sweden:15 | UK:18 | USA:R | West Germany:16 | Singapore:M18 | Iceland:16

Filming Locations:

1000 N. Crescent Drive, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Paramount Pictures

Trivia:

Director Trademark: [Ridley Scott] [score]Hans Zimmer and Ridley Scott collaborated for the first time in this movie.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: Towards the end of the movie, Nick shoots a hole in a bed sheet hanging on a clothes line, but the pre-cut hole is visible before it is shot.

Quotes:

Nick Conklin: Sugai-san, I am the solution... to your problems.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Black Rain: Making the Film - Part 1 (2006) (V)

Soundtrack:

THE WAY YOU DO THE THINGS YOU DO

Good, but not that good.

Black Rain is an absolutely gorgeous movie to look at. And for the most part it's highly entertaining and well acted - the guy playing Sato is brilliantly menacing. But occasionally, very occasionally, it descends into either complete predictability or downright cheesiness. A motorbike chase, well, that's a surprise! And that award ceremony right near the end - why? It's totally irrelevant, feel good factor nonsense - the sort of stuff you get with bog standard action movies. And this is not bog standard, and not really an action movie. Certainly underrated and deserving of a better audience than it has received, but ultimately let down by a few lapses in quality.