Rising Sun (1993)

Director:

Philip Kaufman

Writers (WGA):

Michael Crichton (novel)
Philip Kaufman (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

30 July 1993 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | Mystery | Thriller | Action

Plot:

At the offices of a Japanese corporation, during a party, a woman, who's evidently a professional mistress...

Plot Keywords:

Police | Japanese | Detective | Business | Hara Kiri

Awards:

1 win & 1 nomination

Cast

Sean Connery	...	Capt. John Connor
Wesley Snipes	...	Lt. Webster Smith
Harvey Keitel	...	Lt. Tom Graham
Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa	...	Eddie Sakamura
Kevin Anderson	...	Bob Richmond
Mako	...	Yoshida-san
Ray Wise	...	Senator John Morton
Stan Egi	...	Ishihara
Stan Shaw	...	Phillips
Tia Carrere	...	Jingo Asakuma
Steve Buscemi	...	Willy 'the Weasel' Wilhelm
Tatjana Patitz	...	Cheryl Lynn Austin
Peter Crombie	...	Greg
Sam Lloyd	...	Rick
Alexandra Powers	...	Julia

Also Known As:

Die Wiege der Sonne (Austria) (Germany) [de]
Sol Nascente (Brazil) (Portugal) [pt]
Soleil levant (Canada: French title) (France) [fr]
Anatellon ilos (Greece) [el]
Blodröd sol (Sweden) [sv]
Izlazece sunce (Serbia) [sr]
Nouseva aurinko (Finland) [fi]
Sol levante (Italy) [it]
Sol naciente (Spain) [es]
Solen stiger (Denmark) [da]
Tõusev päike (Estonia) [et]
Vycházející slunce (Czech Republic) [cs]
Vzhajajoce sonce (Slovenia) [sl]

Runtime:

125 min | USA:129 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Canada:R (Manitoba/Nova Scotia/Ontario) | Australia:M (TV rating) | Iceland:16 | Philippines:R-18 | Netherlands:12 | Australia:MA | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Finland:K-16 | Germany:16 | Norway:15 | Singapore:M18 | South Korea:15 | Spain:18 | Sweden:15 | UK:18 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Japanese Garden, Donald C. Tillman Water Reclamation Plant - 6100 Woodley Avenue, Van Nuys, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation

Trivia:

Writers Michael Crichton and Michael Backes quit the project largely over disagreement with director Philip Kaufman that one of the lead characters should be changed into an African-American.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Web and Connor drive in the rain and only Web is shown, the passenger side windscreen wiper reaches the area that is wiped by the other blade. When both Web and Connor are shown, the wiper's travel is shorter and it does not reach the area wiped by the other blade.

Quotes:

John Connor: They say if you resort to violence, then you've already lost.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Assembling the League (2003) (V)

Soundtrack:

DON'T FENCE ME IN

100% actor movie

"Rising sun" is clearly "an actor movie". My definition of an actor movie is this: it's a movie people are dying to see mostly/only because of the great, gifted and well-known actors and a movie that basically works because of those recognized actors. Another example would be, let's say, James Mangold's "Cop land". Sylvester Stallone, Robert De Niro, Harvey Keitel, Ray Liotta, Robert Patrick, Michael Rapaport - all appearing in a one otherwise quite basic thriller. Of course it's true marvelous cast alone can't save a film if everything else stinks. Luckily "Rising sun" includes a good, entertaining and exciting script and a nice story with lots of surprises.

I'm still pretty sure it would be a film that's very easy to forget without the fine actors. They are the force that keeps everything else working. Sean Connery and Wesley Snipes in the leading roles are quite amusing and I have to admit, most interesting pair. Naturally everybody wants to see if they got any screen chemistry. Certainly it's also always very nice to enjoy the uncontested talents of great men like Harvey Keitel and Steve Buscemi - even if the film isn't the biggest highlight of their careers. Ray Wise is pretty terrific in a significant role as Senator Morton - even though every time I see his crooked face it only makes me think of Leland Palmer - his peculiar character in the television hit series "Twin peaks". So by all means, watch Philip Kaufman's "Rising sun". I know you want to.