Black Rain (American film) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Black Rain (American film)
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For the Japanese film, see Black Rain (Japanese film).
Black Rain
Theatrical release poster
Directed by
Ridley Scott
Produced by
Stanley R. Jaffe,
Sherry Lansing
Written by
Craig Bolotin
Warren Lewis
Starring
Michael Douglas
Andy Garc¨ªa
Ken Takakura
Kate Capshaw
Yusaku Matsuda
Tomisaburo Wakayama
Music by
Hans Zimmer
Cinematography
Jan de Bont
Editing by
Tom Rolf
Distributed by
Paramount Pictures
Release date(s)
September 22, 1989
Running time
125 minutes
Country
United States
Language
English
Japanese
Budget
$30,000,000
Box office
$134,212,055 (worldwide)
Black Rain is a 1989 American action-thriller film starring Michael Douglas, Andy Garc¨ªa, Ken Takakura, Kate Capshaw and Yusaku Matsuda. The film was directed by Ridley Scott.
The story is centered on two New York City police officers who arrest a member of the Yakuza and must escort him back to Japan. Once there, he escapes, and the two police officers find themselves dragged deeper and deeper into the Japanese underworld. This film illustrates the stereotypes of American and Japanese cops and gangsters.
Contents
1 Plot
2 Cast
3 Reception
4 Production notes
5 Release
5.1 Box office
6 References
7 External links
[edit] Plot
Nick Conklin (Michael Douglas) is a skilled motorcyclist and a tough veteran New York City police officer facing possible criminal charges; Internal Affairs believes Nick was involved with his partner who was caught taking criminal money in a corruption scandal. Nick is divorced from his wife, who has custody of their two children. Nick also has financial difficulties due to alimony and child support as well as other concerns.
While having a drink at a local Italian restaurant/bar, Nick and his partner Charlie Vincent (Andy Garc¨ªa) observe two Japanese men having what appears to be a friendly lunch with some Italian gangsters. Nick is increasingly suspicious of the group until another Japanese man enters the restaurant with several armed henchmen and seizes a small package at gunpoint from the leader of the Japanese group. As the man turns to leave, one of the Japanese men at the table says, in Japanese, "The Oyabun [Godfather] will not stand for this." The leader of the Japanese group chimes in, "As always, such a troublesome child." The Japanese man finds these remarks insulting and he slashes the man's throat, stabs another in the chest, and then walks out. Nick and Charlie follow immediately and, after a short chase, arrest the suspect after he nearly kills Nick.
The suspect turns out to be a Yakuza gangster by the name of Sato (Yusaku Matsuda, in his final performance). The situation is further complicated when Nick¡¯s superior officer, Captain Oliver (John Spencer), tells him that Sato is to be extradited to Osaka and given to the police there. Nick is angry that Sato will not be tried for murder in the United States, but agrees to escort him to Japan. Nick¡¯s captain also has an ulterior motive for sending Nick overseas, thinking it will keep Nick from causing more trouble and exacerbating the already biased Internal Affairs investigation of him.
When they arrive in Osaka, men identifying themselves as Japanese police immediately meet them on the plane, display a "transfer document" written in Japanese and take Sato into their custody, leaving the plane by the rear exit. As Nick and Charlie are about to get off the plane themselves, another group of police enter from the front and identify themselves in English, indicating that the first "cops" were impostors.
Nick and Charlie are taken to the headquarters of the Osaka Prefecture Police and questioned. They are blamed for Sato¡¯s escape. After much haranguing by Nick, who shows xenophobia towards the Japanese, who rarely acknowledge that they can speak English, he and Charlie are allowed to ¡°observe¡± the hunt for Sato. However, the senior police officer emphasizes that they have no authority in Japan and it is illegal for them to carry their guns, which are all confiscated. They are assigned to Masahiro Matsumoto (Ken Takakura), a mild-mannered and experienced officer, who will be their guide.
Throughout the investigation Nick behaves rudely, offending Matsumoto, while Charlie tries to be more polite. Nick also makes contact with an American blond nightclub hostess, Joyce (Kate Capshaw), who explains that the Japanese public, including the giggling hostesses in the club, all believe that Nick and Charlie are not to be taken seriously because they allowed Sato to easily escape from custody, and represent American inefficiency and stupidity. Through her, Nick discovers that Sato is fighting a gang war with a notorious crime boss, Sugai (Tomisaburo Wakayama). Sato used to be a lieutenant for Sugai and now wants his own territory to rule. Sato had traveled to New York to disrupt a meeting with American Italian gangsters about a counterfeiting scheme being set up by Sugai.
Having joined a police raid of a gang hideout without permission, Nick takes some $100 bills. The next day Matsumoto explains they have dishonored themselves, him and the police force by this theft, which has been reported back to America; Nick just claims he ought not to have "snitched" to his superiors, and shows Matsumoto that the money was counterfeit, as he suspected, and therefore needed to prove, by burning one of the bills.
Late one night, Nick and Charlie walk back to their hotel slightly drunk and unescorted, despite previous warnings about their safety from Matsumoto. They are harassed by a young punk on a motorcycle, and it seems to be a joke until the motorcyclist steals Charlie¡¯s raincoat and leads Charlie into an underground parking garage. Nick follows, shouting for Charlie to come back, but is separated from his partner by a security gate. The unarmed Nick then watches in horror as Sato and several of his B¨­s¨­zoku gang members briefly torture Charlie using swords and knives, before Sato beheads him. Distraught, Nick is comforted by Joyce at her apartment. Matsumoto arrives with Nick¡¯s belongings, including his NYPD badge, which Nick gives to Matsumoto, and Charlie¡¯s service pistol, which Nick keeps for himself.
Matsumoto and Nick trail one of Sato¡¯s operatives, a well-dressed young woman; overnight the policemen discuss their different cultures, and Nick admits to Matsumoto that he had taken some money in New York, where he says there is no black-and-white. In the morning the woman retrieves from a bank strongbox a sample counterfeit note (printed only on one side), which she passes to one of Sato¡¯s gang. Nick and Matsumoto tail the man to a steel foundry where they find that Sato is meeting with Sugai, and discovers that the package that Sato had stolen in New York contains a printing plate for the American $100 bill. Nick intervenes when Sato leaves the meeting and a gunfight ensues. Sato escapes again when Nick is arrested by the swarming police for waving a gun in public, and told he will be sent back to New York in disgrace.
Nick boards the plane for New York but is able to sneak off to pursue Sato on his own. He finds that Matsumoto has been suspended and demoted by his police force, a deep humiliation. Joyce helps him meet Sugai, who explains that making counterfeit U.S. currency is his revenge for the "black rain" after the bombing of Hiroshima and the loss of dignity he and his family faced in the aftermath of World War II. Nick suggests a deal where Sugai can use Nick as an insignificant American to retrieve the stolen plate from Sato, leaving Sugai's reputation and hands clean.
Sugai drops Nick at the outskirts of a remote farm where a meeting of the oyabun, the other crime bosses of the region, is to take place. Nick is supplied with a shotgun. Sato arrives a short time later, as does Matsumoto. Matsumoto and Nick deduce that Sato¡¯s men are planning a massacre. At the meeting table, Sato surrenders his single plate and requests recognition and his own territory. However, Sugai demands that Sato first atone for his offenses against the Yakuza code in the traditional Yakuza way: he is ordered to cut off one of his fingers, which he duly does. As he takes his position next to Sugai, he stabs the elder gangster in the hand and escapes with both the plates, prompting a gunfight between all Sugai¡¯s and Sato¡¯s men. Sato escapes the fight on a dirt bike with Nick close behind. Nick is able to spill Sato off his bike and the two fight briefly, until Nick gains the advantage. The scene ends with Nick having to decide whether or not to kill Sato for Charlie and for all the humiliation he has suffered.
The film ends with Matsumoto and Nick walking a handcuffed Sato into police headquarters to the amazement of everyone and later receiving commendations, which Nick accepts gratefully. Before boarding his flight home, Nick thanks Matsumoto for his assistance and his friendship, and gives him a gift box containing a dress shirt. Underneath the shirt, Matsumoto finds the two counterfeit printing plates.
[edit] Cast
Michael Douglas as Nick Conklin
Andy Garc¨ªa as Charlie Vincent
Ken Takakura as Masahiro Matsumoto[1]
Kate Capshaw as Joyce
Yusaku Matsuda as Sato
Shigeru K?yama as Ohashi
John Spencer as Oliver
Guts Ishimatsu as Katayama
Yuya Uchida as Nashida
Tomisaburo Wakayama as Sugai
Miyuki Ono as Miyuki
Luis Guzm¨¢n as Frankie (as Luis Guzman)
John Costelloe as The Kid (as John A. Costelloe)
Stephen Root as Berg
Richard Riehle as Crown
Rikiya Yasuoka as Sugai's man
[edit] Reception
The film was met with a mostly positive reception.[2][3] The film was nominated for the Academy Awards for Best Sound (Donald O. Mitchell, Kevin O'Connell, Greg P. Russell and Keith A. Wester) and Best Sound Effects Editing.[4]
[edit] Production notes
Chinese actor Jackie Chan was first approached to play Sato but decided the role did not match his values or image.[5] Japanese musician Ryuichi Sakamoto contributed the song "Laserman" to the film's soundtrack.[6]
Japanese actor Yusaku Matsuda, who played Sato, was suffering from bladder cancer during filming and died shortly after the film's completion.[7] The director Ridley Scott has dedicated the film to his memory.
The high cost and red tape involved in filming in Japan prompted director Scott to declare that he would never film in that country again.[8] Scott was eventually forced to leave the country and complete the final climactic scene (which included American character actor Al Leong) in Napa Valley, California.
This movie marks the first collaboration between Hans Zimmer and Ridley Scott. Zimmer would go on to score several more movies for Scott, including Gladiator, Thelma and Louise, Hannibal, Black Hawk Down, and Matchstick Men.
Shooting of the film began in November 1988 and ended in March 1989.
[edit] Release
[edit] Box office
In its opening weekend, Black Rain grossed $9.6 million in 1,610 theaters in the United States and Canada, ranking #1 at the box office.[9] It stayed at the #1 spot for 2 more weeks.[10] The film grossed a total of $46.2 million in the United States and Canada and $88 million in other territories for a worldwide gross of $134.2 million.[11]
[edit] References
^ Thomas, Kevin (1989-10-13). "Takakura: 'Black Rain' Star Finds His Place in the Sun : Movies: The veteran of nearly 200 Japanese films is likely to gain greater international fame from this one, atypical performance.". The Los Angeles Times. http://articles.latimes.com/1989-10-13/entertainment/ca-312_1_black-rain. Retrieved 2010-11-10.
^ Wilmington, Michael (1989-09-22). "MOVIE REVIEW : 'Black Rain' a Blast of Fiery Razzle-Dazzle". The Los Angeles Times. http://articles.latimes.com/1989-09-22/entertainment/ca-527_1_black-rain. Retrieved 2010-11-10.
^ "Black Rain". Chicago Sun Times. http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/19890922/REVIEWS/909220301/1023&AID1=/19890922/REVIEWS/909220301/1023&AID2=. Retrieved 2011-02-05.
^ "The 62nd Academy Awards (1990) Nominees and Winners". oscars.org. http://www.oscars.org/awards/academyawards/legacy/ceremony/62nd-winners.html. Retrieved 2011-10-17.
^ Logan, Bey. "Hong Kong Superstar Jackie Chan Owes As Much To Charlie Chaplin As He Does To Bruce Lee", Black Belt, January 1994, p.35.
^ "Black Rain (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)". Discogs. http://www.discogs.com/Various-Black-Rain-Original-Motion-Picture-Soundtrack/release/1669514. Retrieved 2011-05-31.
^ "Yusaku Matsuda, 39, Japanese Movie Actor". The New York Times. 9 November 1989. http://www.nytimes.com/1989/11/09/obituaries/yusaku-matsuda-39-japanese-movie-actor.html.
^ According to the commentary on the Criterion DVD of Mishima: A Life in Four Chapters
^ Cerone, Daniel (1989-09-26). "Black Rain, `Sea of Love' Tops at Box Office WEEKEND BOX OFFICE". The Los Angeles Times. http://articles.latimes.com/1989-09-26/entertainment/ca-76_1_box-office-figures. Retrieved 2010-11-10.
^ "Black Rain (1989) - Weekend Box Office Results". Box Office Mojo. http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?page=weekend&id=blackrain.htm. Retrieved 2007-11-21.
^ "Black Rain (1989)". Box Office Mojo. http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=blackrain.htm. Retrieved 2007-11-21.
[edit] External links
Film portal
Black Rain at the Internet Movie Database
Black Rain at AllRovi
Black Rain at Box Office Mojo
v
d
e
Films directed by Ridley Scott
1970s
The Duellists (1977)
Alien (1979)
1980s
Blade Runner (1982)
Legend (1985)
Someone to Watch Over Me (1987)
Black Rain (1989)
1990s
Thelma & Louise (1991)
1492: Conquest of Paradise (1992)
White Squall (1996)
G.I. Jane (1997)
2000s
Gladiator (2000)
Hannibal (2001)
Black Hawk Down (2001)
Matchstick Men (2003)
Kingdom of Heaven (2005)
A Good Year (2006)
American Gangster (2007)
Body of Lies (2008)
2010s
Robin Hood (2010)
Prometheus (2012)
See also: 1984 (television commercial) (1984), Boy and Bicycle (short film) (1965)
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Films directed by Ridley Scott
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