The Sun

Thie film "The Sun" is very good in its portrayal of what lhe emperor's life was like at the time the war ended. The acting was suberb and the sets were excellent. The major flaws lie in the depiction of the emperor's interactions with many of the Americans. MacArtjhur is portrayed quite well and the emperor's interactions with him are true to the spirit of what happened, if not exactly the facts. The major flaw lies in the total absense of Brigadeer General Bonner Fellers, who, as MacArthur's Aide regarding the emperor, played a major role in the whole affair. He should at least have been shown but there was no hint he ever existed. In addition, the film shows the Americans going to the palace and bringing the emperor to MacArthur. This is not the way it happened, and not the way MacArthure wanted it. What happened is, the emperor came to MacArthur in his own car at a time of his own decision. In addition, the American Major who was shown as MacArthur's interpreter, was shown as far more defferential to the emperor than an American officer would likely have been in the days just following the surrender (though the actor did speak near perfect Japanese). All in all, the film did a good job of depicting the emperor and his situation, but was less than accurate regarding some of the actual events.

Saw this on the big screen a couple years ago & was blown away. Had to own it. Now to see the other 2....

"The Sun" is the third film in Russian director Aleksandr Sokurov's tetralogy about powerful political figures as they suffer personally from their poor decisions. The first two films were about Adolf Hitler and Vladimir Lenin. "The Sun" is about Hirohito, Emperor of Japan, just after the Japanese surrender in 1945. The Emperor (Issey Ogata) is under house arrest in a building on the grounds of the Imperial Palace while the Allies decide what to do with him. He is attended by a chamberlain (Shiro Sano) and an elderly manservant, who try to preserve his normal routine. He is briefed by his ministers on the state of the war effort, he studies marine biology, takes a nap, writes his son, sees a guest, and meets General Douglas MacArthur (Robert Dawson), Supreme Commander of the Allied Powers in Japan, for the first time. The way Sokurov presents this series of events gives the impression that it all happened in one day. Looking closely, that is not explicit but implicit, though the events actually took place over the course of months. There is much debate over the degree to which the Emperor was in control of the Japanese military and therefore responsible, or not, for "war crimes". "The Sun" takes the view that was adopted by the United States and its Allies, and therefore by the Japanese, after the war: Hirohito was isolated, easily manipulated by those more ambitious than himself, and a bit clueless. He was just a figurehead, and the Allies wanted him to continue to be so as Japan recovered from the devastation of war. Presented this way, Hirohito seems a lot like King Louis XVI of France or Tsar Nicholas II of Russia. Sokurov paints Hirohito as a well-meaning fool who has an embarrassing nervous tick, is preoccupied with his interest in marine biology, and summons a scientist whose research institute has been destroyed to discuss the Northern Lights, all while Japan is in crisis and the Emperor must contemplate the implications of renouncing his divine origins. But Sokurov respects the Emperor, because he placed the future of his nation above his own pride. He surrendered. He did what was asked of him by his conquerors to smooth the transition to an occupied and new Japan. I suppose this would be true whether or not he was responsible for war crimes. The Emperor does everything with slow deliberation, which sets the film's pace. It's slow. Issey Ogata looks remarkably like Hirohito, though I don't know if the nervous tick is accurate. The content of conversations between Hirohito and MacArthur is uncertain and may have been fictionalized. Although Ogata's performance is impressive, "The Sun" would not have much meaning were these not true events. So veracity is an essential component of the film's worth, and I don't think Sokurov was concerned with history so much as his impression of the Emperor's character at a time of crisis. The subdued, dreamy cinematography, also by Sokurov, is admirable, as is Ogata's portrayal, but I wouldn't take "The Sun" to be history. In English and Japanese. The DVD (Kino/Lorber 2010): Bonus features are "Production Notes by Aleksandr Sokurov" (text) taken from an interview with the director, a Russian theatrical trailer (1 min), and a Stills Gallery of 19 production stills. English subtitles are available for the film.

realizing that my impressions are all relative to my own temperment, let me just say what i have to say without regard for your approval. i was bored. a sense of civic duty kepy me from swapping dvds to "The best of mr. monk" or some other dvds i am anxious to enjoy. and enjoying is not any part of my experience with this docu/drama. i was bothered with the slow pace. ironically the subtitles were unnecessarily fast. hirohito's mannerisms suggested he was emotionally challenged- hich while true , the point was over emphasized. "i got it, i got it" i thought when another superflous scene seemed more to remind us again and again of his stifled stiff slow formalized mannerisms. and now i will do what the producers should have done-- having made my points,: bow out and pull the plug. sayonara.

Me apasiono este director en Francofonia y continúa apasionándose un estilo con influencias de tarkosy y que maneja la luz de una forma brillante .Rodo la biografía de Hitler en su película Moloch diferente a lo visto hasta ahora ahora la del Emprerador Japonés Hiro hitoy Taurus Lenin una trilogía excelente para coleccionistas si olvidar la versión de Fausto de Ghoethe..

Il film racconta i giorni dell'Imperatore giapponese al momento della resa, l'incontro tra le due culture, dei vinti e dei vincitori, tanto distanti tra loro, la liberazione di un uomo che può finalmente cessare di essere considerato un dio, le tante contraddizioni e violenze, represse e sfogate, della società giapponese. Una vicenda impressionante, molto distante dal nostro modo di pensare, anche se forse più nelle forme che nella sostanza. L'audio è in giapponese e in inglese, i dialoghi in giapponese sono sottotitolati in inglese, quelle in inglese non sono sottotitolate, e quando l'imperatore parla inglese con un violento accento giapponese la comprensione non è agevole.

An interesting bit of history, but a bit slow.

Ausgezeichneter Film von Sokurow. Leider nur als englische Version zu bekommen (wobei grosse Teile in japanisch sind, mit wenigen englischen Untertiteln). Ogata als Hirohito ist alleine schon den ganzen Film wert - ein fast schon körperlich nachzufühlender verlassener Mensch, dessen Mund ein fast unabhängiges Eigenleben zu führen scheint. Ein Film, der nie ein breites Publikum erreichen wird, aber ein einzigartiges Erlebnis für echte Cineasten.

Wow! I thought Emperor Hirohito had died long ago - but it seems not before shooting this fantastic film. At least that's what it seems like. This was the third part of a trilogy of films about famous leaders, the first two being Lenin and Hitler. I suppose the supreme accolade must go to the director, Alexander Sokurov, for the imaginative and wholly convincing recreation of the moment of surrender by Hirohito to General MacArthur in 1945, although the extraordinary performance of Issey Ogata as Hirohito is just a hairsbreadth away. I have read a fair amount over the years about WW II, the defeat of Japan, etc., and although this is obviously a recreation of the events as imagined by Sokurov, it seems hard to believe that we are not witnessing the real thing. I saw the previous Sokurov film in this trilogy, "Moloch", depicting Hitler, in an altogether surreal atmosphere, which for me was rather over stylized and lacked both content and gravitas. The Sun, however is of a different order altogether. Hirohito did in fact live very much in a world of his own, quite divorced from the teaming and wholly subordinate masses over which he ruled. This is exquisitely captured in the deferential and submissive way that his personal servants behave. Everyone is very respectful of everyone else, yet there is no doubt about the almost celestial reverence with which the emperor is treated. I didn't know that Hirohito himself suffered from the kind of vocal indecision or preparation before speaking that Ogata depicts, but I assume he did, since nobody could invent such an impediment in the way that Ogata performs it. Quite masterful! I'm not quite sure about the role of MacArthur. I can't quite say why, but somehow I didn't feel I was watching MacArthur. Maybe the physiognomy was wrong, or perhaps the famous pomposity that so characterized MacArthur was missing. Anyhow, he wasn't a patch on Hirohito, although a performance such as Ogata's would leave just about anyone in the shade. This is a really great work of art, perfectly captured in a washed out, gloomy colour that looks so authentic that it's difficult to believe it isn't the real thing.