RISING SUN
US, 1993, 129 minutes, Colour.
Sean Connery, Wesley Snipes, Harvey Keitel, Cary- Hiroyuki Tagawa, Kevin Anderson, Mako, Ray Wise, Stan Shaw, Tia Carrere, Steve Buscemi.
Rising Sun is an adaptation of the bestseller by Michael Creighton (the film being released at the same time as Jurassic Park). The film was written for the screen and directed by Philip Kauffman (The Ultimate Lightness of Being, Henry and June, The Right Stuff). The criticism of the film was that it softened Creighton's original attack on the Japanese corporate takeover of America, switching the murderer from a Japanese to an American. However, the film does highlight the differences between East and West, the American way of doing business, tough stances, especially in murder investigations, compared with the reticence and decorum of the Japanese style - nonetheless deadly.
Sean Connery breezes through his role as John Connor, a police expert as well as expert in Asian matters. He is partnered with Wesley Snipes (who appeared in 1992-93 in a range of films including Boiling Point, Passenger 57, Demolition Man). Harvey Keitel appears as a corrupt American cop, Kevin Anderson is the villain. Ray Wise appears as a corrupt senator and Cary- Hiroyuki Tagawa is an ambiguous Japanese in Los Angeles.
The film is basically a police investigation, the contrast between the ways of East and West as well as between black and white in Los Angeles. However, the film has implications for American big business as well as political connections.
1. The popularity of the novel? The critique of the Japanese? Adapted for the screen, the softening of the critique, the changing of the murderer from Japanese to American? Affecting the impact of the film?
2. Los Angeles settings, the world of the Japanese in Los Angeles, the intersecting of Asia and the West? The background of black Los Angeles? The world of big business, hotels, political headquarters, police investigation bureaux? The glossy style? Musical score?
3. The focus on technology and its use, the use of video, aural surveillance, the doctoring of evidence, the ability of machines to tamper with video? The use of technology to incriminate people?
4. The title and the focus on Japan and the US? Japanese ownership of the United States? Big companies? Japanese migrating to America - and adapting to western styles? The credits and the karaoke opening with Eddie and his singing? The Americans having to adapt to Japanese ways? Different ways of doing business, tough action, industrial espionage, respect and decorum? The Japanese corporate bosses, their use of information? Manners? Coping with a crime? Politeness versus LA law?
5. The opening situation: the deals, Richmond and his advice, the political connections, visual and aural surveillance? The stand-offs? The opening of the high-rise building, the party, the impact of the gross murder? The Japanese handling it - especially Ishi Hara and the help of Richmond?
6. Eddie and his world, the nightclubs, girlfriends, music, relationship with Cheryl, his encounters with her? Her going to the party, the sexual encounter, the nature of her death, asphyxiation? Suspicions on Eddie? The video changed to make Eddie guilty?
7. Wesley Snipes as Webb Smith (and the device of his being interrogated and the flashbacks to explain the situation)? His unwillingness to investigate, going, meeting with John Connor? Sean Connery's style? The meeting, working together, the advice of Connor, Japanese customs? Angers and decorum? Breaking out? The collaboration with Tom Graham and his handling of the investigation?
8. Smith and his type, background, racial stances, wit? Going into action - martial arts style? The contrast with Connor - sage, knowing customs, the mystery about him, his story about his relationship and leaving Japan? His giving advice? The irony of Smith being able to get the brothers in East LA to stop the Japanese pursuers?
9. The nature of the evidence, the visualising of the death (and the number of replays), the missing disk, its being replaced, deconstructed and reconstructed?
10. The murder, the cause of death, the breathing, Eddie and suspicions, his escape, the car crash and his death?
11. Connor getting Theresa with her expertise to unravel the tapes? Checking the evidence? Her relationship to Connor, Connor's story - and Smith taking her to Connor's address at the end?
12. The background of the media, Weasel and his investigations, interviews? Warning Smith about corruption investigations? His warning about the gangsters following? The place of the media in collaboration with the police?
13. The senator, his open style, his party machine, the faithful, the rallying and support? His relationship with Richmond? The importance of the corporate deals? The video, the revelation of the truth and his sexual encounter with Cheryl? His suicide?
14. Graham, the collaboration with Smith and Connor, the irony of his being on the take, in collusion with the Japanese, with Ishi Hara in the pursuit of Eddie?
15. Eddie not dead, the shootouts - and his death? Webb saved from the bullet?
16. The revelation of the truth, the senator, the murderer - not Eddie? Richmond hurrying from the room, his attempted escape, the gangsters killing him and burying him in the foundations of the building?
17. Ishi Hara and his manipulations in America, his inability to save the situation, losing face, disgraced and sent back to Japan?
18. Satisfactory resolution, satisfying police investigation, portrait of corporate and political corruption? An interpretation of the influence of the Japanese in the United States in the '80s and '90s?
