My introduction to the works of Aleksandr Sokurov was by way of a friend's recommendation of his 'Mother and Son', which I consider visual poetry of the highest order; I'd been somewhat wary of viewing his 'Russian Ark' because of the emphasis that too many reviewers were placing on its technical accomplishments. I can agree on those, but there's so much more to the film, which is probably the least of the three Sokurovs that I've now seen.
Because of their subject matter - the last days of a confined-to-bunker defeated World War II Axis-state 'Emperor' - this film has been recommended as a good companion-piece to Oliver Hirschbiegel's (overlong) 'Downfall', but by doing so would only expose the latter film (whose merits largely derive from Bruno Ganz' lead performance) to its inadequacies. 'The Sun' is a VASTLY superior film, and about far, far more than just acting performance.
For me, its impossible to assess the respective contributions to the film's overall quality of script, direction, and of lead performance beyond noting each's overall excellence. I'd LIKE to know how much of Yuri Arabov's script remains in the finished 'product' - and to what extent, if any, Sokurov changed it, but then I'd also like to know how much direction Issey Ogata obtained. But I don't NEED to know. At the very least, given that director Sokurov also acted as director of photography, the visuals are worthy of the director of 'Mother and Son'. And, while usually I'm wary of a film's production design, here, also, EVERYTHING fits, whether we're talking about the colour schemes to fit a particular mood, or the opulence in which the Emperor is received, by his conquering nation's representative General MacArthur, which might reflect equally on the character of the General.
The portrait of Hirohito which the film suggests is of a man who had greatness (or more accurately deification) thrust upon him: an all-too-human man - as evidenced by his secretive lingering over his personal collection of photos of Hollywood screen goddesses ; a man who perhaps delighted in comparisons made of him with Charlie Chaplin; a man who loved his wife and family; who liked to occupy his brain and mind to the fullest, even when his subjects preferred him not to, for it not being required of a deity; a man who may not have involved himself enough in affairs of State and warfare to the extent, perhaps, that he should have, and that his intelligence and apparent compassion warranted; a man who perhaps had something of the child about him, who welcomed the release from the stultifying repression his birthright had subjected him to, more than he would have liked his subjects - or General Macarthur, even - to know.
With my limited knowledge of Japanese history - which I intend to rectify - I don't know how accurate such a portrait is, but its brilliantly, cohesively presented.
A cinematic Masterpice
Side notes: 1)Its unfortunate that the shape of actor Robert Dawson's head (especially his forehead) kept reminding me of a (benevolent) alien in 1950's sci-fi classic, This Island Earth' (Of course this may have been intentional, if there was considerable 'makeup' involved.) 2).In his DVD production notes the director stated that he considered Japanese people as being closer in nature to English people than to the peoples of their East Asian nations neighbours. Watching a perhaps deliberately comical interlude of exaggerated 'After you, Claude' deference, between the Emperor and a visiting scientist, one could well believe it.
Because of their subject matter - the last days of a confined-to-bunker defeated World War II Axis-state 'Emperor' - this film has been recommended as a good companion-piece to Oliver Hirschbiegel's (overlong) 'Downfall', but by doing so would only expose the latter film (whose merits largely derive from Bruno Ganz' lead performance) to its inadequacies. 'The Sun' is a VASTLY superior film, and about far, far more than just acting performance.
For me, its impossible to assess the respective contributions to the film's overall quality of script, direction, and of lead performance beyond noting each's overall excellence. I'd LIKE to know how much of Yuri Arabov's script remains in the finished 'product' - and to what extent, if any, Sokurov changed it, but then I'd also like to know how much direction Issey Ogata obtained. But I don't NEED to know. At the very least, given that director Sokurov also acted as director of photography, the visuals are worthy of the director of 'Mother and Son'. And, while usually I'm wary of a film's production design, here, also, EVERYTHING fits, whether we're talking about the colour schemes to fit a particular mood, or the opulence in which the Emperor is received, by his conquering nation's representative General MacArthur, which might reflect equally on the character of the General.
The portrait of Hirohito which the film suggests is of a man who had greatness (or more accurately deification) thrust upon him: an all-too-human man - as evidenced by his secretive lingering over his personal collection of photos of Hollywood screen goddesses ; a man who perhaps delighted in comparisons made of him with Charlie Chaplin; a man who loved his wife and family; who liked to occupy his brain and mind to the fullest, even when his subjects preferred him not to, for it not being required of a deity; a man who may not have involved himself enough in affairs of State and warfare to the extent, perhaps, that he should have, and that his intelligence and apparent compassion warranted; a man who perhaps had something of the child about him, who welcomed the release from the stultifying repression his birthright had subjected him to, more than he would have liked his subjects - or General Macarthur, even - to know.
With my limited knowledge of Japanese history - which I intend to rectify - I don't know how accurate such a portrait is, but its brilliantly, cohesively presented.
A cinematic Masterpice
Side notes: 1)Its unfortunate that the shape of actor Robert Dawson's head (especially his forehead) kept reminding me of a (benevolent) alien in 1950's sci-fi classic, This Island Earth' (Of course this may have been intentional, if there was considerable 'makeup' involved.) 2).In his DVD production notes the director stated that he considered Japanese people as being closer in nature to English people than to the peoples of their East Asian nations neighbours. Watching a perhaps deliberately comical interlude of exaggerated 'After you, Claude' deference, between the Emperor and a visiting scientist, one could well believe it.