'The Sun' which has as central character emperor Hirohito is the last film in a trilogy of Russian director Alexandr Sokurov, the previous two films being dedicated to Lenin and Hitler. Three very different characters that have put their print on the history of the 2oth century. It's an interesting combination, but as I have not seen the other two films I cannot comment about it.
The two other films that 'The Sun' immediately reminds are 'Der Untergang' and Bertolucci's 'last Emperor'. As in the excellent German film dedicated to Hitler's last days much of the first part of 'The Sun' happens in a bunker, the bunker where the emperor hides at the end of the war. The feeling of claustrophobia and personal isolation is present here as well, although Hirohito seems to be different than Hitler in understanding and acknowledging the dimensions of the tragedy that his rule has inflicted on his people. However, as in 'The Last Emperor' his personal background, the ceremonial life he was educated for and the divinity status that he is supposed to adopt make him severely unfit to face reality. It is his the process of reconciliation with reality that is the central theme of this film.
As in 'Untergang' the film lies to a large extend on the shoulders of the lead actor. As Bruno Ganz, Issei Ogata does a wonderful job here in bringing to screen an image of Hirohito which is full of complexity, with a tragic, historic but also human dimension. Ogata's Hirohito fights with personal despair and guilt, and also with the limits of his own education and understanding of the world in order to gain the strength to do what he believes is best for his country and for his people. Faced with the possible consequences of the decisions he made during the war, he tries to find justification and refuge in the traditional Japanese approach to the world. The skill of the director is to make us understand the thinking process that led to his reconciliation with the victorious power and the rest of the world, eventually opening Japan again to the reintegration in the international arena.
I liked less the way the relations with the American and the discussions with MacArthur are presented in the film - relative to the complex presentation of the Japanese side they seem simplistic and even to some extent they tend to slide into caricature. It's a pity, as this lost dimension is really what separates 'The Sun' from being a really memorable movie.
The two other films that 'The Sun' immediately reminds are 'Der Untergang' and Bertolucci's 'last Emperor'. As in the excellent German film dedicated to Hitler's last days much of the first part of 'The Sun' happens in a bunker, the bunker where the emperor hides at the end of the war. The feeling of claustrophobia and personal isolation is present here as well, although Hirohito seems to be different than Hitler in understanding and acknowledging the dimensions of the tragedy that his rule has inflicted on his people. However, as in 'The Last Emperor' his personal background, the ceremonial life he was educated for and the divinity status that he is supposed to adopt make him severely unfit to face reality. It is his the process of reconciliation with reality that is the central theme of this film.
As in 'Untergang' the film lies to a large extend on the shoulders of the lead actor. As Bruno Ganz, Issei Ogata does a wonderful job here in bringing to screen an image of Hirohito which is full of complexity, with a tragic, historic but also human dimension. Ogata's Hirohito fights with personal despair and guilt, and also with the limits of his own education and understanding of the world in order to gain the strength to do what he believes is best for his country and for his people. Faced with the possible consequences of the decisions he made during the war, he tries to find justification and refuge in the traditional Japanese approach to the world. The skill of the director is to make us understand the thinking process that led to his reconciliation with the victorious power and the rest of the world, eventually opening Japan again to the reintegration in the international arena.
I liked less the way the relations with the American and the discussions with MacArthur are presented in the film - relative to the complex presentation of the Japanese side they seem simplistic and even to some extent they tend to slide into caricature. It's a pity, as this lost dimension is really what separates 'The Sun' from being a really memorable movie.