Black Rain (1989)
Directed by Shohei Imamura
Genres - Drama, Culture & Society |
Sub-Genres - War Drama, Psychological Drama |
Release Date - May 13, 1989 (USA - Unknown) |
Run Time - 117 min. |
Countries - Japan |
MPAA Rating - R
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Synopsis by Hal Erickson
The title refers to the radioactive fallout which descended upon ruined city of Hiroshima after the dropping of the first atomic bomb. Young bride-to-be Yoshiko Tanaka has the misfortune to be visiting Hiroshima on the day of the explosion. Incredibly, she is unhurt; she returns to her own village, across the bay from Hiroshima. Unfortunately, her townsmen have been profoundly affected by the "black rain"; over the next five years, the poison in their systems slowly but surely erodes their souls. In a tragic state of denial, Yoshiko's former friends insist that they can't be sick-it must be the girl who is bringing sickness to them. Now a pariah, Yoshiko's life is shattered as surely as if the bomb had disintegrated her upon impact. Director Shohei Imamaura, a onetime assistant to the great Ozu and the director of such Japanese classics as The Insect Woman and The Ballad of Narayama, never sensationalizes his material; the story is effective told in a muted, subdued fashion, allowing the horror to arise from the inner torment of the characters rather than being artificially imposed by camera trickery or "shock" cutting. Based on a novel by Masuji Ibuse, the black-and-white Black Rain won the Japanese equivalent of the Academy Award, along with several other honors.
Characteristics
Moods
Themes
Keywords
disillusionment, nuclear, post-nuclear-holocaust, atrocity, faith-healing, family, family-tragedy, fidelity, homecoming, love, nuclear-accident, radiation-poisoning, search, survivor, terminal-illness, war
Attributes
High Artistic Quality