| Virus | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Original title | 復活の日 |
| Directed by | Kinji Fukasaku |
| Screenplay by |
|
| Based on | Virus bySakyo Komatsu |
| Produced by | Haruki Kadokawa[1] |
| Starring | |
| Cinematography | Daisaku Kimura[1] |
| Edited by | Akira Suzuki[1] |
| Music by | Kentarō Haneda[1] |
Production company | Haruki Kadokawa Office[2] |
| Distributed by | Toho |
Release date |
|
Running time | 156 minutes[2] |
| Country | Japan[2] |
| Languages |
|
| Budget | US$13 million[3] |
Virus, known in Japan asFukkatsu no Hi (復活の日, lit. "Day of Resurrection"), is a 1980 Japanesepost-apocalypticscience fiction film directed byKinji Fukasaku.[4][5] Based onSakyo Komatsu's 1964 novel ofthe same name,[1] the film stars an internationalensemble cast featuringMasao Kusakari,Sonny Chiba,George Kennedy,Robert Vaughn,Chuck Connors,Olivia Hussey,Edward James Olmos,Glenn Ford, andHenry Silva.
At the time of its release, the film was the most expensiveJapanese film ever made.
In 1982, a shady transaction is occurring between anEast German scientist, Dr. Krause, and a group of Americans involving a substance known as MM88. MM88 is a deadlyvirus, created accidentally by an Americangeneticist, that amplifies the potency of any other virus or bacterium it comes into contact with. The Americans recover the virus sample, which was stolen from a lab in the US the year before, but the virus is accidentally released after the plane transporting it crashes, creating apandemic initially known as the "Italian Flu".
Within seven months, virtually all the world's population has died off. However, the virus is inactive at temperatures below -10 degreesCelsius, and the polar winter has spared the 855 men and eight women stationed in Antarctica. The British nuclear submarine HMSNereid joins the scientists after sinking a Soviet submarine whose infected crew attempts to make landfall nearPalmer Station.
Several years later, as the group is beginning to repopulate their new home, it is discovered that anearthquake will activate the Automated Reaction System (ARS), adoomsday device, and launch the United Statesnuclear arsenal.
The Soviets havetheir own version of the ARS that will fire off their weapons in return, including one targeting Palmer Station. After all of the women and children and several hundred of the men are sent to safety aboard anicebreaker, Yoshizumi and Major Carter embark aboard theNereid on a mission to shut down the ARS, protected from MM88 by an experimental vaccine.
The submarine arrives atWashington, D.C., and Yoshizumi and Carter make a rush for the ARS command bunker. However, they reach the room too late, and Carter dies in the rubble of the earthquake, deep in the bunker. Yoshizumi contacts the Nereid and tells them to try to save themselves, adding that the vaccine seems to have worked “If that still matters”. “At this point in time, life still matters,” the captain replies, telling Yoshizumi to stay where he is: He might be safe.
Washington is hit by a bomb, and the screen fills with atomic bomb after atomic bomb exploding. From there the movie's ending diverges based upon the two cuts. In the American version, the screen goes black for a moment, and the end credits roll over footage of the Antarctic and a poignant song sung by a lone woman's voice. The refrain is, “It’s not too late...” In the Japanese version, Yoshizumi survives the blast and walks back towards Antarctica. Upon reachingTierra del Fuego in 1988,[6] he finds survivors from the icebreaker, immunized by a since-developed vaccine. He reunites with the woman he fell in love with, they embrace, and Yoshizumi declares "Life is wonderful."
In the 1970s, producerHaruki Kadokawa formed theKadokawa Production Company. Its releases includedKon Ichikawa'sThe Inugamis andJunya Sato'sProof of the Man, with the latter having American cast members such asGeorge Kennedy. Kadokawa began to develop films that were often based on literary properties held by Kadokawa's publishing arm.[10]
The domestic box-office for these films was large, which led to Kadokawa putting US$16 million into the filmVirus, making it the most expensive film in Japanese history on its release.[4][unreliable source?] The film was shot on location inTokyo and various locations throughoutCanada, includingKleinburg,Ottawa, andHalifax. The production was heavily supported by theChilean Navy, who lent thesubmarineSimpson (SS-21) for use as a filming location. Submarine interiors were filmed on-boardHMCSOkanagan (S74), anOberon-class vessel that served in theCanadian Forces.
During filming, a Swedish cruiser used to transport crew was heavily damaged by a coral reef off the Chilean coast, and had to be rescued by the Navy.
Janis Ian wrote the lyrics to the song "Toujours Gai Mon Cher (You Are Love)" and performs it. In the closing credits, it is erroneously listed as "Tourjours Gai Mon Cher". The music was produced byTeo Macero.
Virus was released theatrically in Japan on 28 June 1980 where it was distributed byToho.[2]
Due to the box office failure of this movie, Kadokawa withdrew from producing major films. After that, they focused on movies starring idols such asHiroko Yakushimaru,Tomoyo Harada andNoriko Watanabe, which achieved moderate success.[11]
The American version of the film was shown for review at theCannes Film Festival in May 1980 as a "work-in-progress" print. The non-English language footage was dubbed into English for this release and it ran at 156 minutes. It was initially released to home video in the United States with a 108-minute run-time and was presented on television with a 93-minute running time. The original Japanese-language cut was released to home video in 2006 with English subtitles.[2]