Makoto Kido, a high school science and chemistry teacher, has decided to build his own atomic bomb. Before stealing plutonium isotopes from Tōkai Nuclear Power Plant, he is involved in the botched hijack of one of his school's buses during a field trip. Along with a police detective, Yamashita, he is able to overcome the hijacker and is publicly hailed as a hero.
Meanwhile, Makoto is able to extract enough plutonium from his stolen isotopes to create two bombs—one genuine, the other containing only enough radioactive material to be detectable, but otherwise a fake. He plants the fake bomb in a public lavatory and phones the police and demands that Yamashita take the case. Since Makoto speaks to the police through a voice scrambler, Yamashita is unaware that Makoto is behind the whole thing.
Makoto manages to extort the government into showing baseball games without cutting away for commercials. Flush with success, he follows a suggestion by a radio personality, nicknamed "Zero", to use the real bomb to extort the government into allowing the Rolling Stones to play in Japan (despite being barred from doing so due to Keith Richards being arrested for narcotics possession). The request is soon granted and the band eventually plays in Tokyo.
As Makoto makes his way to the concert with the bomb, Yamashita follows him. Makoto pulls out a gun and forces Yamashita to a rooftop. Makoto reveals that he was the extortionist, and gets into a fight with Yamashita. Eventually the two fall from the roof whilst Makoto holds on to the bomb. He is saved by grabbing on to a power line as Yamashita falls to his death. Still in possession of the bomb, Makoto decides to leave. As he walks away, a ticking sound, then an explosion is heard.
The Man Who Stole the Sun was released by Toho on October 6, 1979.[1] The film was released in the United States by Kitty Enterprises on October 10, 1980.[1]
ReceptionEdit
On its release, the film won the Reader's Choice Award for Best Japanese Film in Kinema Junpo and Best Director, Reader's Choice Award at the (Mainichi Film Concours) and Best Supporting Actor for Bunta Sugawara at the Japanese Academy Awards.[1]
In the Japanese film magazine July 2018 issue of Kinema Junpo a list was made of the Top 1970s Japanese Films voted by 115 people including film critics and directors with The Man Who Stole the Sun being voted at number one.[2]
stole, japanese, 太陽を盗んだ男, hepburn, taiyō, nusunda, otoko, 1979, japanese, thriller, film, directed, hasegawa, kazuhiko, directed, bykazuhiko, hasegawascreenplay, byleonard, schrader, kazuhiko, hasegawastory, byleonard, schrader, produced, bymataichiro, yamamot. The Man Who Stole the Sun Japanese 太陽を盗んだ男 Hepburn Taiyō o Nusunda Otoko is a 1979 Japanese thriller film directed by Hasegawa Kazuhiko 1 The Man Who Stole the SunDirected byKazuhiko HasegawaScreenplay byLeonard Schrader Kazuhiko HasegawaStory byLeonard Schrader 1 Produced byMataichiro Yamamoto Kei Ijichi 1 StarringKenji SawadaBunta SugawaraCinematographyTatsuo Suzuki 1 Music byTakayuki Inoue 1 ProductioncompanyKitty Films Corp 1 Distributed byTohoRelease date6 October 1979 1979 10 06 Japan Running time147 minutes 1 CountryJapan Contents 1 Plot 2 Cast 3 Release 4 Reception 5 References 5 1 Sources 6 External linksPlot EditMakoto Kido a high school science and chemistry teacher has decided to build his own atomic bomb Before stealing plutonium isotopes from Tōkai Nuclear Power Plant he is involved in the botched hijack of one of his school s buses during a field trip Along with a police detective Yamashita he is able to overcome the hijacker and is publicly hailed as a hero Meanwhile Makoto is able to extract enough plutonium from his stolen isotopes to create two bombs one genuine the other containing only enough radioactive material to be detectable but otherwise a fake He plants the fake bomb in a public lavatory and phones the police and demands that Yamashita take the case Since Makoto speaks to the police through a voice scrambler Yamashita is unaware that Makoto is behind the whole thing Makoto manages to extort the government into showing baseball games without cutting away for commercials Flush with success he follows a suggestion by a radio personality nicknamed Zero to use the real bomb to extort the government into allowing the Rolling Stones to play in Japan despite being barred from doing so due to Keith Richards being arrested for narcotics possession The request is soon granted and the band eventually plays in Tokyo As Makoto makes his way to the concert with the bomb Yamashita follows him Makoto pulls out a gun and forces Yamashita to a rooftop Makoto reveals that he was the extortionist and gets into a fight with Yamashita Eventually the two fall from the roof whilst Makoto holds on to the bomb He is saved by grabbing on to a power line as Yamashita falls to his death Still in possession of the bomb Makoto decides to leave As he walks away a ticking sound then an explosion is heard Cast EditKenji Sawada as Makoto Kido Bunta Sugawara as Inspector Yamashita Kimiko Ikegami as Zero Sawai Kazuo Kitamura as Tanaka Shigeru Koyama as Nakayama Kei Satō as Dr Ichikawa Yunosuke Itō as Bus HijackerRelease EditThe Man Who Stole the Sun was released by Toho on October 6 1979 1 The film was released in the United States by Kitty Enterprises on October 10 1980 1 Reception EditOn its release the film won the Reader s Choice Award for Best Japanese Film in Kinema Junpo and Best Director Reader s Choice Award at the Mainichi Film Concours and Best Supporting Actor for Bunta Sugawara at the Japanese Academy Awards 1 In the Japanese film magazine July 2018 issue of Kinema Junpo a list was made of the Top 1970s Japanese Films voted by 115 people including film critics and directors with The Man Who Stole the Sun being voted at number one 2 References Edit a b c d e f g h i j Galbraith IV 2008 p 316 キネマ旬報が選ぶ1970年代日本映画ベストテン 第1位は 太陽を盗んだ男 Natalie mu in Japanese July 19 2018 Retrieved August 17 2023 Sources Edit Galbraith IV Stuart 2008 The Toho Studios Story A History and Complete Filmography Scarecrow Press ISBN 978 1461673743 External links EditThe Man Who Stole the Sun at IMDb 太陽を盗んだ男 in Japanese JMDB Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title The Man Who Stole the Sun amp oldid 1171108863, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
