Red Sun Rising (film)

Last updated
Red Sun Rising
Red Sun Rising key art.png
Original key art
Directed byFrancis Megahy
Screenplay byRobert Easter
Story byRobert Easter
Neva Friedenn
Paul Maslak
Produced by Paul Maslak
Neva Friedenn
Starring Don Wilson
James Lew
Terry Farrell
Mako
Michael Ironside
CinematographyJohn Newby
Edited byJohn Weidner
Music by John Coda
Production
company
Maslak/Friedenn Films
Distributed byImperial Entertainment
Release date
  • September 1, 1994 (1994-09-01)
(U.S.)
Running time
99 minutes
CountryUnited States
Language English
Budget$2 million

Red Sun Rising is a 1994 American martial arts action film directed by Francis Megahy and starring Don "The Dragon" Wilson, James Lew, Terry Farrell, Mako, Michael Ironside and Edward Albert. Wilson plays a Japanese cop who travels to Los Angeles and teams up with a reluctant American counterpart (Farrell) to track down the gang responsible for the murder of his partner, whose hitman (Lew) is an expert in the ancient art of the death touch. The full title, as it appears on the title card, is Red Sun Rising: Based on the Legend of the Death Touch. [1]

Contents

Widely regarded as a step up in class compared to Wilson's bread-and-butter work for producers such as Roger Corman, it is held as his best film by many reviewers and by the actor himself. [2] : 0:27 

Plot synopsis

Cast

Production

Development

The impetus for the film came from Don Wilson and friend Chris Penn's desire to work together again. [3] Wilson brought the project to Paul Maslak, editor of Inside Kung Fu and his manager of four years. Maslak and Neva Friedenn, a veteran martial arts film distributor and PR, had co-produced Wilson's previous vehicle Out for Blood with PM Entertainment, and the pair was now looking to branch out into production full time. [4] Red Sun Rising would be the first project of their new outfit Maslak/Friedenn Films. [5] Executive producer Ashok Amritraj was not involved in the creative phase and joined the film later. [2] : 3:09  He kept a hands off approach but helped them get the best possible cast for their budget, and was crucial to the film's financing, notably securing favorable terms on their completion bond thanks to his proven track record. [6] : 8:12 

British director Francis Megahy was recommended for the project by his agent, who was also a personal friend. [7] It was his American feature debut. He had shot his share of fisticuffs on the 1988 Pierce Brosnan vehicle Taffin , but never such intricately choreographed martial arts. He was happy to delegate oversight of those scenes to Maslak, Wilson and their fight coordinator of choice, Art Camacho. [7] He was given a batch of tapes to pick a cinematographer, and chose Jim Newby, who was the producers' preferred option. Newby came to the project with his wife, first assistant director Erica Fox. [8] Editor John Weidner was picked by Maslak, and returned from Out for Blood and Ring of Fire . [9]

Writing

The basic pitch, which came from Penn, was for a "reverse Black Rain " where a Japanese cop traveled to the U.S. and allied with a begrudging local officer. [2] : 4:31  [6] : 6:57  Ever since learning that the current Japanese police descended from reformed samurai, Maslak had wanted to retell their ancestral rivalry against the ninja in the context of a modern cop film. Maslak and Penn's ideas were merged to form the basis of Red Sun Rising. [6] : 3:43  Robert Easter, the companion of producer Neva Friedenn, was tasked with fleshing out the premise into a full screenplay. [2] : 2:01  The family name of Wilson's character, Hoshino, is his Japanese mother's maiden name. [10] When Penn departed the project, Maslak suggested making the American sidekick a woman to add romantic depth to their relationship, although her dialogue relating to the main plot was left largely unchanged. [3]

Maslak added the concept of the dim mak ('death touch'), which is more Chinese than Japanese, to the story due to the sheer narrative possibilities it offered. [6] : 7:53  While the death touch is largely regarded as a folk belief, and Wilson acknowledges it as fictional, [3] Camacho insists that some lethal punching techniques do exist. However, what is shown in the film was invented by him and James Lew. [11] : 2:05  In the original script, Jaho was strictly a violent figure who beat up everybody, women included, and did not display the ambiguous seductiveness seen in James Lew's eventual portrayal. [11] : 3:00 

Casting

Chris Penn, who was originally going to co-star as the American cop, dragged his feet to sign his contract after he was cast in True Romance , and confessed to Wilson that his agent had asked him to refrain from participating in lower-budget films. [3] Ashok Amritraj recommended Terry Farrell as his female replacement. [6] : 11:00  Michael Ironside took the role of Farrell's superior as a favor, when mutual friend Steve James contacted him on Wilson's behalf. [3] The Canadian veteran was still compensated to the tune of $10,000 per day. [12]

For main antagonist Jaho, Amritraj initially suggested Jet Li—who was not yet widely known in the U.S.—but he was not available. Despite having already played a number of parts, James Lew received an "introducing" credit to signify his first role as a main antagonist. He was friends with Wilson and the publisher of Inside Kung Fu, [6] : 9:14  as well as a student of acting coach Ivana Chubbuck, who had previously mentored Maslak. [6] : 9:47  It was Chubbuck who suggested that he wear colored contact lenses for the role. [13] : 4:10 

According to Wilson, he had to enforce his creative control clause over both Farrell and Lew's casting, against the opinion of Maslak, who favored more stereotypical looks. This led to the severing of the two men's relationship after the film. [14] : 54:04  Maslak, however, presented their breakup as the natural byproduct of his decision to expand his horizons as a producer. [4]

Filming

Red Sun Rising was budgeted at $2 million. [12] Photography took place between June 14 and July 10, 1993. [15] The film was shot in the Los Angeles area, and production used a studio located inside the former Queen of Angels Hospital. [12] The Kyoto-set prologue was shot at the Japanese Garden of the Donald C. Tillman Water Reclamation Plant in Van Nuys, another popular filming location. [16] The film employed close to 80 stunt persons. [11] : 0:15  Among those working on it behind the scenes was Gerry Blanck, a Floridian acquaintance of the Wilson brothers and fellow kickboxing champion. [17] Michael Ironside experienced a serious scare on his way to the set when he rolled over his Mercedes-Benz, but escaped unscathed. [12] Wilson also battled through an illness during the shoot. [3]

Release

Pre-release

During production, a theatrical release was considered for November or December 1993, [12] although the odds were always tipped in favor of a video release. [18] To promote the film, Inside Kung Fu, the magazine where the film's principals worked, ran a cover story in the November 1994 issue of its spinoff publication Martial Arts Movies, hailing it as "The Motion Picture Born Inside the Pages of Inside Kung Fu". It also contained an interview of Don Wilson by Timothy Baker. [19]

Television

In the U.S., Red Sun Rising premiered on premium cable channel HBO on September 1, 1994, as part of their "HBO World Premiere" lineup, [20] whose name Maslak had helped to coin. The film was a success, scoring a 2.3 national rating and ranking as the 4th most watched pay cable program of the week in the country. [21] According to Maslak, it was the highest rated HBO World Premiere of the year. [4]

Home video

The term "World Premiere" employed by HBO was only loosely defined, and the film had in fact already appeared in some international markets such as the U.K., where it arrived on VHS through distributor Guild Home Video on August 12, 1994. [22] In the U.S., the film came to home video courtesy of Imperial Entertainment on April 11, 1995, [15] [23] apparently delayed from a March 28 date. [24] It reached Canada shortly before on March 21. [25] Image Entertainment also released a LaserDisc version on May 17, 1995. [26]

On September 27, 2022, film preservationists Vinegar Syndrome re-issued the film on a Blu-ray struck from a new master, with specially commissioned special features and further bonus material drawn from an earlier German pressing. [27]

Festivals

Red Sun Rising received a 10th anniversary screening at the Temecula Valley International Film & Music Festival on September 13, 2003, in presence of leading man Wilson and director Megahy. [28]

Reception

Red Sun Rising has received positive reviews. Writing for News Publications' TV Guide and Motion Picture Annual, Brian Camp said: "While still a low-budget potboiler with a far-fetched story line, Red Sun Rising is far superior to most similar efforts, including Roger Corman’s ongoing series of Bloodfist films." He deemed that "the film benefits from tight direction and editing". Wilson's acting was said to have "gradually improved to the point of adequacy", while Farrell combined "a sense of humor and a warm, feminine side" and Lew made for "an imposing and formidable villain". [29] The BBC's Radio Times rated the film three stars and said: "There were high hopes at one point in the nineties that Don 'The Dragon' Wilson could cross over into the mainstream. [...] Sadly he faded from sight but this remains one of his stronger efforts, boasting a better-than-average script that still finds room for astonishing martial arts sequences." [30] Writing in his syndicated Video view column, British reviewer Peter Dean wrote that the film "[has] got a better-than-average screenplay and the action sequences are well choreographed." [31] Anne Wheeler, home video columnist for magazine Hit Parader , was most positive and simply hailed Red Sun Rising as "the best American martial arts film ever made", with particular mention for Lew's villainous turn. [32]

In his examination of director Francis Megahy's career for the compendium Directors in British and Irish Cinema, Robert Murphy was more moderate, calling it "an enjoyable if routine Japanese martial arts vehicle for Don 'The Dragon' Wilson". [33] Ballantine Books' Video Movie Guide was along the same lines, assessing that "[e]ntertaining players rise above pedestrian material in this modest martial arts saga, starring the always appealing Don 'The Dragon' Wilson [...] Mystical elements are played too broadly, but the formula still works." [34]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">David Carradine</span> American actor (1936–2009)

David Carradine was an American actor, director, and producer, whose career included over 200 major and minor roles in film, television and on stage, spanning more than four decades. He was widely known to television audiences as the star of the 1970s television series Kung Fu, playing Kwai Chang Caine, a peace-loving Shaolin monk traveling through the American Old West.

<i>Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story</i> 1993 film by Rob Cohen

Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story is a 1993 American biographical drama film directed by Rob Cohen. The film stars Jason Scott Lee, with a supporting cast including Lauren Holly, Nancy Kwan, and Robert Wagner. The film follows the life of actor and martial artist Bruce Lee (Jason) from his relocation to the United States from Hong Kong to his career as a martial arts teacher, and then as a television and film actor. It also focuses on the relationship between Bruce and his wife Linda, and the racism to which Bruce was subjected.

Game of Death is an incomplete Hong Kong martial arts film, of which portions were filmed between September and October 1972, and was planned and scheduled to be released by 1973, directed, written, produced by and starring Bruce Lee. The project was paused to film and produce Enter the Dragon. For Game of Death, over 120 minutes of footage was shot. The remaining footage has since been released with Lee's original Cantonese and English dialogue, with John Little dubbing Lee's Hai Tien character as part of the documentary titled Bruce Lee: A Warrior's Journey. Much of the footage that was shot is from what was to be the climax of the film.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Don Wilson (kickboxer)</span> American kickboxer

Donald Glen Wilson, nicknamed "The Dragon", is an American martial artist, former professional kickboxer, and actor. An 11-time world champion who scored 47 knockouts in four decades, he has been called by the STAR System Ratings as "perhaps the greatest kickboxer in American history. He has disposed of more quality competition than anyone we've ever ranked". In 2015, he was inducted into the International Sports Hall of Fame.

<i>Bloodfist</i> 1989 American film

Bloodfist is a 1989 American martial arts film directed by Terence H. Winkless, starring Don "The Dragon" Wilson, Rob Kaman, Billy Blanks and Cris Aguilar. The plot sees an American former kickboxer travel to Manila, where he re-enters competition to avenge the murder of his brother and fellow fighter.

James Jene Fae Lew is an American martial artist, stuntman, and actor. He has made 80 on-screen film and television appearances and 46 more as a stunt coordinator or stunt double. He won a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Stunt Coordination for his work on the series Luke Cage.

<i>Return of the Street Fighter</i> 1974 Japanese film

Return of the Street Fighter originally titled in Japan as Satsujin-ken 2 also released in the United Kingdom as Blood of the Dragon is a 1974 martial arts film which stars Sonny Chiba, Yōko Ichiji and Masashi Ishibashi. It is the sequel of The Street Fighter and was initially released on Home video by MGM/CBS Home Video and New Line Home Video.

<i>Enter the Fat Dragon</i> (1978 film) 1978 Hong Kong film

Enter the Fat Dragon is a 1978 Hong Kong martial arts film starring and directed by Sammo Hung. The film is mostly a parody of the Bruce Lee film Way of the Dragon (1972), and a satire of the Bruceploitation phenomenon of the 1970s. The title is a reference to another Bruce Lee film, Enter the Dragon (1973).

<i>Slaughterhouse</i> (film) 1987 American film

Slaughterhouse is a 1987 American black comedy horror slasher film directed by Rick Roessler and starring Joe B. Barton.

TC 2000 is a 1993 science fiction action film written and directed by T. J. Scott and starring Billy Blanks, Jalal Merhi, Bolo Yeung, Bobbie Phillips and Matthias Hues. Its plot takes place in a dystopian future, where an elite cop (Blanks) tries to reconnect with a fallen comrade (Phillips) turned into a cyborg by the government, while trying to protect his underground city from the surface rebels whose leader (Merhi) is responsible for her death. Some aspects of TC 2000 serve as product placement for an eponymous brand of martial arts equipment.

<i>Dragon Fist</i> 1979 [[British Hong Kong|Hong Kong]] film

Dragon Fist is a 1979 Hong Kong martial arts film directed by Lo Wei. It stars Jackie Chan, Nora Miao, James Tien, Yen Shi-kwan, Eagle Han-ying, and Wu Wen-sau.

Kung Fu Panda is an American martial arts comedy media franchise that started in 2008 with the release of the animated film Kung Fu Panda produced by DreamWorks Animation. Following the adventures of the titular Po Ping, a giant panda who is improbably chosen as the prophesied Dragon Warrior and becomes a master of kung fu, the franchise is set in a fantasy wuxia genre version of ancient China populated by anthropomorphic animals. Although everyone initially doubts him, including Po himself, he proves himself worthy as he strives to fulfill his destiny.

The Standardized Tournaments And Ratings System (STAR) was the premier rating service for international kickboxing, from 1980 through 1989, as syndicated in fifteen martial arts and sports magazines throughout the world. It was recognized as the official ratings source by two out of three major sanctioning bodies for professional kickboxing, World Kickboxing Association (WKA) and Karate International Council of Kickboxing (KICK).

Paul Maslak is an American independent movie producer, book author, newsstand magazine editor and kickboxing historian.

<i>Raw Force</i> 1982 film directed by Edward D. Murphy

Raw Force is a 1982 martial arts action horror film written and directed by Edward D. Murphy. An international co-production of the Philippines and the United States, it stars Cameron Mitchell, Geoff Binney, Jillian Kessner, John Dresden, Jennifer Holmes and Hope Holiday.

Liu Chungliang is a Taiwanese actor and martial artist. He mostly appeared in low-budget Taiwanese action/martial art movies and never appeared in the higher budget Hong Kong martial arts movies from the Shaw Brothers and Golden Harvest.

Vinegar Syndrome is an American home video distribution company which specializes in "protecting and preserving genre films". The company was founded in 2012 in Bridgeport, Connecticut by Joe Rubin and Ryan Emerson, who created it to restore and distribute old X-rated films that were lost or otherwise unavailable. Their catalog has since expanded to include other types of cult and exploitation films, including horror films and action films.

<i>The Vixens of Kung Fu</i> 1975 American pornographic exploitation film

The Vixens of Kung Fu (A Tale of Yin Yang) is a 1975 American pornographic martial arts exploitation film produced and directed by Bill Milling, under the pseudonym Chiang. It stars Bree Anthony, Tony Richards, Peonies Jong, and C. J. Laing, and follows a prostitute who is gang raped, and who seeks revenge against her rapists after being trained in kung fu with a clan of other women by a martial artist. The film received an X rating from the Motion Picture Association of America.

<i>L.A. Wars</i> 1994 American action film

L.A. Wars is a 1994 American action film directed by Tony Kandah and Martin Morris. It stars Vince Murdocco as a disgraced former officer of the Los Angeles Police Department who becomes involved in a conflict between two rival crime syndicates.

<i>New York Ninja</i> 2021 American film

New York Ninja is a 2021 American action film written, directed by and starring John Liu. It was shot in 1984, but was not edited or released until 2021, when its footage was discovered and restored by the film preservation and home video distributor Vinegar Syndrome.

References

  1. ↑ Registration of Classification Decisions (film certificate), Wellington: Office of Film and Literature Classification, June 27, 1995, Title of Publication: Red Sun Rising Based on the Legend of the Death Touch [...] Other Known Titles: Red Sun Rising
  2. 1 2 3 4 Wilson, Don (guest) (2017). About Red Sun Rising (Blu-ray featurette). Burbank: Multimedia Ulrich. Retrieved March 27, 2024.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Wilson, Don (guest) (2022). The Dragon Rises (Blu-ray featurette). Bridgeport: Vinegar Syndrome.
  4. 1 2 3 Ford, Like (July 3, 2002). "Producer Paul Maslak". lukeford.net. Retrieved May 29, 2023.
  5. ↑ Maslak, Paul; Hewitt, Rod (2023). "Neva Friedenn (October 11, 1940 – April 17, 2023)". amgardens.org. Retrieved May 29, 2023.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Maslak, Paul (guest) (2017). About Red Sun Rising (Blu-ray featurette). Burbank: Multimedia Ulrich.
  7. 1 2 Megahy, Francis (guest) (2017). About Red Sun Rising (Blu-ray featurette). Burbank: Multimedia Ulrich. Retrieved March 27, 2024.
  8. ↑ Fox, Erica (guest) (2022). Red Sun Reflections (Blu-ray featurette). Bridgeport: Vinegar Syndrome.
  9. ↑ Weidner, John (guest) (2022). Master of the Flying Edit (Blu-ray featurette). Bridgeport: Vinegar Syndrome.
  10. ↑ White, Mike (June 29, 2017). "Special Report: Don 'The Dragon' Wilson". The Projection Booth (Podcast). Weirding Way Media. Event occurs at 22:20. Retrieved October 4, 2024.
  11. 1 2 3 Camacho, Art (guest) (2017). About Red Sun Rising (Blu-ray featurette). Burbank: Multimedia Ulrich. Retrieved March 27, 2024.
  12. 1 2 3 4 5 Newman, Jim (July 17, 1993). "Local YMCA instructor lives dream on set of action movie". The News-Virginian. Waynesboro. p. 13  – via newspapers.com (subscription required).
  13. ↑ Lew, James (guest) (2017). James Lew Interview (Blu-ray featurette). Germany: Fokus Media. Retrieved March 3, 2024.
  14. ↑ Shaffer, Zak; Rubin, Dustin (March 10, 2022). "Episode 74: The Don 'The Dragon' Wilson Interview". Two Dollar Late Fee (Podcast). Wav Records. Retrieved April 2, 2023.{{cite podcast}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  15. 1 2 "Red Sun Rising: Notes". tcm.com. Retrieved May 29, 2023.
  16. ↑ "Sites". Los Angeles Times/Valley Life. January 7, 1994. p. 39  – via newspapers.com (subscription required).
  17. ↑ Blank, Gerry (August 12, 1993). "Getting a kick out of life". News Journal. Pensacola. p. 1D–4D  – via newspapers.com (subscription required).
  18. ↑ Parker, Melody (December 31, 1993). "Forry Smith, superstar?". The Courier. Waterloo. p. C1.
  19. ↑ "Red Sun Rising Based on the Legend of the Death Touch! The Motion Picture Born Inside the Pages of Inside Kung Fu". Martial Arts Movies. November 1994.
  20. ↑ "HBO World Premiere – Red Sun Rising". The Orlando Sentinel/TV Time. August 28, 1994. p. 35  – via newspapers.com (subscription required).
  21. ↑ "Top cable shows" (PDF). Broadcasting & Cable. Vol. 124, no. 37. Washington: Cahners Publishing. September 12, 1994. p. 24. ISSN   1068-6827.
  22. ↑ Keal, Graham (August 8, 1994). "Video". The Lincolnshire Echo. p. 5  – via newspapers.com (subscription required).
  23. ↑ "Video: What's new". The Montgomery Advertiser. April 6, 1995. p. 2C  – via newspapers.com (subscription required).
  24. ↑ "Video calendar". Fort Worth Star-Telegram. March 25, 1995. p. E4  – via newspapers.com (subscription required).
  25. ↑ Law, John (March 16, 1995). "On Video". Niagara Falls Review. p. C4  – via newspapers.com (subscription required).
  26. ↑ "Red Sun Rising (1994) [ID3100IP]". LaserDisc Database. Retrieved April 28, 2024.
  27. ↑ Bona, J.J. (September 1, 2011). "Red Sun Rising – Blu-ray (Vinegar Syndrome)". cityonfire.com. Retrieved May 29, 2023.
  28. ↑ "Get your ass kicked et Temecula". filmthreat.com. August 29, 2003. Retrieved May 29, 2023.
  29. ↑ Grant, Edmond, ed. (1996). The Motion Picture – 1996 Annual (The Films of 1995). New York: Cinebooks. p. 257. ISBN   9780933997370.
  30. ↑ Fane Saunders, Kilmeny, ed. (2000). RadioTimes Guide to Films. London: BBC Worldwide. p. 1168. ISBN   0563537108.
  31. ↑ Dean, Peter (August 11, 1994). "Video view". Times. Wokingham. p. 14  – via newspapers.com (subscription required).
  32. ↑ Leighton, Anne (August 1995). "Video View". Hit Parader . No. 371. Poughkeepsie: Hit Parader Publications. p. 98.
  33. ↑ Murphy, Robert (2006). "Francis Megahy (1937–)". Directors in British and Irish Cinema : A Reference Companion. London: British Film Institute. p. 423. ISBN   9781844571260.
  34. ↑ Martin, Mick; Porter, Marsha (October 2001). Video Movie Guide 2002. New York: Ballantine Books. p. 912. ISBN   0345420969.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.