Fukkatsu no hi

It was 17 years ago (1983) that I watched this movie as a new release in Guadalajara, Mexico. I was 15 years old and I still remember it well. That is how much it moved me.

What if a man made military virus killed off the world except for the coldest place on Mother Earth? What if (at the height of the Cold War) Cold War enemies had to team up to survive? What if the few hundred men and women left in the world had to procreate mankind? Further (and what makes me remember this movie), how do they handle a new threat to their lives?

I strongly recommend this movie.

What's not to love about VIRUS? I bought the DVD (which supposedly features the 'director's cut') and discovered that I'd got the truncated American version, sighed and sat down to watch it anyway. For the next two hours I was caught up in an epic, world-wide story that never stalled or felt unconvincing for a second. This is a matter-of-fact tale of the apocalypse, showing what would really happen if a killer virus was unleashed upon the world's unsuspecting population.

The Japanese production values are top notch and in particular the post-apocalypse sequences are expertly staged: a desolate world indeed is built up after the calamity that unfolds. Following in the best 'disaster film' traditions, an all-star American cast delivers the goods, from a particularly affecting Glenn Ford as the doomed president to Robert Vaughn as his trustworthy adviser and Henry Silva as a war-mongering general. Add in Olivia Hussey, George Kennedy, Edward James Olmos, tough guy Bo Svenson and even a cameoing Sonny Chiba and you have pretty much the movie-lover's dream cast.

Of course, given that this is in reality a Japanese film, the acting honours really go to Masao Kusakari, playing an ordinary-guy scientist who undergoes tremendous ordeals and feats of bravery by the time the film ends. Kusakari is the film's real hero and he's never less than excellent. I enjoyed the way this movie explores the real-life consequences of such catastrophic events, such as what happens when eight women are shared between hundreds of men, and at some point I'll track down the full uncut version, which I suspect will be even better

I just purchased a used copy of the Sonny Chilba Action Pack which includes the uncut Japanese 156m version of the film. By far the best transfer of the film to a media that I have seen thus far. This version is extremely better than the edited US version. Every bit worth the money spent to acquire it. Looks like it is presented in 1:1.85 aspect and not grainy. The cut Japanese scenes bring a better viewing experience to fans of this film like me. There are English subtitles where needed. The scene that prompted me to post this on here was a scene where the Japanese Antarctic team get a radio signal from a 5 year old American child unable to operate a radio correctly. VIRUS is one of my favorite movies about the end of the world.

This was the most expensive Japanese film of the time. The film didn't get any USA booking and played straight to cable before landing to video. In fact, several public domain labels now carry the film, when the film actually have a copyright! I saw both version of the film, and I think the uncut version is the best. A deadly virus is loose and wipes out all the U.S. population except for a group of people in Arctic. Most of the Japanese plotline was edited out, making the early stage of the film choppy in the US version. In fact, the end was also changed. Good American and Japanese cast supported by Canadian cast. But several actors like Ken Ogata (of MISHIMA fame) and Sonny Chiba still had little to do in the long version of this film. So I suspect a longer print might have been made. There was reports that a big accident happen on the set back then and several crew was killed.

Having read all the bad reviews this movie has received because of its poor videoquality and editing, I nonetheless bought it yesterday on DVD from a local store in Oslo. I just simply had to buy it in spite of the numerous warnings.

The reason is that I'm a huge fan of similar movies like The Andromeda Strain, The Satan Bug and the Cassandra Crossing which are all great.

Regarding the movie itself I was pleasantly surprised. It has good acting, good story and decent production values to boot. All the necessary ingredients for making a compelling movie.

Sadly this is ruined by an almost unviewable videoprint. It seems to me that the DVD-edition I bought used an old VHS videoprint as the source. The sound is equally bad.

Finally, some of the shorter prints of the film is plagued by abruptness. The version I acquired runs approx. 108 minutes. You get the feeling you've missed out on something. Nearing the end of the film one of the main characters returns from Washinghton to Antarctica. But we get no explanation as to how he made the journey. Which off course is a prudent question to ask, since in between his departure and arrival, a nuclear holocaust has transpired and several years have passed.

The longest version runs approx. 150 minutes. Hopefully I'll someday get my hands on that copy. And I urge everyone else to stay clear of the shorter prints and aim for the full 150 minute version instead.

Kind regards, Chris