Heaven and Earth (1990 film)


Heaven and Earth is a 1990 Japanese epic jidaigeki film directed by Haruki Kadokawa. The film stars Takaaki Enoki, Tsugawa Masahiko, Asano Atsuko, Zaizen Naomi and Nomura Hironobu. It was released in Japan in June 1990, and an English version was released in North America in 1991.
Ken Watanabe was originally cast in the role of Kenshin but had to pull out due to his severe illness.

Plot

Set in feudal Japan, the daimyō Kagetora obtain power from the shogun and rules the province of Echigo, but he must protect his lands and his people from the ambitions of the warlord Takeda Shingen, the daimyo of Kai province who started his invasion of Shinano province.
Kagetora is also known as Uesugi Kenshin. In the film, Kagetora must defend his province of Echigo against Takeda Shingen. The famous battles include the Battle of Kawanakajima.
From the beginning the Takeda army seems to be stronger, but due to Kagetora’s tactics, he manages to win a few minor battles and to kill Nobushige, Shingen’s brother, and Kansuke, one of Shingen’s trusted men.
In the final battle, Takeda and Kagetora start a face to face duel with swords and Kagetora hurts Takeda, winning the battle of Kawanakajima in october 1561.

Cast

Production

Heaven and Earth was the most expensive Japanese production at the time with a budget of $40 million. The film was shot largely in Canada and was in production for a year and featured 1,000 horses and 3,000 extras.
The shooting in Canada was just outside of Banff, Alberta in an area known as Morley Flats.

Reception

In Japan, Heaven and Earth had sold tickets in pre-sales prior to release. It opened on 23 June 1990 on 215 screens in Japan and grossed $8.4 million, one of the largest openings in Japan at the time. It became the number-one Japanese film on the domestic market in 1990, earning ¥5.05 billion in distributor rental income and in gross receipts. In the United States, the film grossed $307,775.