Sunset, Sunrise (1973 film)

{{Infobox film

| name = Sunset, Sunrise

| image = Sunset Sunrise poster.jpg

| alt =

| caption = Film poster

| native_name =

| producer = Yutaka Okada{{cite web |title=The Sun Sets, The Sun Rises (1973) |url= https://www-allcinema-net.translate.goog/cinema/144333?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en |website=www.allcinema.net |access-date=7 March 2025}}

| screenplay = {{plainlist|

Koreyoshi Kurahara
Nobuo Yamada}}

| story =

| based_on =

| starring = {{plainlist|

Rosemary Dexter
Glenn H. Neighbour
Takeshi Ôbayashi
Rose Ogawa}}

| narrator =

| music = Nino Rota

| cinematography = {{plainlist|

Yonezô Maeda
Yoshihiro Yamazaki
Masahiro Tanaka
Koichi Suzuki}}

| editing = Akira Suzuki

| studio = Nikkatsu

| distributor = Nikkatsu

| released = {{Film date|1973|4|28|Japan}}

| runtime = 139 minutes

| country = Japan

| language = {{plainlist|

Japanese
English
Italian}}

| budget =

| gross =

}}

{{nihongo|Sunset, Sunrise|陽は沈み陽は昇る |Hi wa shizumi, hi wa noboru|lit. The Sun Sets, the Sun Rises|lead=yes}} is a 1973 Japanese drama film directed by Koreyoshi Kurahara and co-written by Kurahara and Nobuo Yamada. It is a hippie road movie epic, chronicling the trek that a handful of people take to reach Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal. The film was included in Nikkatsu's 60th anniversary slate. It is also considered to be part of their Roman Porno line.

As with many of Kurahara’s films, it stars an international cast. This includes Rosemary Dexter, Glenn H. Neighbour, Takeshi Ôbayashi (a frequent collaborator of Kurahara’s) and Rose Ogawa. Nikkatsu theatrically released the film on April 28, 1973, in Japan. Italian composer Nino Rota composed the film’s score.

Premise

Three young people, each with tragedy and hardship in their pasts, meet by chance on a 15,000-kilometer journey to Kathmandu, Nepal. Each hopes to achieve enlightenment and redemption at their destination. Burning with passion and the vitality of youth, they make their trek via land and sea, on foot, motorcycle, ship and camel.

Cast

{{cast listing|*Rosemary Dexter as Tina

Glenn H. Neighbour
Takeshi Ôbayashi
Rose Ogawa

}}

Production

Kurahara had started his career at Nikkatsu, making several successful crime and drama films for the studio. In 1971, the popularity of television had taken a toll on the Japanese film industry. In order to remain profitable, Nikkatsu turned to the production of Roman Pornos. Many stars and directors left the company over this change in focus. Kurahara chose to stay. However, after the production of Sunset, Sunrise, he left Nikkatsu and never worked with the company again, instead making films for such studios as Toei and Toho.

Sunset, Sunrise was an Italian-Japanese co-production. Shooting took place on-location throughout Europe, Central Asia (including Afghanistan) and South Asia. Due to the production’s scope, it was shot by four cinematographers: Yonezô Maeda, Yoshihiro Yamazaki, Masahiro Tanaka and Koichi Suzuki.

Co-screenwriter Nobuo Yamada collaborated with Kurahara multiple times, earlier on Safari 5000 (1969), and later with Two in the Amsterdam Rain (1975) and Strawberry Road (1991). Editor Akira Suzuki was also a frequent collaborator of the director, having worked with him since the 1957 production of I Am Waiting.

Music

The film's score was composed by Nino Rota. It is a combination of European sensibilities and Tibetan influences. Rota worked on Sunset, Sunrise in-between the first two Godfather films.{{cite web |title=Sunset Sunrise |url=https://quartetrecords.com/product/sunset-sunrise/ |website=www.quartetrecords.com |access-date=7 March 2025}} Rota’s score was arranged and conducted by Gino Marinuzzi Jr. and performed by the Rome Philharmonic Orchestra, with the recording produced by director Kurahara.{{cite web |title=Nino Rota – Sunset Sunrise |url=https://www.discogs.com/release/12616427-Nino-Rota-Sunset-Sunrise |website=www.discogs.com |access-date=7 March 2025}} The original LP was released in 1973 by Canyon Records. It was later re-released on November 8, 2019 as a limited edition CD by Quartet Records.{{cite web |title=Hi Wa Shizumi, Hi Wa Noboru (1973) |url=https://www.soundtrackcollector.com/title/23518/Hi+Wa+Shizumi%2C+Hi+Wa+Noboru |website=www.soundtrackcollector.com |access-date=7 March 2025}}