Heaven and Earth (Japanese: 天と地と, Hepburn: Ten to Chi to) is a 1990 Japanese epic jidaigeki film directed by Haruki Kadokawa, based on a novel by Chōgorō Kaionji. The film stars Takaaki Enoki, Tsugawa Masahiko, Asano Atsuko, Zaizen Naomi and Nomura Hironobu. It was released on 23 June 1990, in Japan, 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 after being diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia.
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Plot
Set in feudal Japan, the story begins as the daimyō Kagetora (also known as Uesugi Kenshin) obtains power from the shogun to rule the province of Echigo. However, he must protect his lands and his people from the ambitions of the warlord Takeda Shingen, the daimyo of Kai Province who has just invaded and taken control of Shinano. From the beginning, the Takeda army appears to be stronger, but due to Kagetora’s tactics, he manages to win a few minor battles and kill Nobushige, Shingen’s brother, and Kansuke, one of Shingen’s trusted men.
After years of conflict, Takeda and Kagetora finally face each other in a duel. Kagetora injures Takeda, while his forces ultimately defeat Takeda's army at the Battle of Kawanakajima in October 1561.
Cast
Takaaki Enoki as Uesugi Kenshin
Masahiko Tsugawa as Takeda Shingen
Atsuko Asano as Nami
Naomi Zaizen as Yae
Hironobu Nomura as Takeda "Tarō" Yoshinobu
Taro Ishida as Takeda Nobushige
Binpachi Itō as Kakizaki Kageie
Akira Hamada as Naoe Kagetsuna
Hiroyuki Okita as Kōsaka Danjō
Hideo Murota as Obu Toramasa
Isao Natsuyagi as Yamamoto Kansuke
Tsunehiko Watase as Usami Sadayuki
Morio Kazama
Masatō Ibu
Kyōko Kishida
Hideji Ōtaki
Tomomichi Nishimura as Narrator
Production
Heaven and Earth was the most expensive Japanese production ever made at the time, with a budget of $40 million. The film was shot largely in Canada. It was in production for a year, and featured 1,000 horses and 3,000 extras.
The shooting in Canada took place just outside of Banff, Alberta, in an area known as Morley Flats.
Reception
In Japan, Heaven and Earth sold 4.8 million tickets prior to its release. The film opened on 23 June 1990 on 215 screens and grossed $8.4 million in its opening weekend, one of the largest openings ever in Japan at that time. It became the number-one Japanese film in the domestic market for 1990, earning ¥5.05 billion in distributor rental income and ¥9.2 billion in gross receipts. In the United States, the film grossed $307,775.
According to movie critic and historian Leonard Maltin, the picture is "Physically-impressive...won't make you forget Kagemusha, but delivers the goods for those who enjoy large-scale battle scenes."