Spy Sorge (Japanese: スパイ・ゾルゲ, Hepburn: Supai Zoruge) is a 2003 Japanese historical drama biographical film co-written and directed by Masahiro Shinoda, about the World War II-era Soviet spy Richard Sorge. It stars Scottish actor Iain Glen in the title role. Shinoda intended the film, a long and lavish production, to be his final feature. True to his word, the director died 22 years later without having directed another film.
Spy Sorge achieved only modest critical success and failed to recoup its budget at the box office. Despite this, the film received multiple nominations at the 27th Japan Academy Awards.
Contents
Plot
The film presents the life of Richard Sorge (Iain Glen), a German spy for the Main Intelligence Directorate (GRU) of the Soviet Army in Japan. Sorge and his contact Hotsumi Ozaki (Masahiro Motoki) are arrested by the Tokubetsu Kōtō Keisatsu (Special Higher Police) in Tokyo, and Sorge recounts the main events in flashbacks.
Technical details
Writers: Robert Mandy & Masahiro Shinoda
Producers: Masato Hara, Masaru Koibuchi & Peter Rawley for Asmik Ace Entertainment & Manfred Durniok Filmproduktion
Music: Shin’ichirō Ikebe
Photography: Tatsuo Suzuki
Length: Japan: 182 min
Country: Japan / Germany
Language: Japanese
Colour: Colour
Sound: Dolby Digital
Awards and nominations
27th Japanese Academy Awards
Won: Best Art Direction (Hajime Oikawa)
Nominated: Best Film
Nominated: Best Director (Masahiro Shinoda)
Nominated: Best Screenplay (Masahiro Shinoda, Robert Mandy)
Nominated: Best Cinematography (Tatsuo Suzuki)
Nominated: Best Editing (Hiroshi Okuda)
Nominated: Best Music Score (Shin'ichirō Ikebe)
Nominated: Best Lighting (Hideshi Mikami)
Nominated: Best Sound (Tetsuo Segawa)
58th Mainichi Film Awards
Won: Mainichi Film Award for Excellence Film (shared with Like Asura, Zatōichi and Doppelganger)
Release
Spy Sorge was released in theaters in Japan on June 14, 2003. The film was also intended for international theatrical distribution, but these plans were cancelled after it became a box-office bomb in its native country. Central Partnership planned for a theatrical release in Russia, but this was also cancelled; it was released straight to VHS and DVD in that country instead.
Home media
The film was released on VHS and DVD on November 21, 2003 by Asmik Ace Entertainment in Japan, and on February 12, 2004 by CP Digital in Russia.