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Features: DVD, Aspect Ratio 2.35:1, Dolby Digital (5.1), Dolby Surround Sound
A man accused of murder goes on trial and ignites tensions in asmall pacific northwest town, forever changing the destinies ofthe accused, his wife and the reporter covering the case.Special features: feature commentary with director scott hicks,deleted scenes, theatrical trailer, production notes and more.
"A beautiful, haunting film." Boston Globe
"...awesomely beautiful." Joel Siegel, Good Morning America
"A riveting tale of mystery." Fox TV
"The rare film that lives up to the book." ABC-TV
Editor's Note
Based on David Guterson's best-selling novel, this is the story of a Japanese-American who must stand trial for the murder of a man with whom he's had a lifelong grudge. Ishmael Chambers (Ethan Hawke) is a reporter who has information that could potentially prove the defendant's innocence, but complications arise when he discovers that the man's wife (Youki Kudoh) was his first love. The two were forced to separate after the bombing of Pearl Harbor, but their reunion has Chambers confused about which choice he should make. Gorgeous photography highlights this romantic drama with a political edge.
Plot Summary
From the director of SHINE comes this multi-layered drama of love, betrayal, and forgiveness, based on the novel by David Guterson. In a small Pacific Northwest town in the 1950s, a Japanese-American man (Yune) is tried for the murder of a man based on a long-standing grudge. Reporter Ishmael Chambers (Hawke) may be able to prevent injustice from happening, but he and the man's wife (Kudoh) are childhood sweethearts who split apart when the Japanese community of the town was sent to internment camps after Pearl Harbor. Ishmael must balance his sense of betrayal and lost opportunity with the desire to do the right thing. Director Hicks uses a series of overlapping flashbacks to tell his story in a complex, fable-like manner, joined by magnificent cinematography and music.
| Features | Widescreen Version | | Deleted Scenes | | Theatrical Trailer | | Production Notes | | Director's Audio Commentary | | Behind-The-Scenes Footage | | Behind-The-Scenes Interviews |
| Technical Info
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Release Information
| | Studio: Universal (Rabbit Ears) |
| Release Date: 5/22/2007 |
| Running Time: 128 minutes |
| Original Release Date: 1999 | | Catalog ID: 20558 | | UPC: 00025192055829 | | Number of Discs: 1 |
Audio & Video
| | Original Language: English | | Available Audio Tracks: English [CC], English, French Dubbed | | Video: Color |
Aspect Ratio | | 2.35:1 |
| Cast & Crew
| Awards |
Oscar (2000) | | | Robert Richardson, Nominee, Best Cinematography |
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| | Professional Reviews | Variety
"SNOW FALLING ON CEDARS is an impeccably crafted [film]..." 9/13-19/1999 p.51Total Film
"...Gorgeous visuals, from perfectly-framed snowscapes to rainswept cedar forests..." 06/01/2000 p.88 Premiere
"...Visual ambition..." -- 3 out of 5 stars 07/01/2000 p.99 Box Office
"...[A] complex network of subplots....A commentary not just on race relations but also on human relations..." -- 4 1/2 out of 5 stars 12/01/1999 p.52 USA Today
"...A handsomely shot, delicately felt film....SNOW is compelling..." 12/22/1999 p.6D The New York Times 8 of 10
The film's strongest scenes look back to World War II when the island's Japanese-Americans were interrogated, rounded up and sent to internment camps for the duration of the war... Snow Falling on Cedars...is well acted, and it succeeds in sustaining a mood of spellbound reflection. - Stephen Holden
James Berardinelli's ReelViews 9 of 10
Snow Falling on Cedars is a motion picture of great thematic and visual richness. In addition to openly castigating the United States' anti-Japanese American policies during World War II, it confronts the ease with which prejudice can be used to warp the outcome of a trial. And, in the difficulties encountered by Hatsue and Ishmael as they attempt to build a clandestine relationship, the clash of cultures becomes evident.
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