Snow Falling on Cedars

Director: Scott Hicks Scott Hicks

Overview

"Even its critics would surely agree that Scott Hicks' Snow Falling on Cedars is a film of rare visual beauty, making it an ideal film for DVD. Universal has not wasted the opportunity; this is an outstanding disc in every department. The stunning look of the film is maximized with an anamorphic widescreen transfer that magnificently realizes the elegant, almost poetic visuals. James Newton Howard's highly emotive score is equally well cared for with a Dolby Digital 5.1 audio track that also delivers clean dialogue throughout. A host of special features are included on the disc, including the original theatrical trailer, cast and crew biographies, and some very detailed production notes. The ""Spotlight on Location"" featurette lasts around 21 minutes, and includes interviews with all the main players. ""Manzanar"" is an educational, text-based history of a real-life relocation center. There are nine deleted and alternate scenes, the most interesting of which is a scene showing Ethan Hawke's Ishmael throwing away his Purple Heart. On his hushed feature commentary, Hicks sounds endearingly like a child slowly unwrapping a Christmas present, but he does discuss the complex shooting logistics and editing, and it is generally an engrossing accompaniment to the film. Snow Falling on Cedars perhaps merits more acclaim than it has had since its release, and this glorious DVD will do its reputation nothing but good."

Product Details

Release Date:	05/30/2000
UPC:	0025192055829
Original Release:	1999
Rating:	PG-13
Source:	Universal Studios
Region Code:	1
Presentation:	[Wide Screen]
Sound:	[Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround, Dolby Digital Surround]
Language:	English
Time:	2:08:00
Sales rank:	39,759

Special Features

Spotlight on Location: The Making of Snow Falling on Cedars"; Feature commentary with director Scott Hicks; Deleted scenes; Manzanar; Theatrical trailer

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits

Ethan Hawke	Ishmael Chambers
James Cromwell	Judge Fielding
Max von Sydow	Nels Gudmundsson
Youki Kudoh	Hatsue
Rick Yune	Kazuo Miyamoto
James Rebhorn	Alvin Hooks
Sam Shepard	Arthur Chambers
Richard Jenkins	Sheriff Art Moran
Reeve Carney	Young Ishmael Chambers
Anne Suzuki	Young Hatsue Imada
Arija Bareikis	Susan Marie Heine
Eric Thal	Carl Heine Jr.
Celia Weston	Etta Heine
Daniel Von Bargen	Carl Heine
Akira Takayama	Hisao Imada
Ako	Fujiko Imada
Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa	Zenhichi Miyamoto
Zak Orth	Deputy Abel Martinson
Max Wright	Horace Whaley
Caroline Kava	Helen Chambers
Jan Rubes	Ole Jurgensen
Sheila Moore	Liesel Jurgensen
Zeljko Ivanek	Dr. Whitman
Seiji Inouye	Young Kazuo Miyamoto
Saemi Nakamura	Sumiko Imada
Mika Fujii	Yukiko Imada
Dwight McFee	Bus Driver
Bill Harper	Levant
Xi Reng Jiang	Nagaishi
Myles Ferguson	German Soldier
Noah Heney	Ship's Doctor
John Destrey	Bailiff
A. Arthur Takemoto	Buddhist Priest,Monk
Larry Musser	Gas Station Attendant
Jamie Kang	Singing Girl
Lili Marshall	Strawberry Girl
Lisa Mena	Strawberry Woman
Jethro Heysen-Hicks	Parade Boy with Stick
Tom Heaton	Juror
Frank C. Turner	Juror
Marilyn Norry	Juror
Peter Crook	Fisherman
Ron Snyder	Fisherman
Mark Ainsworth Farrell	Fisherman
Jay Brazeau	Reporter
Tom Scholte	Reporter
Tim Burd	Reporter
Gareth Williams	FBI Agent
Anthony Harrison	FBI Agent
Adam Pospisil	Heine Child
Johnny Brynelsen	Heine Child
Yûki Kudô	Hatsue Miyamoto
Jan Rudes	Ole Jurgensen
James Newton Howard	Composer

Technical Credits

Scott Hicks

Ron Bass

Scott Hicks	Director,Screenwriter
Stuart Aikins	Casting
Carol Baum	Executive Producer
Kathleen Kennedy	Producer
Frank Marshall	Producer
Stephen Rosenbaum	Special Effects
David Rubin	Casting
Lloyd A. Silverman	Executive Producer
Harry J. Ufland	Producer,Producer
Raleigh Wilson	Stunts
Ron Bass	Screenwriter,Producer
David Guterson	Producer
Richard Vane	Producer
Eric Batut	Sound Effects,Sound/Sound Designer
Thomas Brandau	Sound Effects
Seth Arnett	Stunts

Editorial Reviews

Snow Falling on Cedars is one of those films that earns itself a viewing simply on the strength of its gorgeous look. Scott Hicks's follow-up to Shine might have been shot by Ansel Adams, so lush are its images of the Pacific Northwest circa 1950. The cinematographer is actually the great Robert Richardson (Eight Men Out, The Horse Whisperer), and his expert brushstrokes make the film a more profound meditative experience than it ought to be. Not a particularly interesting or suspenseful plot structure, the central murder trial exists more as a window to the memory of Ethan Hawke's Ishmael, who mentally catalogues so many past time periods that the viewer becomes desperate to sort them out as the scenes blend seamlessly from era to era. Some flashbacks seem like screenplay leftovers -- unexplained, existing more as dreamy fragments. The performances are mostly understated, in keeping with the largely visual agenda of the film, but the result is that it's hard to develop an emotional tie to either Ishmael or Hatsue (Youki Kudoh). The film wins points for exploring the wartime internment of Japanese-Americans, a topic too little understood and generally ignored by filmmakers. Further, it's always nice to see the talents of the wonderful Max Von Sydow continuing to be utilized. Though undoubtedly flawed, as pure visual stimulus, Snow Falling on Cedars is delicious candy.