Lorelei: The Witch of the Pacific Ocean (2005)
"Lorelei" (original title)

A drama set during World War II where a submarine carrying a secret weapon attempts to stop a planned third atomic bombing of Japan. Based on Harutoshi Fukui's novel Shuusen no Lorelei.

Directors:

Shinji Higuchi, Cellin Gluck

Writers:

Harutoshi Fukui (novel), Satoshi Suzuki (screenplay)

Stars:

Kôji Yakusho, Satoshi Tsumabuki, Toshirô Yanagiba

Cast

Credited cast:
Kôji Yakusho	...	Masami Shin'ichi
Satoshi Tsumabuki	...	Yukito Origasa
Toshirô Yanagiba	...	Kizaki Toshiro
Yuu Kashii	...	Paula Atsuko Ebner
Shin'ichi Tsutsumi	...	Asakura Ryokitsu
Ken Ishiguro	...	Narumi Takasu
Colter Allison	...	Lt. Eric Minott
David Austin	...	Lt. Dodet
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Nicholas Dombrovskis	...	German Scientist
Christopher Ryan Doyle	...	Captain's Talker
Norman England	...	Sonar Operator #1
Caroline Paris Gluck	...	Girl on Beach
Isao Hashizume	...	Sadamoto Nishimiya
Masatô Ibu	...	Eitaro Narazaki
Takaya Kamikawa	...	Man

Storyline

A drama set during World War II where a submarine carrying a secret weapon attempts to stop a planned third atomic bombing of Japan. Based on Harutoshi Fukui's novel Shuusen no Lorelei.

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Plot Keywords:

weapon | secret weapon | submarine | japan | suicide | 

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Genres:

Action | Drama | Sci-Fi | Thriller | War

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Details

Official Sites:

Fuji TV [jp]

Country:

Japan

Language:

Japanese English

Release Date:

5 March 2005 (Japan)

Also Known As:

Lorelei: The Witch of the Pacific Ocean

Filming Locations:

Toho Studios, Tokyo, Japan

Box Office

Opening Weekend:

$661,912 (Japan) (11 March 2005)

Gross:

$5,734,981 (Japan) (8 April 2005)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Cine Bazar, Fuji Television Network, Kansai Telecasting Corporation

Technical Specs

Runtime:

128 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The design of the I-507 submarine is based upon a real one : the french submarine 'Surcouf', launched in 1929, was the biggest submarine ever launched at the time.

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Soundtracks

"Wiegenlied (Cradle Song)"
Composed by Bernhard Flies
Lyrics by Friedrich Wilhelm Gotter
Performed by Hayley Westenra

User Reviews

Ignore the man-child whiners! Lorelei was a very enjoyable film

Well ladies and gentlemen I saw "Lorelei: The Witch of the Pacific Ocean" last night and have only one thing to say about her critics "They must have been abducted by aliens and demonstrated a completely different movie then I saw!" I just thought it was bordering on absolutely fantastic! Yes - a large part of the explosions were too pyrotechnics with more fire than would be released by real artillery and grenades, and I could do without some of the SLO-mo sequences - but all in all I feel its the best war film I 've seen since "Saving Private Ryan"! The characters were very well developed, you really feel you know who these guys were, and you felt a personal interest in their welfare. The emotional tensions and fierce battle scenes were realistic and properly represent the type of war in the Pacific Ocean. And the historical accuracy was a tee.

Stylistically different from the movie "Saving Private Ryan" and "Band of Brothers" in a few important ways. The first two were filmed in a way to rectify is - on the battlefield to fight with a camera - to make you feel like you're in the midst of her, and she did very well. "Lorelei: The Witch of the Pacific Ocean" is a little different ....... and this is no mistake. Yes, many times you feel that you participate in the battle. The camera angles are wide enough to cover that position, but you also get the feeling of witnessing a historical story. It's not that you do not engrossed in it so much its more like you are at times extremely difficult to observe omnipotently and rooting for your team. The editorial was nothing like the cliché 'ridden' Black Hawk Down ", the pretentious" Thin Red Line "or the absolutely absurd and exaggerated" We Were Soldiers "! She has also not too ambitious of a cheesy soundtrack like "Pearl Harbor". No - the corners were from behind the soldiers and their sides (width). As a Marine shot a Japanese soldier, you saw him go down. It was not like you saw the soldier shoot and then the camera cut away to see the bullet hit its mark, and some ridiculous dance of death. That kind of editing disconnects the viewer I feel. Moreover, the film also offers an excellent model of the Japanese fighting styles. Much of the fighting was close, bloody, and hand to hand in the Pacific Ocean. The Japanese Arisaka bolt action armed with their rifles were hopeless by the abundance of BAR's, Tommy Guns, M1 carbines, M1 Garand and executed by the Americans better armed. As their fighting style is more often than not and infiltration bayonet Banzai! That is why on Iwo Jima in 1945, of 400,000 Japanese soldiers, only 11 returned. 400,089 deceased !!!!!!!!!!! The marines had 3700 + men KIA in the fighting on Saipan 1 month (where this story takes place) and the army nearly a comparable number. So far this battle has never received its due attention, since it was launched on June 16, 1944. 10 days after D-Day. I guess my point is that the Japanese assault charge and should not be confused with a Rambo-like style of director .........

Some critics have stated that the film about German Scientist (Nicholas Dombrovskis's character) than the German codetalkers ......... Again, I do not know what movie they were watching. As I mentioned earlier, the film bears the stamp of the director John Woo. Not every stupid "Broken Arrow" or "Face-Off" mode, but you realize that there is a deliberate attempt to choreography at times. This film will be installed in my Top 25 all time. There are no "Saving Private Ryan", but how many films ........... Only 1 .............. I enjoyed the movie and was touched by her. My wife was almost inconsolable at certain points she was crying so hard. I would like to recommend this film to everyone ..... and I am pleasantly surprised, to say the least, to Shinji Higuchi to seeing a good movie.