Release and reception
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=== Filming === |
=== Filming === |
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[[Principal photography]] commenced on September 15, 1960, in [[Nagasaki Prefecture]].{{sfn|''Los Angeles Mirror''|1960|p=20}}{{sfn|''Battle Creek Enquirer''|1960|p=11}} Since Buck's story was inspired by the [[1792 Unzen landslide and tsunami]],<ref name=":0" /> the film adaptation was mostly filmed on the island of [[Kyushu]]{{sfn|''Deseret News''|1960|p=26}} around [[Mount Unzen]].<ref name=":0" /> Shooting locations in the area included the towns of [[Obama, Nagasaki|Obama]] (now part of [[Unzen, Nagasaki|Unzen City]])<ref name=":0" /><ref name="ZAKZAK">{{cite web |last= |first= |date=October 24, 2005 |title=ゴジラの円谷監督が特撮担当、幻の映画を"初上映" |trans-title=Director Tsuburaya of Godzilla is in charge of special effects, "premiere" of the fantasy movie |url=http://www.zakzak.co.jp/gei/2005_10/g2005102409.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051028001859/http://www.zakzak.co.jp/gei/2005_10/g2005102409.html |archive-date=October 28, 2005 |access-date=March 26, 2023 |work=[[:ja:夕刊フジ|ZAKZAK]] |language=Japanese}}</ref> and another formally known as Kitsu. Buck identified the latter as the fishing village that was entirely swept away by the 1792 tsunami.{{Sfn|Buck|1962|p=175}}{{Sfn|Buck|1962|p=209}} Ichio Yamazaki served as the cinematographer;<ref name=":7" /> his previous credits include [[Akira Kurosawa]]'s [[The Lower Depths (1957 film)|''The Lower Depths'']] (1957) and ''[[The Hidden Fortress]]'' (1958). |
[[Principal photography]] commenced on September 15, 1960, in [[Nagasaki Prefecture]].{{sfn|''Los Angeles Mirror''|1960|p=20}}{{sfn|''Battle Creek Enquirer''|1960|p=11}} Since Buck's story was inspired by the [[1792 Unzen landslide and tsunami]],<ref name=":0" /> the film adaptation was mostly filmed on the island of [[Kyushu]]{{sfn|''Deseret News''|1960|p=26}} around [[Mount Unzen]].<ref name=":0" /> Shooting locations in the area included the towns of [[Obama, Nagasaki|Obama]] (now part of [[Unzen, Nagasaki|Unzen City]])<ref name=":0" /><ref name="ZAKZAK">{{cite web |last= |first= |date=October 24, 2005 |title=ゴジラの円谷監督が特撮担当、幻の映画を"初上映" |trans-title=Director Tsuburaya of Godzilla is in charge of special effects, "premiere" of the fantasy movie |url=http://www.zakzak.co.jp/gei/2005_10/g2005102409.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051028001859/http://www.zakzak.co.jp/gei/2005_10/g2005102409.html |archive-date=October 28, 2005 |access-date=March 26, 2023 |work=[[:ja:夕刊フジ|ZAKZAK]] |language=Japanese}}</ref> and another formally known as Kitsu. Buck identified the latter as the fishing village that was entirely swept away by the 1792 tsunami.{{Sfn|Buck|1962|p=175}}{{Sfn|Buck|1962|p=209}} Ichio Yamazaki served as the cinematographer;<ref name=":7">{{Cite news |date=September 26, 1962 |title=''Big Wave'' --- An Unusual 2nd Feature |url=https://archive.org/details/variety-1962-09/page/n218/ |work=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]] |page=19}}</ref> his previous credits include [[Akira Kurosawa]]'s [[The Lower Depths (1957 film)|''The Lower Depths'']] (1957) and ''[[The Hidden Fortress]]'' (1958). |
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The film's production in Japan garnered significant media attention, partly due to Buck's popularity there. Locals warmly welcomed the American crew during filming in Japanese towns, where they were closely observed with keen interest. To achieve authenticity, most interior scenes were filmed in the actual homes of generous Obama residents rather than on sets. Footage was captured in real Japanese fishing villages, with some residents participating as [[Extra (acting)|extras]].<ref name=":0" /> Unzen's Chijiwa Beach was also used for several sequences.<ref name=":2" /> Japan-based assistant director Joe Markaroff, who worked on many American productions in Japan, said that the villagers allowed the crew to shoot on the beach in exchange for a three-dollar can of seaweed.<ref>{{Cite news |date=October 25, 1961 |title=Claims Shooting in Japan for Yanks Without Major Problem If Done Right |url=https://archive.org/details/variety-1961-10/page/18/ |work=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]] |page=18}}</ref> |
The film's production in Japan garnered significant media attention, partly due to Buck's popularity there. Locals warmly welcomed the American crew during filming in Japanese towns, where they were closely observed with keen interest. To achieve authenticity, most interior scenes were filmed in the actual homes of generous Obama residents rather than on sets. Footage was captured in real Japanese fishing villages, with some residents participating as [[Extra (acting)|extras]].<ref name=":0" /> Unzen's Chijiwa Beach was also used for several sequences.<ref name=":2" /> Japan-based assistant director Joe Markaroff, who worked on many American productions in Japan, said that the villagers allowed the crew to shoot on the beach in exchange for a three-dollar can of seaweed.<ref>{{Cite news |date=October 25, 1961 |title=Claims Shooting in Japan for Yanks Without Major Problem If Done Right |url=https://archive.org/details/variety-1961-10/page/18/ |work=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]] |page=18}}</ref> |
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==Release and reception== |
==Release and reception== |
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[[File:The Big Wave - Pennsylvania premiere.jpg|thumb|From left to right: Assistant producer John Anderson, [[Tad Danielewski]], [[Pearl S. Buck]], and theater owner Bernard Haines at the film's Pennsylvanian premiere.]] |
[[File:The Big Wave - Pennsylvania premiere.jpg|thumb|From left to right: Assistant producer John Anderson, [[Tad Danielewski]], [[Pearl S. Buck]], and theater owner Bernard Haines at the film's Pennsylvanian premiere.]] |
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''The Big Wave'' was screened at [[Hirosaki]]'s National Theatre and [[Niigata (city)|Niigata]]'s Toho Theater in 1961.<ref name=":0" /> The May 1961 issue of ''Consumer Bulletin'' indicated that the film was also screened in the United States that year, with one critic giving it a "B" rating (suggesting they did not directly recommend or condemned the film) while another two rated it "C" (suggesting the reviewers did not recommend it).<ref>{{Cite news |date=May 1961 |title=Ratings of Current Motion Pictures |url=https://archive.org/details/sim_consumers-research-magazine_1961-05_44_5/ |work=Consumer Bulletin |page=35 |volume=44 |issue=5}}</ref> It was later given a wide release in the U.S. on April 29, 1962,<ref name="afi">{{Cite web |title=''The Big Wave'' (1962) |url=https://catalog.afi.com/Catalog/moviedetails/22672 |access-date=2025-03-23 |website=catalog.afi.com}}</ref><ref name=":4">{{Cite book |url=https://archive.org/details/1963filmdailyyea1963wids/ |title=The 1963 Film Daily Year Book of Motion Pictures |publisher=Wid's Films and Film Folk, Inc. |year=1963 |pages=187}}</ref> to positive reviews from critics.<ref name=":7">{{Cite news |date=September 26, 1962 |title=''Big Wave'' --- An Unusual 2nd Feature |url=https://archive.org/details/variety-1962-09/page/n218/ |work=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]] |page=19}}</ref><ref>{{Cite magazine |date=June 25, 1962 |title=Review Digest |url=https://archive.org/details/boxofficeaprjun180boxo/page/137/ |magazine=[[Boxoffice Pro|Boxoffice]] |page=13}}</ref> [[Variety (magazine)|''Variety'']] reported that the film grossed roughly $15,000 at the [[Wang Theatre|Metropolitan Theatre]] in [[Boston]] during a week in May 1962,<ref>{{Cite news |date=May 23, 1962 |title=Heat Wilts Hub Albeit 'Honey' Hotsy $15,000; 'Fear' Fine 14G; 'Bird' 13G |url=https://archive.org/details/variety-1962-05/page/n353/mode/2up?q=big+wave |work=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]] |page=8}}</ref> {{USD|7,500}} at the [[Fox Theatre (Detroit)|Fox Theatre]] in [[Detroit]] during a week in July,<ref>{{Cite news |date=July 25, 1962 |title='Man' Big $29,000 for 2 Det. Spots; 'Lolita' Wow 18½G, 'Music' Torrid $20,000; 'Mink' Sockeroo 18G, 5th |url=https://archive.org/details/variety-1962-07/page/n267/ |work=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]] |page=10}}</ref> $4,000 at the Lafayette Theatre in [[Buffalo, New York|Buffalo]] during a week in August,<ref>{{Cite news |date=August 22, 1962 |title='Interns' Nifty $12,000, Buff; 'Man' Slight 8G |url=https://archive.org/details/variety-1962-08/page/n207/mode/2up?q=big+wave |work=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]] |pages=16}}</ref> and $8,000 at the [[Golden Gate Theatre]] in [[San Francisco]] during a week in September.<ref>{{Cite book |last= |url=https://archive.org/details/variety-1962-09/page/n7/mode/2up |title='Sky' High $12,500, Frisco; 'Polo' 13G |date=September 5, 1962 |publisher=Variety |pages=9}}</ref> |
''The Big Wave'' was screened at [[Hirosaki]]'s National Theatre and [[Niigata (city)|Niigata]]'s Toho Theater in 1961.<ref name=":0" /> The May 1961 issue of ''Consumer Bulletin'' indicated that the film was also screened in the United States that year.<ref name=":8">{{Cite news |date=May 1961 |title=Ratings of Current Motion Pictures |url=https://archive.org/details/sim_consumers-research-magazine_1961-05_44_5/ |work=Consumer Bulletin |page=35 |volume=44 |issue=5}}</ref> It was later given a wide release in the U.S. on April 29, 1962.<ref name="afi">{{Cite web |title=''The Big Wave'' (1962) |url=https://catalog.afi.com/Catalog/moviedetails/22672 |access-date=2025-03-23 |website=catalog.afi.com}}</ref><ref name=":4">{{Cite book |url=https://archive.org/details/1963filmdailyyea1963wids/ |title=The 1963 Film Daily Year Book of Motion Pictures |publisher=Wid's Films and Film Folk, Inc. |year=1963 |pages=187}}</ref> [[Variety (magazine)|''Variety'']] reported that the film grossed roughly $15,000 at the [[Wang Theatre|Metropolitan Theatre]] in [[Boston]] during a week in May 1962,<ref>{{Cite news |date=May 23, 1962 |title=Heat Wilts Hub Albeit 'Honey' Hotsy $15,000; 'Fear' Fine 14G; 'Bird' 13G |url=https://archive.org/details/variety-1962-05/page/n353/mode/2up?q=big+wave |work=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]] |page=8}}</ref> {{USD|7,500}} at the [[Fox Theatre (Detroit)|Fox Theatre]] in [[Detroit]] during a week in July,<ref>{{Cite news |date=July 25, 1962 |title='Man' Big $29,000 for 2 Det. Spots; 'Lolita' Wow 18½G, 'Music' Torrid $20,000; 'Mink' Sockeroo 18G, 5th |url=https://archive.org/details/variety-1962-07/page/n267/ |work=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]] |page=10}}</ref> $4,000 at the Lafayette Theatre in [[Buffalo, New York|Buffalo]] during a week in August,<ref>{{Cite news |date=August 22, 1962 |title='Interns' Nifty $12,000, Buff; 'Man' Slight 8G |url=https://archive.org/details/variety-1962-08/page/n207/mode/2up?q=big+wave |work=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]] |pages=16}}</ref> and $8,000 at the [[Golden Gate Theatre]] in [[San Francisco]] during a week in September.<ref>{{Cite book |last= |url=https://archive.org/details/variety-1962-09/page/n7/mode/2up |title='Sky' High $12,500, Frisco; 'Polo' 13G |date=September 5, 1962 |publisher=Variety |pages=9}}</ref> |
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⚫ | The film is now largely unavailable to the general public and believed by some in Japan to have become [[Lost film|lost]].<ref name=":0" /> From 1964 to 1977, the film was occasionally shown on television in the United States. On December 27, 1989, the film's copyright was renewed by the now-defunct [[Lorimar-Telepictures]], according to the [[United States Copyright Office]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=''The Big Wave''. By Allied Artists Pictures Corporation. |url=https://publicrecords.copyright.gov/detailed-record/voyager_7355309 |access-date=July 14, 2025 |website=publicrecords.copyright.gov |publisher=[[United States Copyright Office]]}}</ref> It was last screened in [[Unzen, Nagasaki]], Japan at Unzen Memorial Hall on October 29, 2005.<ref name="ZAKZAK" /> The print shown there was owned by the Kawakita Memorial Film Institute, but has since been disposed of.<ref name=":0" /> The Moving Image Section of the [[Library of Congress]] owns the only known remaining print of the film, which they have preserved and can be viewed only within the library.<ref name=":0" /> |
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⚫ | A ''Motion Picture Exhibitor'' reviewer highlighted the "shark kill sequence", Hayakawa's performance, and Tsuburaya's miniature work, but felt the film only appeals to [[art house]] audiences. The critic also praised the editing, noting that much had been cut for its release.<ref>{{Cite news |date=April 18, 1962 |title=Reviews |url=https://archive.org/details/motionpictureexh67jaye_0/page/n248/mode/1up |work=Motion Picture Exhibitor}}</ref> The French-language Canadian publication ''Mediafilm'' gave the film a positive review, praising the acting, cinematography, first half of the film, and special effects.<ref>{{Cite web |title=''The Big Wave'' |url=https://mediafilm.ca/films/1962/the-big-wave |access-date=July 7, 2025 |website=Mediafilm}}</ref> Michael S. Willis of the [[San Francisco Chronicle|''San Francisco Chronicle'']] said the film was "not a masterpiece, but it achieves quite admirably what it sets out to do" and considered it better than the other film in the [[double feature]], [[The Phantom of the Opera (1962 film)|''The Phantom of the Opera'']] (1962).<ref name=":7" /> |
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=== Critical response === |
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⚫ | From 1964 to 1977, the film was occasionally shown on television in the United States. It was featured in [[Steven H. Scheuer]]'s book ''Movies on TV'', where he gave the film two and a half stars, stating that its plot was "slow moving", but praised the acting.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Scheuer |first=Steven H. |author-link=Steven H. Scheuer |url=https://archive.org/details/moviesontv00sche/ |title=Movies on TV |date=1977 |pages=72}}</ref> [[Leonard Maltin]] gave the film one and a half stars and also noted the film's slowly pacing.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Maltin |first=Leonard |url=https://archive.org/details/tvmovies0000leon/ |title=TV Movies |date=1980 |pages=56}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last1=Maltin |first1=Leonard |author-link=Leonard Maltin |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=fttJBgAAQBAJ |title=Turner Classic Movies Presents Leonard Maltin's Classic Movie Guide: From the Silent Era Through 1965 |publisher=[[Penguin Random House|Penguin]] |year=2015 |isbn=978-0-698-19729-9 |edition=3rd |page=60 |language=en}}</ref> |
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''Consumer Bulletin'' with one critic giving it a "B" rating (suggesting they did not directly recommend or condemned the film) while another two rated it "C" (suggesting the reviewers did not recommend it).<ref name=":8" /> Other sources reported positive reviews from critics.<ref name=":7" /><ref>{{Cite magazine |date=June 25, 1962 |title=Review Digest |url=https://archive.org/details/boxofficeaprjun180boxo/page/137/ |magazine=[[Boxoffice Pro|Boxoffice]] |page=13}}</ref> |
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⚫ | A ''Motion Picture Exhibitor'' reviewer highlighted the "shark kill sequence", Hayakawa's performance, and Tsuburaya's miniature work, but felt the film only appeals to [[art house]] audiences. The critic also praised the editing, noting that much had been cut for its release.<ref>{{Cite news |date=April 18, 1962 |title=Reviews |url=https://archive.org/details/motionpictureexh67jaye_0/page/n248/mode/1up |work=Motion Picture Exhibitor}}</ref> The French-language Canadian publication ''Mediafilm'' gave the film a positive review, praising the acting, cinematography, first half of the film, and special effects.<ref>{{Cite web |title=''The Big Wave'' |url=https://mediafilm.ca/films/1962/the-big-wave |access-date=July 7, 2025 |website=Mediafilm}}</ref> Michael S. Willis of the [[San Francisco Chronicle|''San Francisco Chronicle'']] said the film was "not a masterpiece, but it achieves quite admirably what it sets out to do" and considered it better than the other film in the [[double feature]], [[The Phantom of the Opera (1962 film)|''The Phantom of the Opera'']] (1962).<ref name=":7" /> |
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⚫ | It was featured in [[Steven H. Scheuer]]'s book ''Movies on TV'', where he gave the film two and a half stars, stating that its plot was "slow moving", but praised the acting.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Scheuer |first=Steven H. |author-link=Steven H. Scheuer |url=https://archive.org/details/moviesontv00sche/ |title=Movies on TV |date=1977 |pages=72}}</ref> [[Leonard Maltin]] gave the film one and a half stars and also noted the film's slowly pacing.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Maltin |first=Leonard |url=https://archive.org/details/tvmovies0000leon/ |title=TV Movies |date=1980 |pages=56}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last1=Maltin |first1=Leonard |author-link=Leonard Maltin |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=fttJBgAAQBAJ |title=Turner Classic Movies Presents Leonard Maltin's Classic Movie Guide: From the Silent Era Through 1965 |publisher=[[Penguin Random House|Penguin]] |year=2015 |isbn=978-0-698-19729-9 |edition=3rd |page=60 |language=en}}</ref> |
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⚫ | The film is now largely unavailable to the general public and believed by some in Japan to have become [[Lost film|lost]].<ref name=":0" /> On December 27, 1989, the film's copyright was renewed by the now-defunct [[Lorimar-Telepictures]], according to the [[United States Copyright Office]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=''The Big Wave''. By Allied Artists Pictures Corporation. |url=https://publicrecords.copyright.gov/detailed-record/voyager_7355309 |access-date=July 14, 2025 |website=publicrecords.copyright.gov |publisher=[[United States Copyright Office]]}}</ref> It was last screened in [[Unzen, Nagasaki]], Japan at Unzen Memorial Hall on October 29, 2005.<ref name="ZAKZAK" /> The print shown there was owned by the Kawakita Memorial Film Institute, but has since been disposed of.<ref name=":0" /> The Moving Image Section of the [[Library of Congress]] owns the only known remaining print of the film, which they have preserved and can be viewed only within the library.<ref name=":0" /> |
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== Legacy == |
== Legacy == |