Black Rain

Black Rain is a 1989 thriller directed by Ridley Scott and starring Michael Douglas and Andy Garcia as NYPD detectives who find themselves working with the police in Osaka, Japan to recapture the Yakuza boss they were transporting back and mistakenly let go. Making the film was not only grueling, but difficult as there were many clashes in the methods of Western film productions and Japanese film productions operated. Apparently the 'rules & regulations'-oriented Japanese system aggravated cinematographer Howard Atherton so much that he left and the remaining camera work was completed by Jan de Bont (who shot Die Hard and would later direct Speed). It is noteworthy that lead actor Yusaku Matsuda who played the main villain Sato, was dying of cancer, but refused to reveal the advanced stage of his disease to director Ridley Scott for fear that he would be replaced. He finished the movie, telling others that sacrificing his chances at "living a few more months" was a worthy trade off for the chance to "live forever" in a motion picture. He passed away seven months after the movie's American premiere. The cast also included Kate Capshaw and legendary Japanese actor Ken Takakura.
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=Handguns=
==Colt Python Snub Nose==
NYPD Detective Sergeant Nick Conklin (Michael Douglas) uses a blued snub-nosed Colt Python as his main service weapon. However, once Conklin and Charlie arrive in Japan, the Osaka Police Chief stressed that they hand in their guns since they are "civilians" there, so grudgingly turns his Python in and is never seen again throughout the remainder of the movie.
thumb|none|600px|Conklin fires his Python at the fleeing Yakuza.
thumb|none|600px|Conklin aims his Python outside the airliner after discovering that he'd been duped into releasing Sato.
==Colt Detective Special==
NYPD Detective Sergeant Nick Conklin (Michael Douglas) uses a Colt Detective Special as his backup handgun. Shortly after they arrive in Osaka there is a scene where Conklin and his partner Charlie Vincent are in the Japanese police headquarters. Both the Colt Python snub and the Colt Detective Special are visible on Conklin's belt. Conklin carries the two revolvers next to each other in what is known as a "New York Reload". This scene takes place before the two NYPD detectives are forced to turn over their handguns to the Osaka police.
thumb|none|600px|Conklin searches for Sato with his backup Colt in a meat packing plant.
==Smith & Wesson Model 66 Snub Nose==
NYPD Detective Charlie Vincent (Andy Garcia) carries a Smith & Wesson Model 66 Snub Nose Revolver (with Pachmayr Presentation Grips) during the first half of the movie. Nick Conklin (Michael Douglas) is then given the revolver from Matsumoto (Ken Takakura), and uses it in the steel factory shootout.
thumb|none|600px|Charlie Vincent (Andy Garcia) draws his Smith & Wesson Model 66 Snub Nose Revolver at the Italian restaurant.
thumb|none|600px|Charlie Vincent (Andy Garcia) gives up his Smith & Wesson Model 66 Snub Nose Revolver after being told by the Osaka police that they cannot carry their weapons while in Osaka.
thumb|none|600px|Nick Conklin (Michael Douglas) with the S&W model 66 in the steel foundry as he's being taunted by Sato.
==Smith & Wesson Model 36==
The Smith & Wesson Model 36 is carried by several members of the Osaka Police during the raid on the Yakuza hideout, standing in for the Nambu Model 60. (The Nambu is the official sidearm of Japanese police, but access to the Nambu is tightly controlled, so film-makers often substitute the broadly-similar Model 36.) 
==Colt Diamondback==
It appears that one of the uniformed N.Y.P.D. officers assisting Conklin (Michael Douglas) and Charlie (Andy Garcia) when they arrest Sato in the meat packing plant is carrying a Colt Diamondback. Technically this is incorrect. A uniformed N.Y.P.D. officer in the late 1980's would not have carried that model and instead would have more than likely been carrying a Ruger Security Six, Smith & Wesson Model 64 or the Smith & Wesson Model 10. However Conklin is shown carrying a Colt Python and Charlie has a S&W Model 66. Neither model would have been carried by a N.Y.P.D. detective in the 1980's so consider it poetic license.
==Heckler & Koch P9S==
One of Sato's men, Yoshimoto, (Jun Kunimura) carries a Heckler & Koch P9S during the foundry gunfight. One is also seen on the table in Sato's hideout when the Osaka police raid it.
thumb|none|300px|Heckler & Koch P9S - 9x19mm
thumb|none|600px|Yoshimoto (Jun Kunimura) armed with the H&K looks for Conklin in the foundry.
==Heckler & Koch P7==
the Heckler & Koch P7 is used by Osaka Police Assistant Inspector Masahiro Matsumoto (Ken Takakura) during the steel factory shootout.
thumb|none|300px|H&K P7M8 - 9x19mm
thumb|none|600px|Assistant Inspector Matsumoto fires the P7.
==Desert Eagle Mark I==
Sugai's driver (Professor Toru Tanaka) is seen firing the Desert Eagle Mark I in the teahouse shootout.
600px|thumb|none|Sugai's driver fires the Desert Eagle during the final gunfight at the "oyabun" council meeting.
=Submachine Guns=
==Heckler & Koch HK94A3==
Numerous gangsters of both Sato and Sugai use the Heckler & Koch HK94A3 in the final shootout - the HK94s are 'chopped and converted' to resemble Heckler & Koch MP5A3s. Assistant Inspector Matsumoto (Ken Takakura) takes one from one of Sato's men as he joins up with Conklin. 
thumb|400px|none|The "Fake MP5", the Heckler & Koch HK94A3 Converted to full auto fire, shortened barrel and added third firing position on trigger pack - 9x19mm. This version was used in many films during the 1980s and 1990s.
thumb|none|600px|Matsumoto fires the HK, killing many of Sato's and Sugai's men.
==Micro-Uzi==
Sato's men carry the Micro Uzi as they enter the Italian Gangster's restaurant where Nick and Charlie are also dining. Sato's men disguised as farmers draw their hidden Micro-Uzi's in the ambush at the teahouse.
thumb|none|300px|Micro Uzi with folding stock - 9x19mm
thumb|none|600px|Sato (Yusaku Matsuda) is guarded by his Micro-Uzi wielding Yakuza as he enters the restaurant.
thumb|none|600px|Disguised as farmers, Sato's men open fire on the Yakuza bosses with their Micro-Uzi's.
==Uzi==
A full-size Uzi is used by one of the Yakuza during the teahouse shootout at the end of the film.
thumb|none|600px|One of Sugai's guards is holding an Uzi as Sato's men ambush them.
thumb|none|600px|Sugai's guard on the right holds an UZI as the car explodes behind him
==MAC-10==
One of Sato's disguised assassins (Al Leong) uses a suppressed MAC-10 during the final shootout.
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thumb|600px|none|One of Sato's disguised assassins (Al Leong) holding a suppressed MAC-10 as he's taken out by Matsumoto.‎
thumb|600px|none|Sugai's guard on the left holds a MAC-10 as the car explodes behind him.‎
=Shotguns=
==Savage Model 69RXL==
In order to take out Sato, Conklin (Michael Douglas) is given a Savage Model 69RXL shotgun by Sugai's men. The weapon features an extended magazine tube and sawed-off stock. Conklin uses it to kill two Yakuza in the house. He was apparently only given three shells for it, as the hammer falls on an empty chamber when he tries to fire a fourth, at which point Conklin discards it.
600px|thumb|none|Sugai's men toss the shotgun at Conklin's feet.
600px|thumb|none|Conklin aims his shotgun at a fleeing Sato.
==Remington 870 Folding Stock==
In a continuity error, Conklin's shotgun mysteriously transforms into a Remington 870 Folding Stock. This was because the main unit couldn't film the final battle in Japan as the filmmaker's visas had run out, so the main unit shifted to California to film the final battle.
thumb|none|500px|Remington 870 Police Magnum with folding stock - 12 gauge
=Rifles=
==Steyr SSG 69==
Members of the Osaka SWAT Team carry Steyr SSG 69 bolt-action sniper rifles when they raid Sato's suspected hideout. 
thumb|none|600px|Osaka police with the sniper rifle.
==Norinco Type 56-1==
A Yakuza fires the Norinco Type 56-1 in the teahouse shootout.
600px|thumb|none|A Yakuza on the right fires the Norinco.
=Miscellaneous=
==Trivia==
Though the majority of the scenes taking place in Japan were actually filmed in Japan, the final shootout at the winery took places in Napa, California for two reasons. (a) The production's work Visa had run out but more importantly (b) Japan's strict gun control forces many filmmakers to use 'flash paper' style non guns. Since Ridley Scott wanted real automatic weapons firing blanks, they had to film the gun battle in the U.S. What also tips off the viewer that this shootout was filmed in the states was the presence of so many well known Chinese American Stuntmen, like Al Leong of Die Hard and Big Trouble in Little China fame, who would not be in Japan (since there are many Japanese Stuntmen who would be available). 
Category:Movie
Category:Crime
Category:Ridley Scott
Category:Detective