Empire of the Sun

Trytostaydead · Post by **Trytostaydead** » 2003-10-15 11:25pm

Fuck me silly, this move is freakin' great. Spielberg has a great talent for imagery.. plus that song that plays is incredibly depressing and bittersweet..

Admiral Valdemar · Post by **Admiral Valdemar** » 2003-10-16 03:22am

It is a great film, I can't believe you've just seen it only now, but yes, good stuff. I heard it was loosely based off a true story, but I'm unsure of the validity of that.

And it's hard to imagine that's Christian Bale as a kid, y'know, the Cleric in Equilibrium, mad Wall St. guy in American Psycho and disgruntled Brit in Reign Of Fire.

Boba Fett · Post by **Boba Fett** » 2003-10-16 04:28am

Yes it's truly a great movie. One of my favourite.

...as for the beauty of the music...no wonder, "Master" Williams did it again.

Sarevok · Post by **Sarevok** » 2003-10-16 08:46am

It was a great movie. I saw it last year. When was it actualy made ?

Admiral Valdemar · Post by **Admiral Valdemar** » 2003-10-16 10:38am

evilcat4000 wrote:It was a great movie. I saw it last year. When was it actualy made ?

1987.

Zac Naloen · Post by **Zac Naloen** » 2003-10-16 10:59am

must. see. this. film.

i hadn't realised christian bale ha been in movies that long...

random fact of the day, i was 1 when that movie was made

Post by **Vympel** » 2003-10-16 11:16am

Is that the one where the guy asks the kids if he wants a candy bar, kid says yes, he replies "so would I?"

I've only seen it once.

Admiral Valdemar · Post by **Admiral Valdemar** » 2003-10-16 11:49am

Vympel wrote:Is that the one where the guy asks the kids if he wants a candy bar, kid says yes, he replies "so would I?"

I've only seen it once.

Yup, that'd be either John Mlakovich or Joe Pantoliano.

I can just imagine if Bale was playing Cleric John Preston instead during that time in the camp.

YT300000 · Post by **YT300000** » 2003-10-16 07:17pm

Ah, just saw it for the second time today. In school. We have to make notes of all the symbols in the movie. For a test.

Shinova · Post by **Shinova** » 2003-10-16 07:21pm

Is the movie the one where the kid lives with his parents in China and the Japanese invade, and the kid ends up in this concentration camp run by the Japanese?

DPDarkPrimus · Post by **DPDarkPrimus** » 2003-10-16 07:23pm

Shinova wrote:Is the movie the one where the kid lives with his parents in China and the Japanese invade, and the kid ends up in this concentration camp run by the Japanese?

Yes. I only saw about the first hour of it, and now that I know the title, I'll be seeing it all.

Ypoknons · Post by **Ypoknons** » 2003-10-16 10:22pm

Thought some parts of it were over the top, and some of imagery and symbolism didn't work as well as it did in the book. Awesome music, of course.

I thought the GI Joe's coming into the camp was rather strange - not many were in China, much less Shanghai. But that's forgivable - I didn't like the marginalization of Mr. Maxted, the whole 'I'm American now' thing, and the Japanese soldiers in Shanghai making fun of Jim (doesn't seem Japanese, more like American humour). Also, Jim's rejection of Basie at the camp and skipping out on the whole bandit part lost some meaning, I think - how desperate Jim was.

I liked the addition of Japanese boy/pilot though.

It's part of the Canadian school curriculum, isn't it?

Trytostaydead · Post by **Trytostaydead** » 2003-10-16 10:32pm

Ypoknons wrote:Thought some parts of it were over the top, and some of imagery and symbolism didn't work as well as it did in the book. Awesome music, of course.

I thought the GI Joe's coming into the camp was rather strange - not many were in China, much less Shanghai. But that's forgivable - I didn't like the marginalization of Mr. Maxted, the whole 'I'm American now' thing, and the Japanese soldiers in Shanghai making fun of Jim (doesn't seem Japanese, more like American humour). Also, Jim's rejection of Basie at the camp and skipping out on the whole bandit part lost some meaning, I think - how desperate Jim was.

I liked the addition of Japanese boy/pilot though.

It's part of the Canadian school curriculum, isn't it?

Come now.. my jaw was DROPPED at that one scene where Jim is fondling that airplane and the guard is about to shoot him. But Jim salutes the pilots and the pilots salute back. One of the best freakin' scenes EVER!

I also loved the scene where they're dressed to go to the costume party and driving through the crowd. That was an amazing contrast.

I thought those two scenes by themselves were oscar worthy.

Post by **Sea Skimmer** » 2003-10-16 10:32pm

Ypoknons wrote:
I thought the GI Joe's coming into the camp was rather strange - not many were in China, much less Shanghai.

After Japan surrendered the US military sent in thousands of paratroopers specifically to free westerners held in such camps. Marines also landed in several places, both to help remove interned westerners and to assist in getting the ports opened and ready, since the US then sent a large chunk of the arsenals built up to invade Japan into China to help the Nationalists destroy the communists who where getting all the Japanese weapons captured by the Russians in Manchuria.

Jadeite · Post by **Jadeite** » 2003-10-16 10:32pm

Whats this movie about, sounds interesting.

Ypoknons · Post by **Ypoknons** » 2003-10-17 05:43am

Sea Skimmer wrote: After Japan surrendered the US military sent in thousands of paratroopers specifically to free westerners held in such camps. Marines also landed in several places, both to help remove interned westerners and to assist in getting the ports opened and ready, since the US then sent a large chunk of the arsenals built up to invade Japan into China to help the Nationalists destroy the communists who where getting all the Japanese weapons captured by the Russians in Manchuria.

Once again I am reminded that I need to do more research before saying anything. Thanks.

Come now.. my jaw was DROPPED at that one scene where Jim is fondling that airplane and the guard is about to shoot him. But Jim salutes the pilots and the pilots salute back. One of the best freakin' scenes EVER!

I don't know... Over here we got a lot of laughter. I won't say I like it that much, but I will backpedal and admit it was atmospheric.

I also loved the scene where they're dressed to go to the costume party and driving through the crowd. That was an amazing contrast.

That was good I will admit, though my parents say that Shanghai wasn't that messy at the time - perhaps I should find somone from Shanghai and find out. People were indeed fleeing into the IS, so agan I'll have to look it up.

Admiral Valdemar · Post by **Admiral Valdemar** » 2003-10-17 06:42am

Jadeite wrote:Whats this movie about, sounds interesting.

A wealthy British family living in China as the Japanese begin the invasion of Shanghai. Jim is a child of that family around early teens who is separated from the family as they evac from the city. He then befriends two Americans who were making the most of the ensuing chaos to get out and make a buck or two.

Eventually they end up in a camp under Japanese rule and live out the war. It's a very emotional story and based on a true story. Easily one of Spielberg's best works, if majorly underrated.