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Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence (1983)
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Overview
User Rating:
Director:
Writers:
Release Date:
2 September 1983 (USA)
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Tagline:
Java, 1942 - A clash of cultures, a test of the human spirit.
Plot:
In 1942 British soldier Jack Celliers comes to a japanese prison camp. The camp is run by Yonoi, who has a firm belief in discipline...
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Awards:
Won BAFTA Film Award.
Another 8 wins
&
6 nominations
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NewsDesk:
(3 articles)
Takashi Miike to remake Eiichi Kudo’s 1963 film ‘Thirteen Assassins’!
(From Twitch. 12 May 2009, 4:35 PM, PDT)
Thirteen Assassins gets the green light
(From FilmShaft.com. 12 May 2009, 5:14 AM, PDT)
(From Twitch. 12 May 2009, 4:35 PM, PDT)
Thirteen Assassins gets the green light
(From FilmShaft.com. 12 May 2009, 5:14 AM, PDT)
User Comments:
One of the finest war films ever made.
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Cast
(Cast overview, first billed only)| David Bowie | ... | Maj. Jack 'Strafer' Celliers | |
| Tom Conti | ... | Col. John Lawrence | |
| Ryûichi Sakamoto | ... | Capt. Yonoi | |
| Takeshi Kitano | ... | Sgt. Gengo Hara (as Takeshi) | |
| Jack Thompson | ... | Group Capt. Hicksley | |
| Johnny Okura | ... | Kanemoto (as Johnny Ohkura) | |
| Alistair Browning | ... | De Jong | |
| James Malcolm | ... | Celliers' Brother | |
| Chris Broun | ... | Celliers aged 12 | |
| Yûya Uchida | ... | Commandant of Military Prison | |
| Ryunosuke Kaneda | ... | President of the Court | |
| Takashi Naitô | ... | Lt. Iwata | |
| Tamio Ishikura | ... | Prosecutor | |
| Rokko Toura | ... | Interpreter | |
| Kan Mikami | ... | Lt. Ito |
Additional Details
Also Known As:
Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence (Australia) (DVD box title) (Australia) (DVD box title) (International: English title) (DVD box title)
Senjô no merî Kurisumasu (Japan)
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Senjô no merî Kurisumasu (Japan)
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Parents Guide:
Runtime:
124 min
Color:
Color (Eastmancolor)
Aspect Ratio:
1.50 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Certification:
Iceland:16 |
Italy:VM14 |
Portugal:M/16 |
Argentina:13 |
Australia:M |
Finland:K-16 |
France:U |
Norway:16 |
Sweden:15 |
UK:15 |
USA:R
Filming Locations:
Company:
Fun Stuff
Trivia:
From interview with Yûya Uchida and lecture by Nagisa Ôshima: Singer/actor Kenji Sawada was first choice for captain Yonoi. After he suggested David Bowie for Celliers, Sawada dropped out due to his touring schedule. Tomokazu Miura was then considered for Yonoi briefly, before Oshima saw a photograph collection and noted the similar androgyny Ryûichi Sakamoto shared with Sawada. 'Shintaro Katsu', legendary chambara star already causing discord on the set of Akira Kurosawa's Kagemusha (1980), was first choice for Sgt. Hara. Oshima conceived Yonoi in the image of Yukio Mishima. Celliers was fashioned after Peter O'Toole's character in Lawrence of Arabia (1962).
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Goofs:
Factual errors: In the final scene in the prison cell, the cross belt of Lt Col Lawrence's Sam Browne is fitted back to front.
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Quotes:
Colonel John Lawrence:
[to Yonoi] It's your gods. It's your bloody, awful, stinking gods. They made you what you are. May they rot away in the filthy hell they came from!
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Movie Connections:
Referenced in Stupeur et tremblements (2003)
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Soundtrack:
The Lord's My Shepherd
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FAQ
This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.more (55 total)
Message Boards
Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence (1983)| Recent Posts (updated daily) | User |
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| Bowie's rank | GoldMorning |
| Fanfiction | DJOfRadioGallifrey |
| Furyo | jfaguiler |
| 'Merry Christmas! Merry Christmas, Mr Lawrence!´ | gubar |
| That lock of hair | fellini812 |
| Gayness... | agitpop |
Recommendations
If you enjoyed this title, our database also recommends:
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| The Bridge on the River Kwai | Empire of the Sun | Return from the River Kwai | Guizi lai le | Nihon no ichiban nagai hi |
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I first saw this on IFC one night and was enthralled by it. Apparently there are two versions of the film, one with english subtitles and one without. I saw the version without the subtitles. See the film like this put you in the position of the prisoners, not understanding what is being said around you, and having to rely on translators, who in a prison camp were few. The film starts off with Japanese icon Takeshi Kitano walking into a hut and waking up Col. Lawrence (played by Tom Conti). Lawrence's superior protests this and Sgt. Hara (Kitano) yells something to him in Japanese. While walking out of the hut The superior (don't recall his name but he was played by Jack Thompson) orders another soldier to follow him, Hara protests and uses the scabbard of his sword and hits him in the eye, Hara walks out and Thompson yells "B**tards!" (or something similar).
We then see Lawrence following Hara and then Ryuichi Sakamoto's beautiful, eerie music starts off the opening credits. I won't dive any deeper into the plot, as one should witness it for themselves. The film shows us how the prisoners and the guards are not all that different, they both view themselves as being right, when at one point in the film some one says no one is right in war. The film also shows us the physical and the mental abuse the prisoners had to live with day in and day out.
Besides dealing with the war it also shows how man deals with events from the past as far as ones childhood, But in this film it actually works, not like in countless others, and you do feel attached to the characters.
A lot has been said about David Bowie's performance as Major. Jack Celliers, who despite the title of the film is the lead character and does an excellent job portraying a burnt out commando with a past he is afraid to face.
Shortly after seeing the unsubbed version, I saw the subbed version. Which is good in its own right, but I feel the film doesn't have the same impact if you know what is going to happen at every corner, now about half of the film is in Japanese for those with patience it pays off. By not knowing whats going on it puts you in the position of the prisoners themselves.
The film is a beautiful, tragic look at the atrocities man commits to himself. I encourage film and WW II buffs looking for something different to give it a chance. Another unseen by many gem directed by Nagisa Oshima. ****/****