Empire of the Sun (1987)

Director:

Steven Spielberg

Writers:

J.G. Ballard (novel)
Tom Stoppard (screenplay)
(more)

Release Date:

25 December 1987 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | History | War

Tagline:

To survive in a world at war, he must find a strength greater than all the events that surround him.

Plot:

A young English boy struggles to survive under Japanese occupation during World War II.

Plot Keywords:

Japanese | British | Food | American | Japanese Army

Awards:

Nominated for 6 Oscars. Another 12 wins & 7 nominations

Cast

Christian Bale	...	Jim 'Jamie' Graham
John Malkovich	...	Basie
Miranda Richardson	...	Mrs. Victor
Nigel Havers	...	Dr. Rawlins
Joe Pantoliano	...	Frank Demarest
Leslie Phillips	...	Maxton
Masatô Ibu	...	Sgt. Nagata
Emily Richard	...	Mary Graham, Jim's mother
Rupert Frazer	...	John Graham, Jim's father
Peter Gale	...	Mr. Victor
Takatarô Kataoka	...	Kamikaze Boy Pilot (as Takatoro Kataoka)
Ben Stiller	...	Dainty
David Neidorf	...	Tiptree
Ralph Seymour	...	Cohen
Robert Stephens	...	Mr. Lockwood
Zhai Nai She	...	Yang
Guts Ishimatsu	...	Sgt. Uchida
Emma Piper	...	Amy Matthews
James Walker	...	Mr. Radik
Jack Dearlove	...	Singing Prisoner
Anna Turner	...	Mrs. Gilmour
Ann Castle	...	Mrs. Phillips
Yvonne Gilan	...	Mrs. Lockwood
Ralph Michael	...	Mr. Partridge
Sybil Maas	...	Mrs. Hug
Eric Flynn	...	British Prisoner
James Greene	...	British Prisoner
Simon Harrison	...	British Prisoner
Barrie Houghton	...	British Prisoner
Paula Hamilton	...	British Prisoner
Thea Ranft	...	British Prisoner
Tony Boncza	...	British Prisoner
Nigel Leach	...	British Prisoner
Sheridan Forbes	...	British Prisoner
Peter Copley	...	British Prisoner
Barbara Bolton	...	British Prisoner
Francesca Longrigg	...	British Prisoner
Samantha Warden	...	British Prisoner
Kieron Jecchinis	...	American Prisoner
Michael Crossman	...	American Prisoner
Gary Parker	...	American Prisoner
Ray Charleson	...	American Prisoner
Burt Kwouk	...	Mr. Chen
Tom Danaher	...	Col. Marshall
Kong-Guo-Jun	...	Chinese Youth
Takao Yamada	...	Japanese Truck Driver
Hiro Arai	...	Japanese Sergeant - Airfield
Paul McGann	...	Lt. Price
Marc de Jonge	...	Frenchman
Susan Leong	...	Amah
Nicholas Dastor	...	Paul
Edith Platten	...	Paul's Sister
Shirley Chantrell	...	Chinese Cook at Detention Centre
John Moore	...	Mr. Pym
Ann Queensberry	...	Mrs. Pym
Sylvia Marriott	...	Mrs. Partridge
Frank Duncan	...	Mrs. Hug's Father
Ronald Eng	...	Mr. Chen's Aide
Za Chuan Ce	...	Shopkeeper
Shi Rui Qing	...	Shopkeeper
Lu Ye	...	Merchant
Guo Xue Liang	...	Merchant
Ge Yan Zhao	...	Merchant
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Nina Armstrong	...	Nina (uncredited)
J.G. Ballard	...	Guest at Masquerade Party (uncredited)
Ken Enomoto	...	Jpn Soldier / cut out (uncredited)
Paul Reynolds	...	Refugee (uncredited)

Directed by
Steven Spielberg

Writing credits
J.G. Ballard		(novel "Empire of the Sun")
Tom Stoppard		(screenplay)
Menno Meyjes		uncredited

Produced by
Kathleen Kennedy	....	producer
Chris Kenny	....	associate producer
Frank Marshall	....	producer
Robert Shapiro	....	executive producer
Steven Spielberg	....	producer

Original Music by
John Williams

Cinematography by
Allen Daviau

Film Editing by
Michael Kahn

Casting by
Maggie Cartier

Production Design by
Norman Reynolds

Art Direction by
Charles Bishop		(supervising art director)
Fred Hole		(as Frederick Hole)
Rick Carter		(uncredited)

Set Decoration by
Harry Cordwell
Michael Ford		(as Michael D. Ford)

Costume Design by
Bob Ringwood

Makeup Department
Lynda Armstrong	....	makeup artist
Paul Engelen	....	key makeup artist
Betty Glasow	....	hair stylist
Vera Mitchell	....	hair styles supervisor
Daniel Parker	....	makeup artist
Lisa Tomblin	....	hair stylist (uncredited)
Paquita Trench	....	assistant hair stylist (uncredited)
Paquita Trench	....	assistant makeup artist (uncredited)

Production Management
Diego Gómez Sempere	....	production manager: Spain (as Diego Gomez Sempere)
Shen Jian Hua	....	production manager: Shanghai Film Studios
Ted Morley	....	production manager
Terry Needham	....	unit manager: Spain
Arthur F. Repola	....	post-production supervisor (as Arthur Repola)
Paul Tivers	....	unit production manager: China

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Roy Button	....	second assistant director
Javier Chinchilla	....	first assistant director: Spain
Juan Estelrich Jr.	....	third assistant director: Spain (as Juan Estelrich)
Steve Harding	....	first assistant director: second unit
Patrick Kinney	....	second assistant director
Tim Lewis	....	third assistant director: UK
Frank Marshall	....	second unit director
Kieron Phipps	....	second assistant director: UK
Ken Shane	....	third assistant director
David Tomblin	....	assistant director
Ignacio Vallejo-Nájera	....	third assistant director: Spain
Manuel L. Cañizares	....	third assistant director (uncredited)
Asad Qureshi	....	additional second assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
Ted Ambrose	....	draughtsman
Robert Betts	....	stand-by painter
Brian Bishop	....	scenic artist
Gavin Bocquet	....	assistant art director
Laurence Burns	....	stand-by carpenter: second unit (as Lawrence Burns)
Sharon Cartwright	....	assistant set decorator: UK
Miguel Chang	....	assistant art director: Spain
Peter Childs	....	chief draughtsman: UK
Bill J. Coggon	....	stand-by propman: second unit
Norman Dorme	....	supervising art director: Spain
Belinda Edwards	....	production buyer
Maurice Fowler	....	supervising art director: China
George Gibbons	....	stand-by stagehand
Ian Giladjian	....	production buyer
Huang Qia Gui	....	art director: Shanghai Film Studios
Peter Hancock	....	supervising property master
David Jonas	....	production illustrator
Jim Kerr	....	stand-by carpenter
John King	....	assistant art director: Spain
Geoff Kingsley	....	construction manager: China unit
Philip McDonald	....	property master: China unit
Jonathan McKinstry	....	draughtsman
Dave Middleton	....	construction buyer: UK
Dave Midson	....	supervising dressing prop: Spain (as David Midson)
Zhu Jin Ming	....	construction manager: China unit
Jim Morahan	....	draughtsman
Mickey Pugh	....	supervising stand-by props
Cliff Robinson	....	assistant art director
He Jiu Shen	....	prop buyer: Shanghai Film Studios
Ray Staples	....	stand-by plasterer
Ed Verreaux	....	production illustrator
Bill Welch	....	supervising construction manager
Lin Long Xing	....	property master: Shanghai Film Studios
Andrew Ackland-Snow	....	draughtsman (uncredited)
John Alvin	....	poster artist (uncredited)
Michael Boone	....	draughtsman (uncredited)
Paul Duff	....	chargehand carpenter (uncredited)
Martin Duffy	....	supervising carpenter (uncredited)
Thomas W. Lay Jr.	....	conceptual artist (uncredited)
Gwendolyn Margetson	....	art department assistant (uncredited)
Tony Marks	....	carpenter (uncredited)
Brian Neighbour	....	supervising carpenter (uncredited)
David Russell	....	conceptual illustrator (uncredited)
Adrian Start	....	supervising painter (uncredited)
Tadeo Villalba hijo	....	assistant property master (uncredited)

Sound Department
Kevin Bartnof	....	foley artist
John Boyd	....	sound re-recording mixer
Alan Bromberg	....	foley editor (as Allan Bromberg)
Charles L. Campbell	....	supervising sound editor
Larry Carow	....	sound editor
Colin Charles	....	sound mixer
Lucy Coldsnow-Smith	....	sound editor (as Lucy Coldsnow)
Shep Dawe	....	sound maintenance
Tony Dawe	....	production sound mixer
Don Digirolamo	....	sound re-recording mixer
Louis L. Edemann	....	supervising sound editor (as Lou Edemann)
Leonard T. Geschke	....	foley editor (as Leonard Geschke)
James J. Isaacs	....	sound editor (as Jim Isaacs)
Robert Knudson	....	sound re-recording mixer
Bobbe Kurtz	....	adr editor
Chuck Neely	....	sound editor
Mel Neiman	....	processed sound effects
Alan L. Nineberg	....	adr editor
Dan O'Connell	....	foley artist
John Pitt	....	sound maintenance
Wu Guo Qiang	....	sound engineer: Shanghai Film Studios
John Samworth	....	boom operator
Larry Singer	....	supervising adr editor
Roger Sword	....	sound editor
Gary Weir	....	boom operator
James Ashwill	....	foley mixer (uncredited)
Samuel C. Crutcher	....	sound effects editor (uncredited)
George R. Groves Jr.	....	sound re-recording mixer (uncredited)
Nils C. Jensen	....	sound editor (uncredited)
Lionel Strutt	....	adr mixer (uncredited)
Bill Wilner	....	assistant adr editor (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Trevor Neighbour	....	senior effects technician
Antonio Parra	....	special effects chief: Spain
David H. Watkins	....	senior effects supervisor
David H. Watkins	....	special effects supervisor: pyrotechnician
Kit West	....	special effects supervisor
Yves De Bono	....	senior technician (uncredited)
Peter Fern	....	special effects technician (uncredited)
Nigel Nixon	....	special effects model maker (uncredited)
Alan Poole	....	special effects technician (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Peter Aston	....	model airplane supervisor
John Ellis	....	additional optical effects: ILM
Ye Mao Gen	....	special effects senior technician: Shanghai Film Studios
Dennis Muren	....	additional optical effects
Michael Pangrazio	....	additional optical effects
Wang Yong Qiu	....	special effects technician: Shanghai Film Studios
Craig Barron	....	matte photography supervisor (uncredited)
Steve Gawley	....	model maker (uncredited)
Ned Gorman	....	visual effects manager (uncredited)
Paul Huston	....	matte modelmaker (uncredited)

Stunts
Vic Armstrong	....	stunt coordinator
Dickey Beer	....	stunts
Michael Dubrant	....	stunt double
Nick Gillard	....	stunts
Keith Harvey	....	stunt double
Wendy Leech	....	stunts
Wayne Michaels	....	stunts (as Wayne David Michaels)
Vic Armstrong	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
David Appleby	....	camera grip
Peter Bloor	....	gaffer
Barry Brown	....	camera operator
James Devis	....	director of photography: second unit (as Jimmy Devis)
Frank Elliott	....	focus puller: second unit, Spain
Ian Foster	....	clapper loader
John Foster	....	clapper loader: second unit, Spain
Mike Frift	....	camera operator: second unit
Trevor Jones	....	stand-by grip: second unit
Colin Manning	....	camera grip
John Maskall	....	camera operator: China and UK second unit
Roger McDonald	....	camera focus puller
Ray Meehan	....	best boy
Simon Mills	....	clapper loader: second unit
Xue Fu Ming	....	gaffer: Shanghai Film Studios
Frederick Mitchell	....	stand-by grip: second unit
Reggie Newkirk	....	first assistant camera
Eamonn O'Keeffe	....	camera focus puller
Brian Osborn	....	grip: second unit, China/UK
Chris Pinnock	....	focus puller: second unit, China/UK
Mike Roberts	....	camera operator
Martin Beek	....	specialist camera devices (uncredited)
Kevin Fraser	....	crane grip (uncredited)
Peter Hodgson	....	video assist operator (uncredited)
Billy Merrell	....	electrician (uncredited)

Casting Department
Corinne Cartier	....	casting assistant: UK
Jane Feinberg	....	casting: USA
Mike Fenton	....	casting: USA
Francisco García	....	crowd casting: Spain
Yuriko Matsubara	....	casting: Japan
Ningqi Song	....	casting: Shanghai Film Studios
Judy Taylor	....	casting: USA
Daxing Zhang	....	extra casting assistant (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Ken Crouch	....	wardrobe master (as Kenneth Crouch)
Zhang Ju Fang	....	wardrobe mistress: Shanghai Film Studios
Andrés Fernández	....	wardrobe assistant: Spain
Agustine Jiménez del Campo	....	wardrobe assistant: Spain
Colette Koo	....	wardrobe assistant: China
Patrick Wheatley	....	wardrobe supervisor
Zhu Pei Zen	....	hairdresser: Shanghai Film Studios

Editorial Department
Craig Bassett	....	associate editor
Donah Bassett	....	negative cutter
Martin Cohen	....	associate editor
Dan Farrell	....	assistant editor (as Danny Farrell)
Brad Goodman	....	post-production assistant (as Bradley Goodman)
Nick Moore	....	assistant editor
Robert Raring	....	color timer
Andrew Silver	....	assistant editor
Melissa Tynan-Lagorio	....	post-production coordinator
Colin Wilson	....	associate editor

Music Department
Elin Carlson	....	chorus
Shawn Murphy	....	score mixer
James Rainbird	....	musician
Meyer Rubin	....	music contractor
Herbert W. Spencer	....	orchestrator (as Herbert Spencer)
Janine Wagner	....	choral conductor
Kenneth Wannberg	....	music editor
Tom Boyd	....	musician: oboe soloist (uncredited)
James Thatcher	....	musician: french horn (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Brian Hathaway	....	transportation coordinator
Mark White	....	transportation
Joel Marrow	....	transportation coordinator (uncredited)

Other crew
Margaret Adams	....	production coordinator
Jin Zhi Bai	....	propman: Shanghai Film Studios
Kate Barker	....	assistant: Ms. Kennedy, USA
Kevin Berman	....	location security
Ren Yi Biao	....	accountant: Shanghai Film Studios
Irena Butcher	....	location accountant: China unit
Marianne Campbell	....	secretary to Mr. Spielberg
Ignacio Castellví	....	interpreter: Spain
Sonia Chang	....	interpreter: Spain
Mishka Chen	....	production associate
Nikki Clapp	....	script supervisor
Murray Close	....	unit stillman
Bill J. Coggon	....	second unit stand-by propman
Phil Cunningham	....	production interpreter: China unit
Tom Danaher	....	aerial unit chief zero pilot
Yves De Bono	....	senior effects technician
Larry Ely	....	location security
José Luis Escolar	....	location manager: Spain
John Evetts	....	aerial unit chief engineer
Val Farmer	....	assistant production accountant
Ren Ya Fei	....	china film co-production liaison: China unit
Carlos Fernández	....	interpreter: Spain
Gerald Fitzsimon	....	location accountant: Spain
Antony Ford	....	production assistant (as Anthony Ford)
Paul Frift	....	location manager: China unit
Shane Fry	....	stand-in: Jim
Antonio García	....	accountant: Spain
Martin Gates	....	dialogue coach
Bibiana Gonzalez-Gordon	....	publicity assistant: Spain
James Good	....	aerial unit coordinator
James Graham	....	production associate
Mark Hanna	....	aerial unit mustang pilot
Ray Hanna	....	aerial unit chief mustang pilot
Barbara Harley	....	assistant: Ms. Kennedy: UK
Jeff Hawke	....	aerial unit coordinator
José María Henry	....	interpreter: Spain
Lil Heyman	....	production assistant
Sharon Jiang	....	production interpreter: China unit
Yuan Miao Jun	....	interpreter: Shanghai Film Studios
Adam King	....	stand-in: Jim
Kiji Kusuhara	....	Japanese interpreter: Spain
Sun Li	....	production interpreter: China unit
Eve Mavrakis	....	production interpreter: China unit
Margarita McDermott	....	production coordinator: Spain
Roy Merchant	....	stand-in: Jim
Trilby Norton	....	production coordinator: Spain
Annie Penn	....	script supervisor: second unit (as Anne Wotton)
Hoof Proudfoot	....	aerial unit mustang pilot
Ma Qiang	....	china film co-production liaison: China unit
Bonne Radford	....	production controller
Mary T. Radford	....	assistant: Mr. Marshall
Jennie Raglan	....	production coordinator
Glynis Robertson	....	assistant: Mr. Kenny
David Saldana	....	interpreter: Spain
Shi Li Sha	....	production assistant: Shanghai Film Studios
Paul Shersby	....	location manager: UK
Michael Shevloff	....	production assistant
Robin Skelton	....	secretary: Mr. Marshall
Mike Smith	....	supervising production accountant
Ann Tasker	....	unit publicist
Samantha Thomas	....	production assistant
Janet Yang	....	project consultant: China unit
Shen Ye	....	location manager: Shanghai Film Studios
Ann Yen	....	production interpreter: China unit
Ge Wen Yong	....	propman: Shanghai Film Studios
Mark Albela	....	production runner (uncredited)
Robert C. Campion	....	assistant accountant (uncredited)
Sarah Teboul	....	assistant location accountant (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Amblin Entertainment
• Warner Bros.

Distributors

• Warner Bros. (1987) (USA) (theatrical)
• Warner Home Video (2001) (USA) (DVD) (widescreen)
• Elliniki Kinimatografiki Enosi (ELKE) (1988) (Greece) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. (1988) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• Warner-Columbia Films (1988) (Finland) (theatrical)
• Argentina Video Home (2001) (Argentina) (DVD)
• Argentina Video Home (2001) (Argentina) (VHS) (re-edited)
• Argentina Video Home (????) (Argentina) (VHS)
• Audio Visual Enterprises (1989) (Greece) (VHS)
• Fazer Musiikki Oy/Fazer Video (1980s) (Finland) (VHS)
• Warner Bros. (2001) (Argentina) (all media) (re-release)
• Warner Home Video (2005) (Germany) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2005) (Sweden) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (1988) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Warner Home Video (????) (USA) (VHS)
• Warner Home Vídeo (????) (Brazil) (DVD)
• Warner Home Vídeo (????) (Brazil) (VHS)
• Yleisradio (YLE) (1995) (1997) (Finland) (TV)

Special Effects

• Industrial Light & Magic (ILM)

Other Companies

• 20th Century Costumes London  costumes by
• Audiolink Radio Communications  walkie talkies
• Berman's and Nathan's  costumes by
• First Unit Caterers  catering
• Industrial Light & Magic (ILM)  additional optical effects
• Kaleidoscope Cameras Ltd.  hot head
• Lee Lighting  grip and lighting equipment
• Lorimar Studios  music recorded at
• Mayflower Recording  adr recording
• Morris Angel & Son Ltd.  costumes by
• Pacific Title  titles and opticals
• Palmbrokers  greenery (uncredited)
• Post Logic Studios  digital film mastering
• United Performers' Studio  casting associate
• Warner Bros. Records  soundtrack
• Wig Creations of London  wigs

Also Known As:

Runtime:

152 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Japanese | Mandarin

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

70 mm 6-Track (70 mm prints) | Dolby (35 mm prints)

Certification:

Argentina:13 | Australia:PG | Canada:G (Quebec) | Canada:PG | Chile:14 | Finland:K-12 | France:U | Hong Kong:IIA | Japan:U | Mexico:A | Netherlands:AL | Singapore:PG | South Korea:15 | Sweden:11 | Taiwan:GP | UK:PG | USA:PG | West Germany:12 | Brazil:Livre | Spain:T | Iceland:12 | Portugal:M/12 (Qualidade) | USA:TV-14 (TV rating) | New Zealand:PG | Norway:11 (DVD rating) | Norway:15 (cinema release) | Peru:14

Filming Locations:

Elstree Studios, Borehamwood, Hertfordshire, England, UK

Company:

Amblin Entertainment

Trivia:

Final film of Ralph Michael.

Goofs:

Anachronisms: In the Shanghai street battle scene, some business signs contained names Romanized with Pinyin instead of the Wade-Giles or traditional systems that would have been used at the time.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Narrator:[title card] In 1941 China and Japan had been in a state of undeclared war for four years. A Japanese army of occupation was in control of much of the countryside and many towns and cities. In Shanghai thousands of Westerners, protected by the diplomatic security of the International Settlement, continued to live as they had lived since the British came here in the 19th century and built in the image of their own country...

Movie Connections:

Featured in "American Masters: You Must Remember This: The Warner Bros. Story (#22.4)" (2008)

Soundtrack:

SOUTH OF THE BORDER

Brilliant and Amazing

Empire of the Sun is about a wealthy British boy living in British controlled states of China during WW2. He is torn from his parents and placed in a camp for British citizens. He tries to find a way to connect the good of his old life to the good life in the camp and a life filled with war, but finds that no matter what there is no good out of war. This is an amazingly underrated film that should be watched by a mature, attentive person. This film is laced with compassion and power put in one. A must see for war buffs (or for Spielberg buffs). No matter what even if you hate this film, you will have a favorite part. One of Spielberg greatest films ever made (personally his greatest). 10/10