Empire of the Sun
| Year: | 1987 |
| Director: | Steven Spielberg |
| Writer: | J G Ballard/Tom Stoppard |
| Cast: | Christian Bale, John Malkovich, Miranda Richardson, Joe Pantoliano |
The first movie Steven Spielberg directed where I thought to myself he wanted to get serious as a director.
Starring an unrecognisably young Christian Bale, it's based on J G Ballard's autobiographical book about his formative years in Asia during World War II.
When the Japanese attack Singapore, the young Jamie (Bale), a plane enthusiast and privileged child is separated from his parents as they flee the city.
Ending up in a Japanese POW camp, Jamie finds something akin to a new family together with the other prisoners, among them Basie (Malkovich).
The finer details of the plot are a bit hazy, but it's the stunning cinematography that stays with you - epitomised by the sequence of the huge warplane flying low past the tower as Jamie watches.
Like no other film before it in his repertoire, this heralded Spielberg's talent as a dramatic director.
Starring an unrecognisably young Christian Bale, it's based on J G Ballard's autobiographical book about his formative years in Asia during World War II.
When the Japanese attack Singapore, the young Jamie (Bale), a plane enthusiast and privileged child is separated from his parents as they flee the city.
Ending up in a Japanese POW camp, Jamie finds something akin to a new family together with the other prisoners, among them Basie (Malkovich).
The finer details of the plot are a bit hazy, but it's the stunning cinematography that stays with you - epitomised by the sequence of the huge warplane flying low past the tower as Jamie watches.
Like no other film before it in his repertoire, this heralded Spielberg's talent as a dramatic director.