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Empire of the Sun
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Empire of the Sun (1987) More at IMDbPro »

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Empire of the Sun (1987) -- A young English boy struggles to survive under Japanese occupation during World War II.
Empire of the Sun (1987) -- Trailerfan.com - Trailer (Flash)

Overview

User Rating:
7.7/10   31,985 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Down 1% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Director:
Writers:
J.G. Ballard (novel)
Tom Stoppard (writer)
(more)
Contact:
View company contact information for Empire of the Sun on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
9 December 1987 (USA) more
Genre:
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. full summary | full synopsis
Plot Keywords:
Awards:
Nominated for 6 Oscars. Another 11 wins & 7 nominations more
NewsDesk:
(41 articles)
Sir Elton`s work with Australian talent draws raves
 (From Monsters and Critics. 15 December 2009, 2:53 AM, PST)

Sir Elton John Is Recording His New Tracks
 (From Gossipvita. 14 December 2009, 4:13 AM, PST)

User Comments:
Extraordinary film more (250 total)

Cast

  (in credits order) (verified as complete)

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
Takatoro Kataoka ... Kamikaze Boy Pilot

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 Bui 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)
Paul Reynolds ... Refugee. (uncredited)
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Directed by
Steven Spielberg 
 
Writing credits
J.G. Ballard (novel "Empire of the Sun")

Tom Stoppard (writer)

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)
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)
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
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)
 
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
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
 
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
Daniel 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
Shawn Murphy .... score mixer
Meyer Rubin .... music contractor
Herbert W. Spencer .... orchestrator (as Herbert Spencer)
Janine Wagner .... choral conductor
Kenneth Wannberg .... music editor
 
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
Anthony Ford .... production assistant
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
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
Annie Wotton .... script supervisor: second unit (as Anne Wotton)
Janet Yang .... project consultant: China unit
Ann Yen .... production interpreter: China unit
Shen Ye .... location manager: Shanghai Film Studios
Ge Wen Yong .... propman: Shanghai Film Studios
Mark Albela .... production runner (uncredited)
Robert C. Campion .... assistant accountant (uncredited)
Sarah Teboul .... assistant location accountant (uncredited)
 
Crew verified as complete


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Additional Details

Also Known As:
Solens rike (Finland: Swedish title) (Sweden) [sv]
A nap birodalma (Hungary) [hu]
Auringon valtakunta (Finland) [fi]
Das Reich der Sonne (West Germany) [de]
El imperio del Sol (Spain) [es]
El imperio del sol (International: Spanish title) [es]
Empire du soleil (France) [fr]
Günes imparatorlugu (Turkey: Turkish title) [tr]
I aftokratoria tou iliou (Greece) [el]
Império do Sol (Brazil) [pt]
Imperija sunca (Serbia) [sr]
Imperium slonca (Poland) [pl]
Imperyat Ha-Shemesh (Israel: Hebrew title) [iw]
L'empire du soleil (Canada: French title) [fr]
L'imperi del sol (Spain: Catalan title) [ca]
L'impero del sole (Italy) [it]
O Império do Sol (Portugal) [pt]
Solens rige (Denmark) [da]
more
Runtime:
153 min
Country:
Color:
Color (Technicolor)
Aspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
70 mm 6-Track (70 mm prints) | Dolby (35 mm prints)

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
Tom Stoppard's script was originally written for director Harold Becker. more
Goofs:
Continuity: A girl in the background puts on her dress twice as Basie and Jim walk through the holding camp. more
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...
more
Movie Connections:
Referenced in Into the Breach: 'Saving Private Ryan' (1998) (V) more
Soundtrack:
Chopin Mazurka Opus 17 No. 4 more

FAQ

What is the name of the lullaby sung by Jim throughout the movie?
Is this based entirely on JG Ballard's experiences during the war?
What's with the stadium filled with treasures?
more
78 out of 91 people found the following comment useful.
Extraordinary film, 19 August 2001
8/10
Author: artzau from Sacramento, CA

Reading through the reviews, there were a lot of people who didn't understand this film. This is Spielberg's venture into the realm of art in cinematography. This film is a visual masterpiece and you are swept along from beginning to end. Yes, the tale gets a bit loose in spots and you never know what's going to happen next. But, if you're willing to give up warm and fuzzy for lush visual images and startling leaps of character, you'll see what Spielberg's trying to accomplish. This film makes use of the talents of Miranda Richardson and gives some early exposure to the likes of John Malkovich and Ben Stiller, but young Christian Bale steals the show. The reviewer that commented on the "gothic" effect of the Tai-Pan's going to the costume ball being driven through Shanghai was right on. This film is rife with such scenes and does not disappoint. It's wholly misleading to look for some kind of action story underlying this film. The tale, taken from the book, is straightforward enough: a young boy's boost into manhood through the second world war. The film is full of memorable moments and visually very, very pleasing. As art, it is excellent. That's likely why it wasn't a blockbuster, as say, e.g., Poltergeist, Close Encounters and the Jurassic Park films, were. But, hey. That's the cost of creating art as opposed to crap. And, crap does draw a lot of flies...

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i thought this was very badly executed jamezcoe
Implied rape of Jim's mother godfatherofsoul
Jim Speaks Japanese - translation anyone? dcornella
Ben Stiller kberenson
dying to know what he morris codes to the ships in the canal hmmmisthatright
Nigel Havers Esmacious
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