DVD : Empire of the Sun

Rating: - A complete and total majesty of filmmaking. A Masterpiece.
Roger Ebert is a complete blockhead. When a dolt like Ebert can give cinematic wonderment, that is such of 'Empire of the Sun' two and half stars, and make Ratatouille out to be the new 'Sound of Music', he loses all credibility on every front. Truly a pompous, cardigan wearing dolt. He says, "it never really adds up to anything..." Well what exactly does he want it to add up to? The Japs winning the war? The unshelling of the docks in Shanghai? Perhaps a chinese coolie is saving the face of the globe by offering tuna at a reduced rate? Would he like to see a Gus Van Sant touch here perhaps with a pederastic courtship of Young Christian Bale and Malkovich? Maybe it would have added up to more if Basie took on more of a awkward fatherly role, instead of being so distant and unrelenting? Perhaps a more loosely adapted version of Ballard's vision? He continued with: "The movie's general lack of direction leads to what seems like a series of possible endings; having little clear idea of where he was going, Spielberg isn't sure if he has arrived there. The movie's weakness is a lack of a strong narrative pull from beginning to end." Say what? A lack of strong, narrative pull? I think that is the one thing the film had going for it from start to finish, how it grabbed you with every joint one can muster and pulls you in almost instantly and never drops you off for a second, until the tearful, powerful reunion. This from the same guy who gave 'Casino Royale' four stars and 'Superbad' three and half?

See what people like Ebert, and the likes of the elitist in movie criticism and college interloping film historian professor's miss, is the mere understanding of the epic craft of cohesive method acting; this fundamental reaslism that a 13 year old boy, with no prior film experience, can literally, and without question, carry a two hour film, almost entirely by himself. Yeah these top fifty reviwers can use word stock of powerful prose to make their review sound as if its being released to the masses on a Criterion insert, but they fail on several accounts to actually let someone perhaps that HAS NOT seen Empire of the Sun, and perhaps are only NOW, experiencing the other fallen through the cracks epics of Spielbergs arsenal of majesty.g I as a reader like to see someone spill their inner most feelings on something dear and important to them. That is what I want to read. Someone who doesn't time their review to match the release date so they will get 500 votes. I want to practically taste the grey matter; I want blood, sweat and tears on a review, not a synopsis or insert cut and paste. So that's what I'm giving ya.

Christian Bale is a natural. Understand that. He is a natural. N.F. Mendoza states: "Bale's transformation, from pampered British ruling-class child to an imprisoned, desperate, nearly feral boy, is nothing short of stunning." Without question, stunning is an understatement. Sure you can go to the film of school and television or Stella Adler and learn the "craft" or sit through endless upon endless movement and voice and speech classes in Manhattan and pretend your are someone you really aren't waiting for that big break for a walk on on CSI or your next Tide Commercial, but unless you really have it, unless you were born with some inate and intrinsic appreciation of a voice, a gently giant hovering mass, that exist in your psyche to be able to become someone else you are not, and give your whole body the power to elipse anothers life, that is not your own, is a stunning acheivement indeed, and for a boy to do that and for a camera so close you can virtually see the foolicles of tiny hairs on his arms, to be able to see someones flaws and bad timing, and for there to be NONE in Master Bale's performance, speaks wonders to the totality of directing and guidance Speilberg has with the youth he touches with his majesty (Henry Thomas, Haley Joel) and the "absolute integrity and gutsy professionalism and raw talent of someone like Bale." If you really watch Young Jim and watch the camera carress his soft elequence, his placent voice, his crunchy smiles, his precise timing and movement to the environment around him. As a youth soccer coach back in the day, I used to tell my players, "constantly be aware of your surroundings. Not just where the ball is, but where the ball could go, and what is behind you, in front of you, and not directly in your line of vision" To relate that to film is rather intriguing and the purist would say assanine. See because as an actor I think you must understand the complexity of the world around you. You are not only portraying another's life, but also are part of a world, albeit make believe, however astute to a new and wonderful enviornment. Bale simply steals the show, and it's a shame, a very true and despicable shame, that leaves my mouth metalic with an rank odor, to know this giant of filmmaking lost on so many fronts in its day and years after. It is only now, so many years later, only now when Christian is placed on the pedestal of so many money makers, and so many endearing roles; it is only now decades and so many years forward, that these magical thinkers, these dreamers and flinging sensations on the night side of ours mind's, these giant worshippers of pure stylistic craft, come out of the depths to praise what should have been praised long ago. Empire of the Sun is. Empire of the Sun was. Empire of the Sun will be and forever live in our love of film.

I have a pure, refined hatred for the Academy of Arts and Sciences and the uncreative and often blinded eye that they have to not shed light on films such as this one, that seem to fall through the cracks of soceity, because it's not pre-form fitted with notions of pre-conceived thumbs up trivial genre based goo or not formulaic enough for the masses...filled with CGI or the likes of someone as half-witted and numbskulled as Nicholas Cage or some twit channeled, predictable neanderthal like Tom Hanks.

Gentle reader, the great complexity of the years that have gone by, is the wonderment of how film lovers through the years, those that simply dance between the raindrops, hail this as one of the finest films in the history of cinema, and surely isnt it? Where in a one-eighty, the critics panned it almost across the boards, saying Speilberg lacked depth and ingenuity, and the characters were shallow and uninspiring? Um, huh?

Christian Bale perhaps, arguably gives the finest performance by anyone under the age of 18, save Jean-Pierre Léaud performance in 400 Blows. The very last scene in Empire resounds in many minds eye of one of the most moving and touching ever recorded on stock. The sweeping lucid colorful, exploding in your face cinemotography, the camera angles where sun shines in spastic turns on the face of bale as the camera lens of speilbergs geuise comes in touching grace to the sanctity of death and the aura of youth in a place where dreams escaped out the door with weebles. John Williams score is amongst my favorites on CD. The music fits every scene like a love glove in the county jail, So then? quid pro quo

Easily Spielberg is a visionary giant, duh, a seemingly endless cache of lucid fairy tales, dreams, genuise and intrigue, that is UNPARRELLED in film. He touches our senses and digs deep into the portals of our imaginations, like very, very few do. He has shaped our lives, literally with his fascination to pure, endearing journeys. Down with the nay-sayers, and stake the 'professional' critics to the walls of the motion picture home for the oldies to spat on. For the few, the proud who hail Empire of the Sun as one of the greatest films of all time. Well there is a reason, and you understand its magic. Buy it, or watch it again for the first time and let the musical score of John Willaims dig deep into your soul.

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Rating: - War through the eyes of a child...
I found this to be a touching and poignant film, with qualities nearing those of an opera. When the music carries the scene, this is especially apparent. An example is when the boy is watching the plane fly, and meets the Japanese boy, communicating only through their common love of flight. I do not understand why this film was so disliked by the professional reviewers, as I found it to be an experience that stays with me, even after several viewings. It is beautiful and disturbing at the same time, and especially gripping to see the horror of war through the eyes of innocence.

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Rating: - Better than I expected
I received this DVD in 2 days and paid for standard shipping. It was released in the 80's so I wasnt sure how the quality would beon DVD. Quality is fine. I am enjoying the movie!

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Rating: - Super Great Film
After viewing the film a couple times I then read most of the reviews. I was astounded that so many reviews didn't pick up on the greatness of the film. But then I read Mike Sobocinski's review. He offered an insightful analysis that suggested to me why so many viewers got lost. I say to one and all future viewers, read Mike's analysis. It will open up a world of understanding about this film. It certainly did for me. Mike's review, however, didn't mention these: 1. The best juvenile performance I've ever seen. 2. John William's fabulous sound track, especially his composition of "Exsultate Justi." 3. The rich treble voice of James Rainbird singing "Suo Gan." I only hope that the famous critics give this movie another look.

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Rating: - A rather remarkable film
In 1941, the world changes for a British boy after the Japanese invade Shanghai, China at the height of World War II. His family is forced to flee. But during the chaos that ensues, he becomes separated from his mother and father. His life of wealth and privilege is quickly erased.

Left to his own devices, he then meets two lowlifes - Basie and his sidekick Frank. Against Frank's wishes, Basie takes the hyper-active boy under his wing. But they are soon captured and placed in an internment camp where they spend the next 4 years. During imprisonment, Mr. and Mrs. Victor fill the role of surrogate parents who look after him.

Relics of his recent past often get him into trouble but serve as symbols throughout the story. Going back for his toy airplane (a symbol of his boyhood) is the reason he was separated from his parents in the first place. Another symbol of his past are the golf shoes. When he leaves them behind, it nearly gets him killed.

Near the end, he discards his suitcase filled with personal items marking a break from the past. After the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945, his life takes another turn.