Empire of the Sun (Keepcase)
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Product Description
Studio: Warner Home Video Release Date: 11/03/2009 Run time: 153 minutes Rating: Pg
Roundly dismissed as one of Steven Spielberg's least successful efforts, this very underrated film poignantly follows the World War II adventures of young Jim (a brilliant Christian Bale), caught in the throes of the fall of China. What if you once had everything and lost it all in an afternoon? What if you were only 12? Bale's transformation, from pampered British ruling-class child to an imprisoned, desperate, nearly feral boy, is nothing short of stunning. Also stunning are exceptional sets, cinematography, and music (the last courtesy of John Williams) that enhance author J.G. Ballard's and screenwriter Tom Stoppard's depiction of another, less familiar casualty of war.
In a time when competitors were releasing "comedic," derivative coming-of-age films, Empire of the Sun stands out as an epic in the classic David Lean sense--despite confusion or perceived competition with the equally excellent The Last Emperor (also released in 1987, and also a coming-of-age in a similar setting). It is also a remarkable testament to, yes, the human spirit. And despite its disappointing box-office returns, Empire of the Sun helped to further establish Spielberg as more than a commercial director and set the standard, tone, and look for future efforts Schindler's List and Saving Private Ryan. --N.F. Mendoza
Product Details
- Actor
- Christian Bale, John Malkovich, Miranda Richardson, Nigel Havers, Joe Pantoliano
- Aspect Ratio
- 1.33:1
- Audience Rating
- Binding
- DVD
- Brand
- Warner Brothers
- Creator
- Chris Kenny, Frank Marshall, Kathleen Kennedy, Robert Shapiro, J.G. Ballard, Menno Meyjes, Tom Stoppard
- Director
- Steven Spielberg
- EAN
- 0883929091539
- Format
- Color, DVD, NTSC
- Label
- Warner Home Video
- Manufacturer
- Warner Home Video
- MPN
- WARD112657D
- Number Of Discs
- 1
- Original Release Date
- 1987-01-01
- Package Quantity
- 1
- Product Group
- DVD
- Product Type Name
- ABIS_DVD
- Publisher
- Warner Home Video
- Region Code
- 1
- Release Date
- 2009-11-03
- Running Time
- 152
- Studio
- Warner Home Video
- Theatrical Release Date
- 1987
- Title
- Empire of the Sun (Keepcase)
- UPC
- 883929091539
- ASIN
- B002O3Z4WU
- Sales Rank
- 15593
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Empire of the Sun (Keepcase) Customer Reviews:
Very moving film about the loss of innocence
When I saw this movie as a kid, I didn't really care for it much. Now, I've seen this movie at least six more times, and it has grown on me. The film contains a very compelling story about a young British boy who soon finds himself alone when the Japanese take over Shanghai during World War II. His life changes completely when he, along with some of his brand new adult friends, is taken to an internment camp. The boy (played fantastically by a young Christian Bale) goes through some incredible changes in his life, and this is where the story becomes very intriguing. I'm not really a fan of Spielberg, but this film is just one of his few films that I truly admire. It has a solid performance by Bale, a stellar supporting cast, some beautiful music, realistic sets, and breathtaking cinematography. It's a very good film, and it deserves its recognition among the general public. Grade: 8.5/10
Rating:
(Empire of the Sun (Keepcase) customer review by Eric S. Kim,
2010-08-19)
Really good film
I saw this in the theater when it first came out and thought it was pretty good. After watching it again at home I have to change that opinion. It is excellent, a great story beautifully filmed with a top notch cast throughout.
Rating:
(Empire of the Sun (Keepcase) customer review by J. Carey,
2010-07-18)
Amazing amount of talent down the drain.
It bugs me when all of the resources that went into making this movie went into making a contrived, unreal, banal, obvious mess. There's a terrific story by J G Ballard in the middle of this movie and Spielberg missed it. Instead he pasted together a bunch of flat movie cliches. Then got Tom Stoppard to write the script. Got Malkovitch to overact, probably not that hard, actually, and got John Williams to roll out the heavenly choirs, the tense percussion, I'm sure the whole lot of them know that this movie is a sell out, and feel a little nauseous whenever they remember what they did here. An amazing amount of talent down the drain. A shame.
Rating:
(Empire of the Sun (Keepcase) customer review by Peter Geraghty,
2010-05-22)
Slow Moving -
"Empire of the Sun" stars a 13 year old Christian Bale in his big movie debut. He shows great talent at a young age and the story is admirable but seemed slow and tedious. The location is Shanghai, which had not changed much from the World War II scenario of the movie. Christian plays Jim, a British expatriate who is separated from his parents when the Japanese army invades Shanghai during World War II. He goes back to his beautiful home to wait for his mother, and after months (as shown by the swimming pool evaporating away) he is starving since most of the food in the house has been eaten. Jim eventually is interned in a civilian prison camp and becomes sort of a mascot. John Malkovich plays his prison buddy. The story is somewhat interesting, and Jim has a wild imagination that gives some interest. The "Empire of the Sun" is based on a real-life autobiography and Steven Spielberg directs.
Rating:
(Empire of the Sun (Keepcase) customer review by Loyd E. Eskildson,
2010-04-28)
LOWER THAN POOR RATING
SORRY, BUT YOU GET A LOWER THAN POOR RATING. I MISTOOK YOUR ITEM TO INCLUDE THE VIDEO... NOT JUST THE CASE FOR THE PRICE YOU CHARGED THIS IS OUTRAGEOUS! YOU SHOULD MAKE IT CLEAR THERE IS NO DVD IN THE CASE, AND IT IS THE CASE ONLY. WHAT A DISAPPOINTMENT!
Rating:
(Empire of the Sun (Keepcase) customer review by Susan L. Oldani,
2010-04-03)
Empire of the Sun (Keepcase)