With the 17th selection in the inaugural CP Movie Draft, Team That’s What She Said is proud to select a movie that even today after numerous repeated viewings has yet to go stale (and yes it still makes me cry…). This movie, directed by Steven Spielberg, is also the movie that introduced Christian Bale to the world. With no further ado, in the War category, we select: Empire Of The Sun. It’s a bit off the board perhaps, but the movie was haunting and Bale’s performance so memorable that the National Board of Review created a special citation for him as a result of it, Best Performance by a Juvenile Actor.
The story is semi-biographical and based on the novel by J.G. Ballard and his experiences as a young boy.
The movie was adapted for the screen by Tom Stoppard & Menno Meyjes. It was critically acclaimed and received 6 Oscar nominations, 2 Golden Globe nominations, won 3 BAFTA’s & 3 National Film Board awards.
Other notable actors cast in the movie included John Malkovich as “Basie” – the fast talking American who Jim idolizes but is purely looking out for himself. Miranda Richardson as “Mrs. Victor” – the British woman who acts as a substitute mother to Jim while in the internment camp. Ben Stiller is “Dainty”, an American internee and Basie’s sidekick.
And now for some clips:
This is the original trailer for the movie:
This is one of the best scenes in the movie, not including the ending.
And Spielberg discussing the movie....
(NB: If any pics/links don't work I will fix when I am home and not behind the firewall at work.)
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