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Merry Christmas Mr Lawrence [1983]
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Editorial
Amazon.co.uk Review
A highly unusual war movie with as many detractors as fans, this English-language feature directed by Nagisa Oshima (In the Realm of the Senses) stars David Bowie as a silent, ethereal POW in a Japanese camp. Protesting--via his own enigmatic rebellion--the camp's brutal conditions and treatment of prisoners, Bowie's character earns the respect of the camp commandant (Ryuichi Sakamoto). While the two seem locked in an unspoken, spiritual understanding, another prisoner (Tom Conti) engages in a more conventional resistance against a monstrous sergeant (Takeshi). The film has a way of evoking as many questions as certainties and it is not always easy to understand the internal logic of the characters' actions. But that's generally true of Oshima's movies, in which the power of certain relationships is almost hallucinatory in self-referential intensity. The cast is outstanding, and Bowie is particularly fascinating in his alien way. --Tom Keogh
A Brilliant and Tragic Film
Review date: 2008-08-05 Rating: 10 out of 10
Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence was a joint venture between a Japanese and Western team. The film is directed by Nagisa Oshima, in what would be his first English language production. Despite working in a language that was not his own, Oshima has managed to produce a stellar work, that is subtle, powerful and moving.
The story takes place in a Japanese Prisoner of War camp on Java in 1942. This camp is run by Captain Yonoi (Ryuichi Sakamoto), an uptight and strict soldier who is obsessed with honour and the samurai code of bushido. He looks down on all members of the camp as dishonourable cowards, as they chose to surrender rather than commit suicide after defeat. One prisoner of this camp is Col.John Lawrence (Tom Conti), a man who has spent many years in the Far East. He is a fluent Japanese speaker who can converse with the camp guards, giving him the edge over the other monolingual prisoners. Lawrence has struck up a bizarre relationship with Sgt. Hara (Takeshi Kitano) an obtuse and somewhat aggressive man, who nonetheless can show some kindness and humanity when he wants too. Lawrence who had at one time respected the Japanese and their culture has now become disillusioned with them, following the cruel treatment he has to endure.
Soon a new arrival threatens to throw the camp's order into chaos. Major. Jack Celliers (David Bowie) is a roguish veteran of many campaigns whose odd behaviour bemuses the Japanese. He is spared execution because of Captain Yonoi's fascination with him. Yonoi cannot reconcile his knowledge of the bushido code with Cellier's behaviour, because Celliers is both brave and honourable, yet reckless and eccentric. It is also suggested that Yonoi is attracted to Celliers, and therefore he cannot bring himself to kill him, even though Celliers threatens to cause an upheaval.
Yonoi and Sgt. Hara decide to put Celliers under the care of Col. Lawrence. It is here that Lawrence learns of Cellier's past as a burnt out soldier who is haunted by many demons, especially his inability to protect his younger brother from school bullies. Yet Celliers's self destructive tendencies have the better of him. He attempts escape and does his best to be uncooperative and rude to the camp leaders. It becomes apparent to Lawrence that unless he is able to dampen the situation Yonoi will finally erupt into rage, which might lead to terrible consequences for Celliers and the entire camp.
This is a powerful and subtle clash of cultures story. Both sides believe that they are right, and both sides are confused with each others attitudes and beliefs. In the middle of this we have Col. Lawrence who is torn between loyalty to his own people, and his respect of Japanese Pre-War culture.
The acting by the cast is excellent. David Bowie, Takeshi Kitnao and Tom Conti should all be congratulated for their performances, and the script writers should be congratulated for creating such interesting three dimensional characters. Ryuichi Sakamoto's performance does go a bit over the top sometimes, but that is usually because of the Japanese style of acting. Yet Sakamoto makes up for this by producing his memorable musical score, especially the haunting main theme.
Overall this is a brilliant film. It might be hard to follow at first, but repeated viewings will make you gain a better appreciation of the film. My only criticism of the film is that it can be a bit dated in some ways, but its not too distracting. This is an incredibly moving film, and the ending is one of the most memorable and tragic I've ever seen. Certainly one to watch.
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Reviews
Superbly cult and decadent
Review date: 2007-04-14 Rating: 10 out of 10
This film was kind of cult when it came out. Because of David Bowie of course, but also because of the side of the Second World War it showed. In this case, the Japanese refused to apply Geneva conventions and forced onto their prisoners the code of conduct of the Samourai. The result is of course a great level of suffering, total disregard of death and dying, treating a hara-kiri execution as an honor, an honorable spectacle that any soldier should consider as a privilege to be able to watch ... For these Japanese soldiers it is a sign of a total lack of courage to accept to be the prisoners of those who defeated you. The only honorable course of action should be dying, and killing themselves in the last run. When Jack Celliers is captured, tried and sentenced to come to this prisoners' camp, he is bound to explode the whole situation because the commander of the camp, Captain Yonoi, thinks he is different and might be of the Samourai vein. In fact Celliers is a typical British officer: never yields, never accepts the unlawful rule of the enemy, resists and disturbs as long as he is alive in their hands. Yonoi decides a two day fast for everyone, prisoners included, Celliers will provide the prisoners with flowers for food. He will thus lead Yonoi to absolute mental breakdown and the final straw that will break the camel's back will be the double brotherly kiss Celliers will give him in front of everyone when condemned to die or nearly. Celliers revealed thus Yonoi was attracted, fascinated, hence in love even if only as a soldier with Celliers. So Celliers will die buried neck deep in sand and Yonoi will come and get a lock of his hair before he is dead. This lock will be brought in a locket and deposited in a shrine in Japan by Mr Lawrence, the interface between Yonoi and the prisoners, after the war and after Yonoi was executed. The film reveals thus the head-on and headlong confrontation of two military civilizations: the Samourais were obviously condemned by history, but also by life and war. They could not survive this clash. David Bowie is superb in his role and Sakamoto is just as perfect. Cult it is, but also somewhere sickening. How could such an old civilization as Japan come to such an end? We will forgive the film for the obvious fakeness of all violent acts.
Dr Jacques COULARDEAU, University Paris Dauphine & University Paris 1 Pantheon Sorbonne
Fantastic- Crime to miss it
Review date: 2005-04-19 Rating: 10 out of 10
Merry Christmas Mr Lawrence is a film which covers many things, on many different levels- the simplest being that of a war film. However to dismiss it as such would be to do an injustice to this superb bit of film making.
The tangled tensions of this prisoner of war camp make for riveting viewing as two cultures clash between their views of honour. The sergeant (Takeshi Kitano) cannot reconcile his friendship with Lawrence (Tom Conte) with his view of Westerner's being weak and dishonourable. In one particulary memorable scene Kitano declares all Englishmen to be homosexual, and thus views his superior's deeper relationship with Bowie as suspect
The strange subliminal attraction between Celliers and Yonoi adds another depth to this already layered film, as Yonoi fights to understand what can give Cellier's such courage to face death without Yonoi's reassurance of Samurai ancestors.
Sakamoto gives a moving performance of a man displaced from time, longing for the simpler times of war and honour, caught in a limbo between his attraction to celliers and his need to do what was right.
The music was beautiful and the cinematography excellent. I highly recommend this film for anyone even if you are not interested in war films- I'm not myself
Better than the film!
Review date: 2005-03-30 Rating: 10 out of 10
The film was a bit iffy but the music is excellent - if you like this try the soundtracks to Last Emperor and Wuthering Heights as well.
Haunting, Unique and Memorable
Review date: 2005-01-28 Rating: 10 out of 10
I can't remember what drew me to watch this film, but I'm so glad that I did. The film, without giving too much away, is basically about a group of mainly British soldiers who are being held in a POW camp in Japan, where they find it hard to understand the Japanese culture and ideas, such as death being seen as honour. The main character, Major Celliers (David Bowie) is sent to the camp where because of his stubborn and somewhat strange actions, his captors begin to think he is possesed by an evil spirit.
Although on the whole the film is sad, slightly shocking and memorable for it's uniqueness, there are funny parts in it despite the bitter subject. There is also some very memorable imagery such as David Bowie being burried in sand up to his neck...
David Bowie was amazing in it which I did not really expect due to only previously seeing him in Labyrinth (Though he was also good in that)
The music is both haunting and memorable, especially the tune right at the begining which is reverberated thoughout the film.
Although the film is not for every one, if you are searching for a film which has something different about it, I deffinatly recomend this.
Product Details/Specifications
Actor(s):
David Bowie
Ryuichi Sakamoto
Takeshi Kitano
Jack Thompson
Tom Conti
Creators:
David Bowie (Primary Contributor)
Tom Conti (Primary Contributor)
Nagisa Oshima (Writer)
Eiko Oshima (Producer)
Geoffrey Nethercott (Producer)
Jeremy Thomas (Producer)
Joyce Herlihy (Producer)
Laurens Van der Post (Writer)
Paul Mayersberg (Writer)
Director(s):
Recording label: Optimum Home Entertainment
Manufacturer: Optimum Home Entertainment
EAN: 5060034570998
Binding: DVD
Number of items: 1
Format: PAL,
Release date: 2005-01-24
Number of discs: 1
Aspect ratio: 1.77:1
Audience rating: Suitable for 15 years and over
Region code: 2
Running time: 124 minutes
Theatrical release date: 1983-09-02
Language: English (Original Language)
Language: Japanese (Original Language)
Language: English (Subtitled)