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(out of 5)
Christian Bale stars as a British boy living in Shanghai who is separated from his parents and taken to a prisoner of war camp when the Japanese invade the city. All alone and with no one to lean on for support, the boy comes up with his own sense of survival and befriends all those around him, including fellow British prisoners, American pilots and even his Japanese captors. The experience colours him to the point where he is no longer the same boy when he finally reunites with his parents in the end. Adapted from the autobiographical novel by J.G. Ballard (who also wrote Crash), the film is beautifully photographed and directed with great skill by Spielberg, who makes every detail a painstakingly impactive one. Supporting cast is also a standout, including John Malkovich and a relatively unknown (at least in the States at the time) Miranda Richardson.
Amblin Entertainment, Warner Bros.
USA, 1987
Directed by Steven Spielberg
Screenplay by Tom Stoppard, based on the novel by J.G. Ballard
Cinematography by Allen Daviau
Produced by Kathleen Kennedy, Frank Marshall, Steven Spielberg
Music by John Williams
Production Design by Norman Reynolds
Costume Design by Bob Ringwood
Film Editing by Michael Kahn
Academy Awards: 1987
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