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CHINA ODYSSEY, THE: EMPIRE OF THE SUN, A FILM BY STEVEN SPIELBERG (TV)

Summary

This behind-the-scenes documentary special examines the making of "Empire of the Sun," the 1987 war drama film directed by Steven Spielberg and based on the semi-autobiographical novel by J.G. Ballard. The film explores a "forgotten chapter" in World War II history in which the Japanese invaded the Shanghai International Settlement, the "country within a country" where many British and American citizens had been living in relative grandeur, on the same day as the Pearl Harbor attacks. All of the inhabitants, including a young Ballard, portrayed in the film by British child actor Christian Bale, were rounded up and imprisoned in internment camps. Spielberg observes that the film explores the theme of the death of innocence, unlike many of his other films, noted for their celebration of childhood. Ballard describes his memories of the invasion and subsequent chaos, and many Chinese locals are startled by the film's accurate and detailed recreations of the war-torn city, in which many soldiers are played by actual military personnel. In the film, as in life, young "Jim" Ballard is separated from his parents in the mayhem of the invasion and later bonds with two American seamen, played by John Malkovich and Joe Pantoliano.

Before the war, in which aerial bombs were dropped on civilians for the first time, Shanghai was considered to be "the Paris of the East," with its exciting "no-rules" nightlife and multicultural flavor. The city was heavily influenced by American pop culture, including motion pictures and comic books, though the city became "less Western" after the war and embraced its own traditions. As the actors attempt to master the complex language, Spielberg prepares to film an impressive sweeping shot featuring the city's British-inspired skyline and thousands of extras in accurate 1940s clothing. Ballard then describes how his sensory memories of the internment camp returned to him only when he became involved with the film, and though he states that he is still sickened by sweet potatoes, their main source of food, he adds that children have a "selective view" of life and managed to adapt well to the camp's harsh conditions despite frequently witnessing brutalities against the adult prisoners. Young Bale practices his Chinese phrasing as hundreds of extras are sprayed with talcum powder for the scenes in which the prisoners are forced into construction and other manual labor jobs, and Ballard explains that despite his "unsentimental" view of the harsh Japanese soldiers, young Jim finds himself drawn to their bravery and authority.

Spielberg coaches Bale through a scene in which Jim is awed by the sight of American military airplanes swooping overhead and is personally saluted by one of the pilots, much to his delight. The planes, including Mustangs and the large B-29 bombers, are recreated at one-third scale size, and their presence represents "hope of liberation" to Jim and the other prisoners. As the war nears its conclusion, the soldiers prepare to kill their prisoners and Jim attempts a daring escape into a marsh, with Bale reflecting that his character has matured significantly over his three years in the camp. Real pilots are recruited to help with a complex scene set in mid-1945 in which dummy bombs are dropped and underground explosives set off to create a realistic effect, and Spielberg urges Bale to react with wild excitement to the scene. Ballard notes that some prisoners claim to have witnessed the atom bomb flash from many miles away and reveals that he was actually happy in the camps despite the grim circumstances, explaining that assimilating back into the real world after the liberation was his biggest personal adjustment. The program concludes by reflecting on the film's "universal message of peace" and praise for the strength of the human spirit.

Details

  • NETWORK: N/A
  • DATE:
  • RUNNING TIME: 0:49:28
  • COLOR/B&W: Color
  • CATALOG ID: B:40045
  • GENRE: Documentary
  • SUBJECT HEADING: Documentary; Filmmaking
  • SERIES RUN: N/A
  • COMMERCIALS: N/A

CREDITS

  • Kathleen Kennedy … Executive Producer
  • Frank Marshall … Executive Producer
  • George Zaloom … Producer
  • Les Mayfield … Producer, Director
  • John Pace … Segment Producer
  • Mark Cowen … Segment Producer
  • William Rus … Writer
  • Phil Marshall … Music by
  • Martin Sheen … Narrator
  • J.G. Ballard … Interviewee
  • Steven Spielberg … Interviewee
  • Christian Bale … Interviewee
  • John Malkovich
  • Joe Pantoliano