Empire of the Sun (1987)
| Release Date | 09 December 1987 |
| Budget | $38,000,000 |
| US Box Office | $22,000,000 |
| Tagline | To survive in a world at war, he must find a strength greater than all the events that surround him. |
| Genre | Drama, War |
| Country | USA |
| Filming Locations | Elstree Film Studios, Borehamwood, Hertfordshire, England, UK |
| Language | English, Japanese, Mandarin |
| Sound Mix | 70 mm 6-Track, Dolby |
| Color | Color |
| Film Type | Feature |
| Film Class | POW Drama, War Drama, Childhood Drama |
| Mood | Triumph of the Spirit |
| Themes | Innocence Lost, Life Under Occupation, Political Unrest |
| Tones | Sweeping, Atmospheric, Moody, Poignant, Compassionate, Passionate, Stirring |
| Tags | Child Abuse, Childhood Adventures, Coming Of Age, Death, POW/MIA, Prison, Riches To Rags, Survivor, Teenagers, War |
Empire of the Sun is a 1987 American coming of age war film based on J. G. Ballard's semi-autobiographical novel of the same name. Steven Spielberg directed the film, which stars Christian Bale, John Malkovich, Miranda Richardson, and Nigel Havers. The film tells the story of Jamie "Jim" Graham, a young boy who goes from living in a wealthy British family in Shanghai, to becoming a prisoner of war in Lunghua Civilian Assembly Center, a Japanese internment camp, during World War II.
Cast and Crew
Cast
Masatô Ibu
Sgt. Nagata
Peter Gale
Mr. Victor
Takatarô Kataoka
Kamikaze Boy Pilot
David Neidorf
Tiptree
Ralph Seymour
Cohen
Zhai Nai She
Yang
Guts Ishimatsu
Sgt. Uchida
Emma Piper
Amy Matthews
James Walker
Mr. Radik
Jack Dearlove
Singing Prisoner
Anna Turner
Mrs. Gilmour
Ann Castle
Mrs. Phillips
Yvonne Gilan
Mrs. Lockwood
Sybil Maas
Mrs. Hug
Eric Flynn
British Prisoner
Simon Harrison
British Prisoner
Barrie Houghton
British Prisoner
Paula Hamilton
British Prisoner
Thea Ranft
British Prisoner
Tony Boncza
British Prisoner
Nigel Leach
British Prisoner
Sheridan Forbes
British Prisoner
Barbara Bolton
British Prisoner
Francesca Longrigg
British Prisoner
Samantha Warden
British Prisoner
Kieron Jecchinis
American Prisoner
Michael Crossman
American Prisoner
Gary Parker
American Prisoner
Ray Charleson
American Prisoner
Tom Danaher
Col. Marshall
Kong-Guo-Jun
Chinese Youth
Takao Yamada
Japanese Truck Driver
Hiro Arai
Japanese Sergeant - Airfield
Marc de Jonge
Frenchman
Susan Leong
Amah
Nicholas Dastor
Paul
Edith Platten
Paul's Sister
Shirley Chantrell
Chinese Cook at Detention Centre
John Moore
Mr. Pym
Ann Queensberry
Mrs. Pym
Sylvia Marriott
Mrs. Partridge
Frank Duncan
Mrs. Hug's Father
Ronald Eng
Mr. Chen's Aide
Za Chuan Ce
Shopkeeper
Shi Bui Qing
Shopkeeper
Lu Ye
Merchant
Guo Xue Liang
Merchant
Ge Yan Zhao
Merchant
Nina Armstrong
Nina
J.G. Ballard
Guest at masquerade party
Paul Reynolds
Refugee.
Director
Writer
J.G. Ballard
Menno Meyjes
uncredited
Producer
Chris Kenny
associate producer
Original Music
Cinematographer
Editor
Michael Kahn
-
Casting Director
Maggie Cartier
-
Production Designer
Norman Reynolds
-
Art Director
Charles Bishop
Fred Hole
Rick Carter
-
Set Decorator
Harry Cordwell
-
Michael Ford
Costume Designer
Bob Ringwood
-
Makeup Department
Lynda Armstrong
makeup artist
Paul Engelen
key makeup artist
Betty Glasow
hair stylist
Vera Mitchell
hair styles supervisor
Daniel Parker
makeup artist
Lisa Tomblin
hair stylist
Paquita Trench
assistant hair stylist, assistant makeup artist
Production Manager
Diego Gómez Sempere
production manager: Spain
Shen Jian Hua
production manager: Shanghai Film Studios
Ted Morley
production manager
Terry Needham
unit manager: Spain
Arthur F. Repola
post-production supervisor
Paul Tivers
unit production manager: China
Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Roy Button
second assistant director
Javier Chinchilla
first assistant director: Spain
Juan Estelrich Jr.
third assistant director: Spain
Steve Harding
first assistant director: second unit
Patrick Kinney
second assistant director
Tim Lewis
third assistant director: UK
Kieron Phipps
second assistant director: UK
Ken Shane
third assistant director
David Tomblin
assistant director
Ignacio Vallejo-Nájera
third assistant director: Spain
Manuel L. Cañizares
third assistant director
Asad Qureshi
additional second assistant director
Art Department
Ted Ambrose
draughtsman
Robert Betts
stand-by painter
Brian Bishop
scenic artist
Gavin Bocquet
assistant art director
Laurence Burns
stand-by carpenter: second unit
Sharon Cartwright
assistant set decorator: UK
Miguel Chang
assistant art director: Spain
Peter Childs
chief draughtsman: UK
Bill J. Coggon
stand-by propman: second unit
Norman Dorme
supervising art director: Spain
Belinda Edwards
production buyer
Maurice Fowler
supervising art director: China
George Gibbons
stand-by stagehand
Ian Giladjian
production buyer
Huang Qia Gui
art director: Shanghai Film Studios
Peter Hancock
supervising property master
David Jonas
production illustrator
Jim Kerr
stand-by carpenter
John King
assistant art director: Spain
Geoff Kingsley
construction manager: China unit
Philip McDonald
property master: China unit
Jonathan McKinstry
draughtsman
Dave Middleton
construction buyer: UK
Dave Midson
supervising dressing prop: Spain
Zhu Jin Ming
construction manager: China unit
Jim Morahan
draughtsman
Mickey Pugh
supervising stand-by props
Cliff Robinson
assistant art director
He Jiu Shen
prop buyer: Shanghai Film Studios
Ray Staples
stand-by plasterer
Ed Verreaux
production illustrator
Bill Welch
supervising construction manager
Lin Long Xing
property master: Shanghai Film Studios
Andrew Ackland-Snow
draughtsman
Thomas W. Lay Jr.
conceptual artist
Gwendolyn Margetson
art department assistant
Tony Marks
carpenter
Brian Neighbour
supervising carpenter
David Russell
conceptual illustrator
Adrian Start
supervising painter
Tadeo Villalba hijo
assistant property master
Sound Department
Kevin Bartnof
foley artist
John Boyd
sound re-recording mixer
Alan Bromberg
foley editor
Charles L. Campbell
supervising sound editor
Larry Carow
sound editor
Colin Charles
sound mixer
Lucy Coldsnow-Smith
sound editor
Shep Dawe
sound maintenance
Tony Dawe
production sound mixer
Don Digirolamo
sound re-recording mixer
Louis L. Edemann
supervising sound editor
Leonard T. Geschke
foley editor
James J. Isaacs
sound editor
Robert Knudson
sound re-recording mixer
Bobbe Kurtz
adr editor
Chuck Neely
sound editor
Mel Neiman
processed sound effects
Alan L. Nineberg
adr editor
Dan O'Connell
foley artist
John Pitt
sound maintenance
Wu Guo Qiang
sound engineer: Shanghai Film Studios
John Samworth
boom operator
Larry Singer
supervising adr editor
Roger Sword
sound editor
Gary Weir
boom operator
James Ashwill
foley mixer
George R. Groves Jr.
sound re-recording mixer
Lionel Strutt
adr mixer
Bill Wilner
assistant adr editor
Special Effects
Trevor Neighbour
senior effects technician
Antonio Parra
special effects chief: Spain
David H. Watkins
senior effects supervisor, special effects supervisor: pyrotechnician
Kit West
special effects supervisor
Yves De Bono
senior technician
Peter Fern
special effects technician
Nigel Nixon
special effects model maker
Alan Poole
special effects technician
Visual Effects
Peter Aston
model airplane supervisor
John Ellis
additional optical effects
Ye Mao Gen
special effects senior technician: Shanghai Film Studios
Michael Pangrazio
additional optical effects
Wang Yong Qiu
special effects technician: Shanghai Film Studios
Craig Barron
matte photography supervisor
Steve Gawley
model maker
Ned Gorman
visual effects manager
Stunts
Dickey Beer
stunts
Michael Dubrant
stunt double
Nick Gillard
stunts
Keith Harvey
stunt double
Wendy Leech
stunts
Wayne Michaels
stunts
Camera and Electrical Department
David Appleby
camera grip
Peter Bloor
gaffer
Barry Brown
camera operator
James Devis
director of photography: second unit
Frank Elliott
focus puller: second unit, Spain
Ian Foster
clapper loader
John Foster
clapper loader: second unit, Spain
Mike Frift
camera operator: second unit
Trevor Jones
stand-by grip: second unit
Colin Manning
camera grip
John Maskall
camera operator: China and UK second unit
Roger McDonald
camera focus puller
Ray Meehan
best boy
Simon Mills
clapper loader: second unit
Xue Fu Ming
gaffer: Shanghai Film Studios
Frederick Mitchell
stand-by grip: second unit
Reggie Newkirk
first assistant camera
Eamonn O'Keeffe
camera focus puller
Brian Osborn
grip: second unit, China/UK
Chris Pinnock
focus puller: second unit, China/UK
Mike Roberts
camera operator
Kevin Fraser
crane grip
Peter Hodgson
video assist operator
Billy Merrell
electrician
Casting Department
Corinne Cartier
casting assistant: UK
Jane Feinberg
casting: USA
Mike Fenton
casting: USA
Francisco García
crowd casting: Spain
Yuriko Matsubara
casting: Japan
Ningqi Song
casting: Shanghai Film Studios
Judy Taylor
casting: USA
Costume and Wardrobe Department
Ken Crouch
wardrobe master
Zhang Ju Fang
wardrobe mistress: Shanghai Film Studios
Andrés Fernández
wardrobe assistant: Spain
Agustine Jiménez Del Campo
wardrobe assistant: Spain
Colette Koo
wardrobe assistant: China
Patrick Wheatley
wardrobe supervisor
Zhu Pei Zen
hairdresser: Shanghai Film Studios
Editorial Department
Craig Bassett
associate editor
Donah Bassett
negative cutter
Martin Cohen
associate editor
Daniel Farrell
assistant editor
Brad Goodman
post-production assistant
Nick Moore
assistant editor
Robert Raring
color timer
Andrew Silver
assistant editor
Melissa Tynan-Lagorio
post-production coordinator
Colin Wilson
associate editor
Music Department
Shawn Murphy
score mixer
Meyer Rubin
music contractor
Herbert W. Spencer
orchestrator
Janine Wagner
choral conductor
Kenneth Wannberg
music editor
Transportation Department
Brian Hathaway
transportation coordinator
Mark White
transportation
Joel Marrow
transportation coordinator
Other Crew
Margaret Adams
production coordinator
Jin Zhi Bai
propman: Shanghai Film Studios
Kate Barker
assistant: Ms. Kennedy, USA
Kevin Berman
location security
Ren Yi Biao
accountant: Shanghai Film Studios
Irena Butcher
location accountant: China unit
Marianne Campbell
secretary to Mr. Spielberg
Ignacio Castellví
interpreter: Spain
Sonia Chang
interpreter: Spain
Mishka Chen
production associate
Nikki Clapp
script supervisor
Murray Close
unit stillman
Bill J. Coggon
second unit stand-by propman
Phil Cunningham
production interpreter: China unit
Tom Danaher
aerial unit chief zero pilot
Yves De Bono
senior effects technician
Larry Ely
location security
José Luis Escolar
location manager: Spain
John Evetts
aerial unit chief engineer
Val Farmer
assistant production accountant
Ren Ya Fei
china film co-production liaison: China unit
Carlos Fernández
interpreter: Spain
Gerald Fitzsimon
location accountant: Spain
Anthony Ford
production assistant
Paul Frift
location manager: China unit
Shane Fry
stand-in: Jim
Antonio García
accountant: Spain
Martin Gates
dialogue coach
Bibiana Gonzalez-Gordon
publicity assistant: Spain
James Good
aerial unit coordinator
James Graham
production associate
Mark Hanna
aerial unit mustang pilot
Ray Hanna
aerial unit chief mustang pilot
Barbara Harley
assistant: Ms. Kennedy: UK
Jeff Hawke
aerial unit coordinator
José María Henry
interpreter: Spain
Lil Heyman
production assistant
Sharon Jiang
production interpreter: China unit
Yuan Miao Jun
interpreter: Shanghai Film Studios
Adam King
stand-in: Jim
Kiji Kusuhara
Japanese interpreter: Spain
Sun Li
production interpreter: China unit
Margarita McDermott
production coordinator: Spain
Roy Merchant
stand-in: Jim
Trilby Norton
production coordinator: Spain
Hoof Proudfoot
aerial unit mustang pilot
Ma Qiang
china film co-production liaison: China unit
Bonne Radford
production controller
Mary T. Radford
assistant: Mr. Marshall
Jennie Raglan
production coordinator
Glynis Robertson
assistant: Mr. Kenny
David Saldana
interpreter: Spain
Shi Li Sha
production assistant: Shanghai Film Studios
Paul Shersby
location manager: UK
Michael Shevloff
production assistant
Robin Skelton
secretary: Mr. Marshall
Mike Smith
supervising production accountant
Ann Tasker
unit publicist
Samantha Thomas
production assistant
Annie Wotton
script supervisor: second unit
Janet Yang
project consultant: China unit
Ann Yen
production interpreter: China unit
Shen Ye
location manager: Shanghai Film Studios
Ge Wen Yong
propman: Shanghai Film Studios
Mark Albela
production runner
Robert C. Campion
assistant accountant
Sarah Teboul
assistant location accountant
Production Company
Amblin Entertainment
-
Warner Bros. Pictures
-
Distributor
Warner Bros. Pictures
Argentina Video Home
Warner Bros.
Warner Home Video
Warner Home Video
, ,
Warner Home Vídeo
,
Special Effects
Industrial Light & Magic (ILM)
-
Miscellaneous
20th Century Costumes London
costumes by
Berman's and Nathan's
costumes by
First Unit Caterers
catering
Industrial Light & Magic (ILM)
additional optical effects
Kaleidoscope Cameras Ltd.
hot head
Lee Lighting
grip and lighting equipment
Lorimar Studios
music recorded at
Mayflower Recording
adr recording
Morris Angel & Son Ltd.
costumes by
Pacific Title
titles and opticals
Post Logic Studios
digital film mastering
United Performers' Studio
casting associate
Warner Bros. Records
soundtrack
Wig Creations of London
wigs
Related Lists
Navigation Boxes
Steven Spielberg filmography
*batteries not included (1987)
1941 (1979)
A Wish for Wings That Work (1991)
A.I. Artificial Intelligence (2001)
Always (1989)
Amazing Stories (1985)
Amblin' (1968)
Amistad (1997)
An American Tail (1986)
Arachnophobia (1990)
Back to the Future (1985)
Back to the Future Part II (1989)
Back to the Future Part III (1990)
Balto (1995)
Band of Brothers (2001)
Cape Fear (1991)
Casper (1995)
Catch Me If You Can (2002)
Continental Divide (1981)
Cowboys & Aliens (2011)
Dad (1989)
Deep Impact (1998)
Disturbia (2007)
E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial (1982)
Eagle Eye (2008)
Empire of the Sun
ER (1994)
Family Dog (1993)
Flags of Our Fathers (2006)
Freakazoid! (1995)
Gremlins (1984)
Gremlins 2: The New Batch (1990)
Harry and the Hendersons (1987)
Hereafter (2010)
Hook (1991)
I Am Number Four (2011)
I Wanna Hold Your Hand (1978)
Innerspace (1987)
Into the West (2005)
Invasion America (1998)
Jaws (1975)
Joe Versus the Volcano (1990)
Jurassic Park (1993)
Jurassic Park III (2001)
Works by J. G. Ballard
Crash (1996)
Empire of the Sun
