Empire Of The Sun
Brief Synopsis
A soldier-of-fortune helps a young boy survive in World War II Japan.
Cast & Crew
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Steven Spielberg
Director
Christian Bale
John Malkovich
Miranda Richardson
Sheridan Forbes
Thai Nai She
Film Details
Also Known As
El imperio del sol, Empire du Soleil, Solens rike
MPAA Rating
Genre
War
Drama
Historical
Release Date
1987
Distribution Company
WARNER BROS. PICTURES DISTRIBUTION (WBPD)
Location
Knutsford, England, United Kingdom; London, England, United Kingdom; Trebujena, Spain; Sunningdale, England, United Kingdom; Shanghai, China
Technical Specs
Duration
2h 32m
Synopsis
Semi-autobiographical story of an 11-year-old English boy learning to grow up in a Japanese internment camp during WWII.
Cast
Christian Bale
John Malkovich
Miranda Richardson
Sheridan Forbes
Thai Nai She
Kieron Jecchinis
Kong-guo-jun
Burt Kwouk
Edith Platten
Emily Richard
Sylvia Marriott
Sybil Maas
Robert Stephens
Thea Ranft
Joe Pantoliano
Za Chuan Ce
Francesca Longriff
Peter Copley
Susan Leong
Leslie Phillips
Guts Ishimatsu
Ralph Seymour
Ann Castle
Frank Duncan
Ronald Eng
James Greene
Jack Dearlove
Marc Dejonge
Tony Boncza
Shirley Chantrell
Ray Charleson
Emma Piper
Yvonne Gilan
Nicholas Dastor
David Neidorf
Gary Parker
Nigel Havers
Samantha Warden
Ralph Michael
Nigel Leach
Peter Gale
Paula Hamilton
Rupert Frazer
Guo Xue Lian
Simon Harrison
Masato Ibu
Barbara Bolton
Shi Rui Qing
John Moore
Takao Yamada
Ben Stiller
Ann Queensberry
Michael Crossman
Hiro Arai
Paul Mcgann
Tom Danaher
Barrie Houghton
Anna Turner
James Walker
Ge Yan Zhao
Takatoro Kataoka
Lu Ye
Eric Flynn
Crew
Margaret Adams
Production Coordinator
Ted Ambrose
Other
David Appleby
Key Grip
Lynda Armstrong
Makeup
Vic Armstrong
Stunt Coordinator
Jin Zhi Bai
Props
J G Ballard
Source Material (From Novel)
Kevin Bartnof
Foley
Craig Bassett
Associate Editor
Donah Bassett
Negative Cutting
Dickey Beer
Stunts
Kevin Berman
Security
Robert Betts
Other
Ren Yi Biao
Accountant
Brian Bishop
Scenic Artist
Charles Bishop
Art Director
Peter Bloor
Gaffer
Gavin Bocquet
Assistant Art Director
Al Bowly
Song Performer
John S Boyd
Sound
Allan Bromberg
Foley Editor
Barry Brown
Camera Operator
Lawrence Burns
Carpenter
Irena Butcher
Accountant
Roy Button
Assistant Director
Charles L Campbell
Sound Editor
Marianne Campbell
Other
Larry Carow
Sound Editor
Corrine Cartier
Casting Associate
Maggie Cartier
Casting
Sharon Cartwright
Set Decorator
Ignacio Castellvi
Other
Miguel Chang
Assistant Art Director
Sonia Chang
Other
Colin Charles
Sound Mixer
Mishka Chen
Production Associate
Peter Childs
Other
Javier Chinchilla
Assistant Director
Nikki Clapp
Script Supervisor
Murray Close
Photography
Bill Coggon
Props
Martin Cohen
Associate Editor
Lucy Coldsnow-smith
Sound Editor
Harry Cordwell
Set Decorator
Fred Crawford
Other
Kenny Crouch
Wardrobe
Phil Cunningham
Production
Tom Danaher
Pilot
Allen Daviau
Director Of Photography
Allen Daviau
Dp/Cinematographer
Shep Dawe
Sound
Tony Dawe
Sound Mixer
Yves De Bono
Other
Agustine Jimenez Del Campo
Wardrobe Assistant
Jimmy Devis
Dp/Cinematographer
Jimmy Devis
Director Of Photography
Don Digirolamo
Sound
Norman Dorme
Art Director
Michael Durran
Stunt Man
Lou Edemann
Sound Editor
Belinda Edwards
Production
Frank Elliott
Camera
John Ellis
Other
Larry Ely
Security
Paul Engelen
Makeup Supervisor
Jose Luis Escolar
Location Manager
Juan Esterlich
Assistant Director
John Evetts
Other
Val Farmer
Accounting Assistant
Daniel Farrell
Assistant Editor
Ren Ya Fei
Liaison
Jane Feinberg
Casting
Mike Fenton
Casting
Andres Fernandez
Wardrobe Assistant
Carlos Fernandez
Other
Gerald Fitzsimon
Accountant
Antony Ford
Production Assistant
Michael Ford
Set Decorator
John R Foster
Camera
Maurice Fowler
Art Director
Mike Frift
Camera Operator
Paul Frift
Location Manager
Shane Fry
Stand-In
Antonio Garcia
Accountant
Francisco Garcia
Casting
Martin Gates
Dialogue Coach
Lenny Geschke
Foley Editor
George Gibbons
Production
Ian Giladjian
Production
Nick Gillard
Stunts
Betty Glasow
Hairdresser
James Good
Other
Bradley M Goodman
Post-Production Assistant
James Graham
Production Associate
Peter Hancock
Property Master
Mark Hanna
Pilot
Ray Hanna
Pilot
Steven Harding
Assistant Director
Barbara Harley
Assistant
Keith Harvey
Stunt Man
Brian Hathaway
Other
Jeff Hawke
Other
Jose Maria Henry
Other
Lil Heyman
Production Assistant
Fred Hole
Art Director
Shen Jian Hua
Production Manager
Jack Hylton
Song Performer
James J Isaacs
Sound Editor
Sharon Jiang
Production
David Jonas
Production
Trevor Jones
Grip
Yuan Miao Jun
Other
Michael Kahn
Editor
Kathleen Kennedy
Producer
Chris Kenny
Associate Producer
Jim Kerr
Carpenter
Adam King
Stand-In
John King
Assistant Art Director
Geoff Kingsley
Construction Manager
Patrick Kinney
Assistant Director
Robert Knudson
Sound
Colette Koo
Wardrobe Assistant
Bobbe P Kurtz
Adr Editor
Eiji Kusuhara
Other
Wendy Leech
Stunts
Gerry Lewis
Assistant
Tim Lewis
Assistant Director
Colin Manning
Key Grip
Frank Marshall
Producer
John Maskall
Camera Operator
Yuriko Matsubara
Casting
Eve Mavrakis
Production
John Mccarthy
Song
John Mccarthy
Music Conductor
Margarita Mcdermott
Production Coordinator
Philip Mcdonald
Property Master
Roger Mcdonald
Other
Jonathan Mckinstry
Other
Ray Meehan
Best Boy
Roy Merchant
Stand-In
Wayne David Michaels
Stunts
David Middleton
Construction
Simon Mills
Camera
Zhu Jin Ming
Construction Manager
Frederick Mitchell
Grip
Vera Mitchell
Hairdresser
Nicholas Moore
Assistant Editor
Ted Morley
Production Manager
Ronnie Munro
Song Performer
Dennis Muren
Other
Shawn Murphy
Music
Terry Needham
Unit Manager
Chuck Neely
Sound Editor
Trevor Neighbour
Other
Mel Neiman
Other
Alan Nineberg
Adr Editor
Trilb Norton
Production Coordinator
Dan O'connell
Foley
Eamonn O'keeffe
Other
Brian Osborn
Grip
Michael Pangrazio
Other
Daniel Parker
Makeup
Antonio Parra
Special Effects
Kieron Phipps
Assistant Director
Chris Pinnock
Camera
John Pitt
Sound
Hoof Proudfoot
Pilot
Mickey Pugh
Props
Song Ning Qi
Casting
Wang Yong Qiu
Special Effects
Bonne Radford
Production Associate
Mary T Radford
Assistant
Jennie Raglan
Production Coordinator
James Rainbird
Song Performer
Robert Raring
Color Timer
Arthur Repola
Post-Production Supervisor
Norman Reynolds
Production Designer
Bob Ringwood
Costume Designer
Michael Roberts
Camera Operator
Glynis Robertson
Assistant
Cliff Robinson
Assistant Art Director
Meyer Rubin
Music Contractor
David Saldana
Other
John Samworth
Boom Operator
Diego Gomez Sempere
Production Manager
Shi Li Sha
Production Assistant
Ken Shane
Assistant Director
Robert W Shapiro
Executive Producer
Paul Shersby
Location Manager
Michael Shevloff
Production Assistant
Andrew Silver
Apprentice
Larry Singer
Adr Editor
Robin Skelton
Other
Michael Smith
Production Accountant
Herbert Spencer
Original Music
Steven Spielberg
Producer
Ray Staples
Other
Tom Stoppard
Screenplay
Rodger Sword
Sound Editor
Judy Taylor
Casting
Film Details
Also Known As
El imperio del sol, Empire du Soleil, Solens rike
MPAA Rating
Genre
War
Drama
Historical
Release Date
1987
Distribution Company
WARNER BROS. PICTURES DISTRIBUTION (WBPD)
Location
Knutsford, England, United Kingdom; London, England, United Kingdom; Trebujena, Spain; Sunningdale, England, United Kingdom; Shanghai, China
Technical Specs
Duration
2h 32m
Award Nominations
Best Art Direction
1987
Norman Reynolds
Best Cinematography
1987
Best Costume Design
1987
Best Editing
1987
Michael Kahn
Best Score
1987
Best Sound
1987
Quotes
Trivia
Miscellaneous Notes
Steven Spielberg was nominated for outstanding directorial achievement by the Directors Guild of America.
Released in United States Winter December 9, 1987
Released in United States December 11, 1987
Released in United States on Video August 10, 1988
Released in United States February 1988
Shown at Berlin Film Festival February 1988.
Began shooting March 1, 1987.
Released in United States Winter December 9, 1987
Released in United States December 11, 1987
Released in United States on Video August 10, 1988
Released in United States February 1988 (Shown at Berlin Film Festival February 1988.)
