Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence: The Criterion Collection
CriterionIn this captivating, exhilaratingly skewed World War II drama from Nagisa Oshima, David Bowie regally embodies the character Celliers, a high–ranking British officer interned by the Japanese as a POW. Music star Ryuichi Sakamoto (who also composed this film's hypnotic score) plays the camp commander, who becomes obsessed with the mysterious blond major, and the homoerotic tension between the two men builds. All the while, British lieutenant colonel Mr. Lawrence (Tom Conti) tries to bridge the emotional and language divides between his captors and fellow prisoners. Also featuring actor–director ***preson61994 in his first dramatic role, Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence** is a multilayered, brutal, at times erotic tale of culture clash that was one of Oshima 's greatest successes.
Additional Versions
DVD Features
The Oshima Gang: 1983 making-of featuretteNew video interviews with producer Jeremy Thomas, screenwriter Paul Mayersberg, actor Tom Conti, and actor-composer Ryuichi Sakamoto
Hasten Slowly, an hour-long 1996 documentary
Original theatrical trailer
Plus: A booklet featuring an essay by film critic Chuck Stephens and reprinted interviews with director Nagisa Oshima and actor Takeshi Kitano
Information
- Director: Nagisa Oshima
- Writer: Nagisa Oshima
- Writer: Paul Mayersberg
- Length: 2 hrs. 4 mins.
- Rating: R
- Released: Sep 28 2010
- Production Year: 1983
- TLA SKU: 1539275
- Number of Discs: 1
- UPC Code: 715515062015
- Catalog #: DB1121103