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The film:Key information(when / where made, who by, who is in it)1983 Japan / UKDirected by Nagisa OshimaStarring two famous musicians David Bowie and Ryuichi Sakamoto, plus Tom Conti Takeshi KitanoWhat the movie is about (genre, setting, characters, plot)World War 2, Japanese POW camp Java for UK armed forcesWar movie, brutal life in the campRelationships between the main prisoners and their captorsSuffering of the prisoners, what honour means to the Japanese and to the Western prisoners. Brutality, cruelty.The scene:Key information about the sceneWhich part of the film Who is in the sceneWhat happens Why it is importantFinal sceneAfter the war. This time, the Japanese is the prisoner, the British officer the visitorLawrence visits Hara the night before his executionNo action – just dialogueDiscuss whether it is fairDiscuss Captain Yonnoi and Jack CelliersThey look back to a happy memory in the campLawrence is deeply saddened about the execution, becomes moved and leavesWhy it is your favourite sceneDialogueCharactersCinematographySoundtrackAction ExcitementEmotionJust dialogue -two people talking, reflecting Deeply sad, moving – execution Hara – learned and speaks in English first time The morality: stupid brutality of war, first the Japanese, allies are not really different you are the victim of men who think they are right Lawrence’s emotions – there are times when victory is very hard to take voice breaking as he says goodbyeHara-san: Merry Xmas! Main theme – favourite soundtrackThe movie: One of my favourite scenes is from a movie called erry Christmas Mr Lawrence.?This came out in 1983.?It was directed by Nagosi Oshima, a famous Japanese director.?And the cast is really interesting, erm,?it starred Ryuichi Sakomoto and, erm,?David Bowie. Ryuichi Sakomoto played Captain Yonoi, the head of a prisoner of war camp.?And Bowie played Major Jack Celliers, a South African member of the British Army.?And, of course, both of them are very very famous musicians.?It also starred Takeshi Kitano as Sergeant Hara, or Hara-san, as he’s also called in the movie…and Tom Conti the Scottish actor as lieutenant Colonel John Lawrence.?Now, the movie set in World War 2 in Java in 1942 in a prisoner of war camp.?Captain Yonoi runs it and he’s…he runs it very brutally and, er,?David Bowie as Major Jack Celliers is a rebel, he doesn't follow all the rules.?And so of course he gets into all kinds of trouble.?Erm…it's about the brutal life in the camp, it’s about the suffering of the prisoners, it's about what honour means to the Japanese and what honour means to the western prisoners because erm, Hara and Lawrence have an interesting relationship; Lawrence is the camp interpreter, he speaks Japanese, and he has lots of scenes with Sergeant Hara discussing this kind of thing, but basically the movie is about how cruel and harsh war is.?The scene: The scene I'd like to talk about is the final scene.?And this happens in 1946 so after the war, after the allied forces have won, and…this time, erm, Sergeant Hara is in prison and Colonel Lawrence comes to visit him, and this is the night before Hara is executed, or due to be executed. There’s no action in the scene, it's just dialogue, and they talk about whether it's fair that Hara-san should be executed, they talk about their memories of Captain Yonoi and Jack Selliers…erm, they look back to a happy memory in the camp, a night where Sergeant Hara, who was drunk, showed kindness at Christmas to the prisoners.?And Lawrence is deeply saddened about the execution and the situation and at the end of the scene he leaves.?Why I love it:Now, why do I love the scene? There are lots of things I love about it, one of the main things I really enjoy about the scene is that it's just dialogue, it’s?just two people talking and reflecting; there’s no action at all.?And the dialogue is simple, but quite profound, erm, and certainly very, very moving, erm,?Hara has learned English and speaks it for the first time, and he, as I mentioned, he talks about whether it's fair that he should be executed.?He says he's not afraid to die but he wonders why he should be executed and Lawrence says, you know,?you're the victim of men who think they are right and this is the message of the movie, there is stupidity on all sides, that war is brutal and illogical.?And…toxic in terms of the behaviour that it creates in men.?I love the scene because of Lawrence's emotions he’s a, you know, he's a British person, he's supposed to be unemotional but his voice cracks up as he leaves, as he says goodbye he's really, really upset.?And as he leaves, you know, one of the reasons I love the scene the most is, as he leaves, the soundtrack starts to come in and it's one of my favourite soundtracks in all movies.?And as he walks out the door Hara-san shouts Lawrence! Merry Christmas Mr Lawrence/, remembering the memory from the camp all those years ago and then the main theme written by Ryuichi Sakomoto kicks in and it's a beautiful moment.?That’s, well, those are some of the reasons why I love the scene so much. ................
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