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The Resource Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence, a Jeremy Thomas production ; a Nagisa Oshima film ; screenplay by Nagisa Oshima with Paul Mayersberg ; producer, Jeremy Thomas ; directed by Nagisa Oshima ; National Film Trustee Company ; made in association with Antares-Nova N.V., Recorded Picture Company, Oshima Productions, Asahi National Broadcasting Co. Ltd. and Broadbank Investments Limited, (videorecording)

Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence, a Jeremy Thomas production ; a Nagisa Oshima film ; screenplay by Nagisa Oshima with Paul Mayersberg ; producer, Jeremy Thomas ; directed by Nagisa Oshima ; National Film Trustee Company ; made in association with Antares-Nova N.V., Recorded Picture Company, Oshima Productions, Asahi National Broadcasting Co. Ltd. and Broadbank Investments Limited, (videorecording)

Composer
Producer
Director
Contributor
Summary
In a Japanese prison camp on Java in 1942, two British officers, John Lawrence and Jack Celliers, encounter camp commander Yonoi and his sergeant Hara. Things had been going pretty well, until charismatic, rebellious Celliers arrived. Yonoi is a devotee of the samurai ideal; neither he nor Hara can understand the stoic way in which the British prisoners accept their situation of defeat. Lawrence speaks Japanese, and ceaselessly tries to mediate between the prisoners and their overseers, translating both the words and the values of the two races. Celliers' attitude, however, is more comprehensible to Yonoi. He and Celliers arrive at a sort of détente, based on an admiration for the other, but this eventually turns into a contest of wills as the camp's carefully nurtured equilibrium is destroyed
Language
  • eng
  • jpn
  • eng
  • eng
  • eng
Work
Publication
Extent
1 videodisc (124 min.)
Note
  • Based on the autobiographical novel "The seed and the sower" by Laurens Van Der Post
  • Originally released as a motion picture in 1983
  • Bonus features: "The Oshima gang", the 1983 making-of featurette ; new video interviews ; "Hasten slowly" an hour-long 1996 documentary about author Laurens Van Der Post ; original theatrical trailer ; 28 pg. booklet with an essay "Lawrence of Shinjuku" by Chuck Stephens " and an interview article "Oshima: sex, militarism, and empire" by film scholar Tadao Sato (translated by David Owens and published in the September 1983 issue of AFI's American Film)
Isbn
9781604653168
Instance
Label
Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence
Title
Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence
Statement of responsibility
a Jeremy Thomas production ; a Nagisa Oshima film ; screenplay by Nagisa Oshima with Paul Mayersberg ; producer, Jeremy Thomas ; directed by Nagisa Oshima ; National Film Trustee Company ; made in association with Antares-Nova N.V., Recorded Picture Company, Oshima Productions, Asahi National Broadcasting Co. Ltd. and Broadbank Investments Limited
Contributor
Actor
Composer
Director
Producer
Screenwriter
Subject
Genre
Language
  • eng
  • jpn
  • eng
  • eng
  • eng
Summary
In a Japanese prison camp on Java in 1942, two British officers, John Lawrence and Jack Celliers, encounter camp commander Yonoi and his sergeant Hara. Things had been going pretty well, until charismatic, rebellious Celliers arrived. Yonoi is a devotee of the samurai ideal; neither he nor Hara can understand the stoic way in which the British prisoners accept their situation of defeat. Lawrence speaks Japanese, and ceaselessly tries to mediate between the prisoners and their overseers, translating both the words and the values of the two races. Celliers' attitude, however, is more comprehensible to Yonoi. He and Celliers arrive at a sort of détente, based on an admiration for the other, but this eventually turns into a contest of wills as the camp's carefully nurtured equilibrium is destroyed
Member of
Cataloging source
TEFMT
Characteristic
videorecording
Credits note
Director of photography, Toichiro Narushima ; production designer, Jusho Toda ; music, Ryuichi Sakamoto ; editor, Tomoyo Oshima ; interpreter, Didi Dickson
Dewey number
791.43/72
Intended audience
Rated R: Contains violence and intense emotional scenes
Language note
In English or Japanese dialogue with optional English subtitles
LC call number
PN1997
LC item number
.M47 2010
PerformerNote
David Bowie (Celliers), Tom Conti (Lawrence), Ryuichi Sakamoto (Yonoi), Takeshi [Kitano] (Hara), Jack Thompson (Hicksley)
http://library.link/vocab/relatedWorkOrContributorDate
  • 1932-2013
  • 1952-2023
  • 1940-
http://library.link/vocab/relatedWorkOrContributorName
  • Thomas, Jeremy
  • Ōshima, Nagisa
  • Mayersberg, Paul
  • Bowie, David
  • Conti, Tom
  • Sakamoto, Ryūichi
  • Bīto Takeshi
  • Thompson, Jack
  • Lemle, Mickey
  • Van der Post, Laurens
  • Lemle Pictures, Inc
  • South African Broadcasting Corporation
  • National Film Trustee Company
  • Antares-Nova N.V
  • Recorded Picture Company
  • Ōshima Nagisa Purodakushon
  • BS Asahi (Firm)
  • Broadbank Investments Limited
  • Criterion Collection (Firm)
Runtime
124
Series statement
Criterion collection
Series volume
535
http://library.link/vocab/subjectName
  • Van der Post, Laurens
  • World War, 1939-1945
  • Prisoners of war
  • Soldiers
  • War
  • Prisoners of war
  • World War, 1939-1945
  • World War, 1939-1945
  • Java (Indonesia)
Target audience
adult
Technique
live action
Label
Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence, a Jeremy Thomas production ; a Nagisa Oshima film ; screenplay by Nagisa Oshima with Paul Mayersberg ; producer, Jeremy Thomas ; directed by Nagisa Oshima ; National Film Trustee Company ; made in association with Antares-Nova N.V., Recorded Picture Company, Oshima Productions, Asahi National Broadcasting Co. Ltd. and Broadbank Investments Limited, (videorecording)
Instantiates
Publication
Note
  • Based on the autobiographical novel "The seed and the sower" by Laurens Van Der Post
  • Originally released as a motion picture in 1983
  • Bonus features: "The Oshima gang", the 1983 making-of featurette ; new video interviews ; "Hasten slowly" an hour-long 1996 documentary about author Laurens Van Der Post ; original theatrical trailer ; 28 pg. booklet with an essay "Lawrence of Shinjuku" by Chuck Stephens " and an interview article "Oshima: sex, militarism, and empire" by film scholar Tadao Sato (translated by David Owens and published in the September 1983 issue of AFI's American Film)
Bar code
  • 31223139001490
  • 31223139001474
  • 31223139001482
  • 31223139001508
Carrier category
videodisc
Carrier category code
  • vd
Carrier MARC source
rdacarrier
Color
multicolored
Configuration of playback channels
quadrophonic multichannel or surround
Content category
two-dimensional moving image
Content type code
  • tdi
Content type MARC source
rdacontent
Dimensions
4 3/4 in.
Dimensions
other
Extent
1 videodisc (124 min.)
Isbn
9781604653168
Media category
video
Media MARC source
rdamedia
Media type code
  • v
Medium for sound
videodisc
Other control number
715515062015
Other physical details
sound, color
Publisher number
CC1929BD
Sound on medium or separate
sound on medium
Specific material designation
videodisc
System control number
(OCoLC)662735442
System details
Blu-ray ; Region A ; DTS-HD master audio
Video recording format
Blu-ray disc
Label
Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence, a Jeremy Thomas production ; a Nagisa Oshima film ; screenplay by Nagisa Oshima with Paul Mayersberg ; producer, Jeremy Thomas ; directed by Nagisa Oshima ; National Film Trustee Company ; made in association with Antares-Nova N.V., Recorded Picture Company, Oshima Productions, Asahi National Broadcasting Co. Ltd. and Broadbank Investments Limited, (videorecording)
Publication
Note
  • Based on the autobiographical novel "The seed and the sower" by Laurens Van Der Post
  • Originally released as a motion picture in 1983
  • Bonus features: "The Oshima gang", the 1983 making-of featurette ; new video interviews ; "Hasten slowly" an hour-long 1996 documentary about author Laurens Van Der Post ; original theatrical trailer ; 28 pg. booklet with an essay "Lawrence of Shinjuku" by Chuck Stephens " and an interview article "Oshima: sex, militarism, and empire" by film scholar Tadao Sato (translated by David Owens and published in the September 1983 issue of AFI's American Film)
Bar code
  • 31223139001490
  • 31223139001474
  • 31223139001482
  • 31223139001508
Carrier category
videodisc
Carrier category code
  • vd
Carrier MARC source
rdacarrier
Color
multicolored
Configuration of playback channels
quadrophonic multichannel or surround
Content category
two-dimensional moving image
Content type code
  • tdi
Content type MARC source
rdacontent
Dimensions
4 3/4 in.
Dimensions
other
Extent
1 videodisc (124 min.)
Isbn
9781604653168
Media category
video
Media MARC source
rdamedia
Media type code
  • v
Medium for sound
videodisc
Other control number
715515062015
Other physical details
sound, color
Publisher number
CC1929BD
Sound on medium or separate
sound on medium
Specific material designation
videodisc
System control number
(OCoLC)662735442
System details
Blu-ray ; Region A ; DTS-HD master audio
Video recording format
Blu-ray disc

Subject

Genre

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