Merry Christmas Mr Lawrence
1942: British soldier Jack Celliers (David Bowie) arrives at a Japanese POW camp run by
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the disciplinarian Yonoi (Ryuichi Sakamoto) who believes the prisoners are cowards because they have chosen to surrender instead of honourably committing seppuku (ritual suicide). When Yonoi meets Celliers he believes he is an evil spirit and a battle of wills begins between the two men.... This is not your average war movie and the performances by Bowie Sakamoto Tom Conti (who plays Mr Lawrence) and Jack Thompson are all excellent. Equally impressive is the music score of the film composed by Ryuichi Sakamoto which won a BAFTA in 1983.
directed by Nagisa Oshima (In the Realm of the Senses) stars David Bowie as a silent, ethereal POW in a Japanese camp. Protesting--via his own enigmatic rebellion--the camp's brutal conditions and treatment of prisoners, Bowie's character earns the respect of the camp commandant (Ryuichi Sakamoto). While the two seem locked in an unspoken, spiritual understanding, another prisoner (Tom Conti) engages in a more conventional resistance against a monstrous sergeant (Takeshi). The film has a way of evoking as many questions as certainties and it is not always easy to understand the internal logic of the characters' actions. But that's generally true of Oshima's movies, in which the power of certain relationships is almost hallucinatory in self-referential intensity. The cast is outstanding, and Bowie is particularly fascinating in his alien way.--Tom Keogh
directed by Nagisa Oshima (In the Realm of the Senses) stars David Bowie as a silent, ethereal POW in a Japanese camp. Protesting--via his own enigmatic rebellion--the camp's brutal conditions and treatment of prisoners, Bowie's character earns the respect of the camp commandant (Ryuichi Sakamoto). While the two seem locked in an unspoken, spiritual understanding, another prisoner (Tom Conti) engages in a more conventional resistance against a monstrous sergeant (Takeshi). The film has a way of evoking as many questions as certainties and it is not always easy to understand the internal logic of the characters' actions. But that's generally true of Oshima's movies, in which the power of certain relationships is almost hallucinatory in self-referential intensity. The cast is outstanding, and Bowie is particularly fascinating in his alien way. --Tom Keogh
Advantages: Absolutely beautiful Disadvantages: None that I can think of
...I've always loved this film, and certainly one of the things which made it so remarkable was this excellent score. RyuichiSakamoto wrote it on his own, as well as starring in the film as the implacable Captain Yonoi.
The tunes contained on it are as follows:
1. MerryChristmas, Mr. Lawrence
2. Batavia
3. Germination
4. A Hearty Breakfast
5. Before The War
6. The Seed And The Sower
7. A Brief Encounter
8. Ride, Ride, Ride
9. The Fight
10. Father Christmas
11. Dismissed
12. Assembly
13. Beyond Reason
14. Sowing The Seed
15. 23rd Psalm
16. Last Regrets
17. Ride, Ride, Ride
18. The Seed
19. Forbidden Colours
The last track Forbidden Colours was remixed to become a very popular pop song which hit the charts (in Japan.) The music is I believe synth music...
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Ciao members have rated this review on average somewhat helpful
Advantages: Great lyrics | Very funny | Very original Disadvantages: Some weak tracks | Will offend | Hard to find
...Mr. Ose is only that he’s Scottish and that the song is just okay. Nothing special and not particularly that funny.
18. Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas | Mr. Hankey & Boys (2.31)
‘Through the years we all will be together if the fates allow’
A perfect note to end the album as Mr. Hankey is flushed away. The music and lyrics to this song are not changed from the original.
Mr. Hankey’s Christmas Classics is certainly original and for the most part a fun and enjoyable listen. It wont be everyone’s cup and tea and it will offend a few people as well but if you like South Park then this album is a real must. Its just as good as the movie soundtrack, if not better, and its less alternative than the Chef Aid album.
There are a few gripes. Firstly, as mentioned above, not all songs are all that good but that is more...
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Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
...previously would have thought of as classical or pictured a hippy, chanting away to. So impressed I went and bought the CD album myself.
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There is 20 tunes on the CD, they are as follows~
Enigma~Return to Innocence
Deep Forest~Sweet Lullaby
Jan Hammer~Crockett's Theme
Jean Michelle Jarre~Oxygene
Enya~Orinoco Flow
Mike Oldfield~Tubular bells
Vangelis~Chariots of fire
Michael Nyman~The heart asks pleasure first/The promise
Ennio Morricone~Chi Mai
Barrington Pheloung~Theme from inspector Morse
Enigma~Sadness
The Orb~Little Fluffy Clouds
Praise~Only You
Malcolm McLaren~Aria on air
David A Stewart featuring Candy Dulfer~Lily was here
Kenny G~Songbird
RyuichiSakamoto~MerryChristmasMrLawrence
Angelo Badalamenti~Twin Peaks...
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Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
helpful 05.06.2005
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