"Empire of the Sun" A monumental work that made Steven Spielberg a "socialist"

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2019.08.12Hayato Otsuki

A masterpiece that shaped the “socialist Spielberg”

As mentioned in the previous section, Spielberg is known for his strengths in direct entertainment works such as `` Jurassic Park '' (1993), `` War of the Worlds '' (2005), and ` `The BFG '' (16). However, on the other hand, he has developed socially conscious works such as ``Lincoln'' (12), and has moved back and forth between ``entertainment'' and ``social faction.'' Many of Spielberg's socialist works depict World War II, including directorial works such as `` Schindler's List '' (1993) and `` Saving Private Ryan '' (1998), and production works such as `` Flags of Our Fathers' '. ” (2006) and “ Letters from Iwo Jima ” (2006), and executive producer of television series such as “ Band of Brothers ” (2001) and “The Pacific ” (10).

The work that served as the basis for these World War II films that Spielberg was involved in is this work, ``Empire of the Sun'' The occupation of China by the Japanese military during the Sino-Japanese War, the invasion of the Concession at the outbreak of the Pacific War, and the deportation of Concession citizens to concentration camps. The film depicts the long Pacific War from the perspective of civilians, from the beginning of the war to Japan's surrender. ``Empire of the Sun'', which revolves around a young boy who fights through a global war that lasts for several years, has a strong anti-war meaning compared to Spielberg's other war films.

``Schindler's List'' depicted the ``unreasonableness'' of war, and ``Saving Private Ryan'' gave us a taste of the ``brutality'' of war from the beginning, but ``Empire of the Sun'' depicts the mere value of the victorious and defeated nations. Rather than focusing on the system, the film portrays the ``damage'' caused by war in a strongly negative way, such as how war breaks people's hearts, and even more so, what happens to young boys as they grow up. However, no matter how much war caused the boy, it could not take away his longing for ``flying''. In this sense, ``Empire of the Sun'' simultaneously conveys ``what war could not take away.''

This is true of Schindler's ``philanthropy'' that saved the Jews in ``Schindler's List,'' and the unwavering ``belief'' of the soldiers in ``Saving Private Ryan'' is something that war could not take away. In this way, this work, which stands out among Spielberg's filmography, functions as the foundation that shaped the current socialist Spielberg.

Reference: Movie “Empire of the Sun” (1987) theatrical program

Text: Hayato Otsuki

Born in May 1993 in Sapporo, Hokkaido. Writer, editor. He started his writing career in 2016 and currently contributes columns, movie reviews, etc. to various media. By reading the creator's Arrival from a bird's-eye view, we incisively analyze and explain the original intention of the work. His writing publications include "THE RIVER", "IGN Japan", and "Real Sound Movie Club". My specialty is action and fantasy.

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"Empire of the Sun"

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