You had class even back then.

Definitely better than Inner Space

My friends and I would watch it multiple times in the summers. Loved it.

Nowadays your Dad would be called out as being toxic....

Yesthis movies is the best of Spielberg

Three billion dead because of, "women's health," 90% of men who are in prison have no fathers. No, my friend we are dealing with generation(s) if women who are demonic. Why? Freudian pecker envy, they want to be men.

garylibra Very well put!

Exactly.

If you look close in Jim's eyes at the end just before he closes them, it seems as if Spielberg is trying to capture a reflection of a white flag/fabric of some sort....as in an image of complete surrender, whatever one thinks that surrender might consist of. His imagery in this film is brilliant throughout!

Jeff Foster In an earlier scene, after the American P40s flew over, Jim starts crying and telling the doctor that he can't remember what his mother looks like, he can only remember her lipstick. That's why he touches her lips here. 😢😢😢

Exactly. Everything is here, in Bale's eyes. No word is needed. Spielberg and Bale are genius!

RYNO LASCAVIO Christian killed this role. Greatest child acting performance I've ever seen! Absolutely brilliant

I does, doesn't it??? I think it's well known and appreciated, at least when it comes to child roles...

One of the best child actors ever, and also today one of the greatest living actors.

RYNO LASCAVIO agreed

super agree

He closes his eyes - he is done witnessing, he is home.

I was so mad they did'nt find him sooner.

@@EmmelineSama Well, the War did kind of get in the way.

As pessoas só fecham os olhos quando se sentem seguros. Está cena é poderosa ! Amo muito.

@@EmmelineSamathere wouldn’t have been a movie if they had found him sooner

I mean, the fact that even the mothers had to pause and wonder which of those children was theirs... that says it all. And it's a chilling callback to when Jim tearfully confesses that he doesn't remember what his mother looks like.

Russel Conor imo That award was anni nsult to an oscar winning performance. But then being nonAmerican, he wouldn't get that award would he

yeah, for me too this was an Oscar performance, but still every award, recognition is important. As for Oscars, in the end it was an american movie by Spielberg, so Christian could have been nominated or not? Maybe in those times no, nowadays it would be a different story, I think they changed the rules.

+Russel Conor what rules? The Academy (Oscars) is composed of actors from all over the world and they vote for performances from all over the world regardless. The only exception is the movie nominations where non English speaking movies have their own category. The very first male actor Oscar was a German actor Emil Jennings for heaven's sake. Lawrence Olivier, British, won in the 1940s.

Early, like theirs ever a time to see the shit he saw.

He also got to meet the Queen after this. Such an honor for him.

Indeed. Because we’ve lived in relative peace and prosperity for so long, Westerners tend to forget that the thin veneer of civilisation - which we daily take for granted - is not what ensures our security, but that it is our relative security and stability, in actual fact, that guarantees our civility. War reveals the limits to civilisation - and with it, civilised behaviour amongst fellow citizens - faster than any other set of circumstances, including the death and disease caused by pestilence and privation. I think the hopeful thing about the film (and also the book it’s based upon) is that, even amidst all the inhumanity unleashed by war, somehow Jim was able to retain that last little something of his own humanity. Others did as well, both inside the camp and outwith, but the story is really about Jim’s coming of age at the worst possible time to be a child. I don’t know about you, but going through these experiences would certainly have made me appreciate the finer things in life post-war had he been me.

Irish

@@feliscorax, well said .

Twenty years ago today, I was released from kidnap by the guerrilla in Colombia. I walked out of the jungle, took a canoe, a stolen jeep and dropped in a church. The service stopped , everyone looked at me and the priest said "We have been waiting for you".

Well said.

I agree with the first part, but after all he saw during that time, I doubt he will ever he able to sleep in peace again🥹💔

He can't reply in a youtube comments section.

@@yellowpete79 but douchebags can...

Beautifully written , as music , and films , bring back such fond memories , David .

What lovely memories you have of your father.

@@yellowpete79 I rarely post a comment, but in this case I will. You are a jerk. Nothing funny, clever or insightful about what you said. Edit Spelling

Makes me miss my mom: (

Whach Jojo Rabbit

@Andrew Meek I was cryinggggg when he loses his mom and stands ontop of the car and reaches his arms out and is like "MOOOOOOOMMMMMYYYYYY!" I can't.....

Isn't that the truth.

Spielberg certainly doesn't! Just saw the trailer for his recent rehash of West Side Story and it was by the numbers remake with a touch of 'woke'.

He may have found home, but his experiences and memories will stay with him forever.

I just want to go home from the wretched Midlands

With that mom and dad? No way.

@@ericfermin8347 < What ... "no way" ?? R U nut ??

Now he know what a parents

Thank you for that reminder. My Mom's 93.

Thank you

Well said!

You brought me to tears too.

Well written 👏

Don't worry it always happens to me as well.

Me too😢❤❤

me too-i just watched it for the first time-last night-may 14-2020

Me too!! I believe that the whole scene is heartbreaking 😢😢

Me also. Wiping them now

Also when Jim sees the kamikaze pilots.

It's the boy's character who is singing. If I remember correctly that's his solo in the choir scene at the beginning.

@@alshipley8503 There is a beautiful English version sung by The Vienna Boys Choir.

@@sandemike It's also sung in "The Pembrokeshire Coastal Path Murders" that was on last week. I thought I remembered the song from somewhere.

I love it. So sad

in the Pantheon of Speilberg's ouevre...

Totally agree! It touches your very soul

Had my grandmother been born five years earlier, this could easily have been her story. Luckily, we dropped the bomb, and my great grandfather got to devote himself to raising a family. Jacob Riley, may you rest in peace. Your country salutes you,sir.

Even without watching the rest of the film this scene must bring a lump to the throat of a lot of people

It does..

the best movie

Anyone who watches this scene & claims not to be touched by it, is, imo either a heartless bastard..........OR A LIAR

+liam whitcombe no my I like this movie

I agree, many people hate this movie, they are idiots.

yes, such an underrrated movie, I wonder why?

​@@addo2419 I read some critics and what I see is that many people hate Christian Bale character in this movie, because they say it's a detestable upper class kid, another thing is that they say that the concentration camp is too light, like Disney World, they would have considered a much better movie if it was more similar to Schindler List who is a more dark movie, Empire of the sun is a movie for all public, I've even read that the soundtrack is horrible, lol, imagine that!

@@alfredodistefanolaulhe2212 no way?? Oh that is so wrong for the soundtrack! For the prisonner camp, it did seem a little light but I figured it was more of a retention camp than à prisoner camp. But I have to admit, I had to watch it a few times before I found it really good. There are some movie like that, like Kill Bill or Usual Suspects or even some Spiekberg movies that you have to watch a couple times before it sort of grows on you. Oh well, thanks for your answer!

thank you, was wondering about that symbolism.

Yes. It symbolizes the death of the child, like the coffins floating in the river in the very first scene of the film.

@@pigboy77 among the children who stared war in the face there’s no going back

Actually, if you notice where the suitcase ends up it probably signifies that it's made it home as well, regardless of the long journey it took. Otherwise a scene where it was stuck in the mud where he threw it in the river would make more sense if it signified he'd left childhood behind

Fantastic statement

Note that his mother recognizes him in profile, something you don't lose very fast.

Notice, too, how his father explicitly doesn’t recognise him and just walks right by him? It’s a subtle detail, but I like to think this shows how much the war has changed Jim: he’s no longer the mischievous little boy of his father’s memory, but a haunted shell of a young man only recognised by his mother in profile as one might recognise a silhouette. Cinematically, it’s brutal and it’s beautiful; I also recommend the book it’s based upon, which is also deeply haunting.

When Spielberg is in a serious mood, he can be brutally blunt with his films. Case in point: this one, Schindler’s List, Saving Private Ryan, The Color Purple, Munich (not my favorite Spielberg movie, but it does have its stand-out moments), Lincoln,…

No, incorrect. She does not find him by recognising him at all, she senses him. Watch more carefully - she stops and begins to turn to him before she even sees him.

It's based on a true story

@@willynillylive it is, I read the book after the movie was released, imagine being a child during the Japanese invasion, separated from your parents and having to use your wits to survive every day...

Always makes me cry knowing it was real

Me too

Hello Barbara, how are you doing?

***** the war lasted 4 years ! This is like...gods, hell for a kid alone. This was a messed up period...

***** As you said, it must have been hell for the kids placed in such a hostile environment and the book as well as the film portray that extremely well. Have you seen the film or read the book? If not, I suggest you read the book first and then watch the film.

***** I found the film to be quite accurate to the book. I have read it.

Oh, that sequence. First, Bale saluting the kamikazes, then the Callidac of the Skies sequence and when he is rescued the anguish of not remembering his parents. At this my eyes are full of mist.

As a kid, I used to go to summer camps. And reaching 2 weeks, I couldn't remember what my father's voice was like or his face. I had trouble picturing it correctly

Suo Gan is a lullaby: The English lyrics of part of the first verse are: Through the window, by your cradle Shines a moonbeam, soft and clear Sleep my baby, fear no danger None can harm you, mother's near

+onefugowie Yes! His finally being able to close his eyes, while in the comfort and safety of his mother's arms, makes this scene all the more poignant!

I'm glad that others caught the significance of that too. An incredible performance from Christian Bale. Quite simply the most powerful movie scene I have ever watched. This beats even the ending of Schindler's List.

+sandramwolf I would love to know the exact words to sau gan, not any of these remade lyrics. I want to know the real and exact lyrics...i love this lullaby

Not English, but Welsh, if I'm not mistaken.

Empire of the Sun is semi-autobiographical - which is why it feels so true - based on author J (James = Jim) G Ballard's life. My father was approximately the same age as Jim only he was a Chinese boy in Shanghai. He used to ride a bike and deliver tailored suits to the foreign quarters where Jim supposedly lives in this film.

same!!

Ditto!

Not "the best" (he never ceased getting better since then), but still one of my personal favorites.

Yup, think so, too; his best!

GABEUDEU actually, I Think Schindler's list, is by far the best of Steven Spielberg. This comes very close distance second. At least for me.

I so agree.

Bullshit

I know you ain't talking about batman

@@therealjackieheezy lol y'all only know him from Batman? You never seen the Machinist or American Psycho? Or even Equilibrium with Taye Diggs? Oh and don't forget Little Women. But yes, he was an awesome and unforgettable Batman!

me too

It was our P-51 Mustang fighter - Cadillac of the Skies! - flying so low and fast.

Antonio luiz Garcia sobrinho you're not the only one, I cry every single time I see it. You can't help not to

Me too

You are brazilian(latino) you cry for everything, loser

Patriota Español you obviously are a emotional bigot with no soul

Me too

Not necessarily. Fathers affections towards their sons can be really reserved. Especially back in the days.

It’s a Spielberg trait. If you think about his filmography, there’s usually a distant father or a father with little to no relationship with their children. Sometimes they want to be better dads and sometimes they don’t. Examples: the dad from ‘E.T.’ Brody from ‘Jaws’, Roy from ‘Close Encounters’, Ted from ‘War Horse’, Avner from ‘Munich’, Henry Sr. from ‘The Last Crusade’, and several others. This was because Spielberg always had a rough relationship with his father after his parents divorced when he was 13.

@Raven Spielberg has always placed himself as the child in his films, therefore he should not identify as the father. I know he’s a great dad, but Spielberg himself says that he’s like a child when he watches a movie, as well as directing. He shows what it’s like growing up and a displays child’s imagination and wonder beautifully, and he places it in characters like Jamie and Elliott. Also, another reason this is, is that we he wants to show the power of a mother’s love for the child.

@Raven I see what you mean, but I am not sure if fathers and fathers to be would take inspiration from characters like Roy and Brody since those are extreme circumstances for normal life. This Spielberg trait has changed in recent years though. Such as Lincoln and Avner who thirst to be good fathers while also taking on separate responsibilities, even though their thoughts dwell on their children. Or Grant in ‘Jurassic Park’, a character who loathed children but until he actually spent time with some he grew as a father figure and was perhaps ready to be one. Spielberg’s goal is to tell stories, I’m sure he means no harm in impacting the way a father may treat his children.

@Raven I couldn’t agree more. The greatness of Spielberg is his focus to tell a story and other directors to simply create art. Today, it is almost all violent superhero, horror, or shoot em up movies that are only made because they know they’ll bring in money. Hopefully, cinematic lovers like the ones watching this video can see that and get inspiration from the films of Spielberg and other filmmakers to do prosperous things in life rather than an attraction to violence that most films today portray.

Hello how are you doing?

A face that only your mother could truly love.

I lost weight. 1. My grandparents didn't recognise me at their surprise wedding anniversary reunion. 2. 2 years later I lost a *lot* of weight and Mum came to visit my brother and me in Mexico, she walked straight past me, didn't recognise me at all.

I have never seen this film only the end in clips.....

I think it's deeper than that.......Spielberg used it as a symbol of dying to the world it seems.....just as the opening scene of the caskets in the bay represented physical death. I think this suitcase scene represents an emotional one as well.

maybe because its in 240p

mauriciomb55555 HAH this made me laugh.

I'm privileged to have met a Dutch lady who survived such an experience in her childhood.

Yeah, people dislike for other reasons than you’d think at first

the movie is based on the book written by the boy basically it is a true story

Truth

It's not a feminist thing. It is something human beings have always known -- mothers carry their children in their bodies for nine months, give birth (which is a powerful bonding process), nurse them, hold them for hours, nurse wounds, teach speaking and walking...mothers have an incredibly close spiritual and physical bond with their children. Yes, of course fathers have a bond also, but it is different and not as bonded physically as the mother is to her child. Human mothers still always smell their children when they embrace them. This is left over from millions of years ago -- animal mothers smell their children all the time as a way to identify them and bond with them. Human mothers still do the same reflexively, without knowing that they are doing it. It is one aspect of this powerful bond.

Then why do so many mothers kill their children before they're even born? 6 million a year in the U.S. alone. So much for the fantasy of universal "mother love."

Michael White Because there is a difference between a Human Child and a clump of cells.

Really?...Perhaps your mother should have visited a Planned Parenthood clinic before you were foisted off on the rest of us.

A mother will always know her child .

jk22222sd Have you ever seen The Yearling? That's my favorite of all time and you might cry when seeing that one also.

It hurt when someone you truely love forgot you.

@@sukanya662 nothing hurts more.

Thats so sad

The first 3 years are the most important years in early childhood. I am sure something of this time will stay with your stepson for his lifetime. It often brings memories back later in life when we grow older. Nothing good is ever lost. Love to you.

Being a stepparent is a lose lose experience, at least for me it was. You put in the mileage but the journey hits a dead end. It must be my fault but I still don't know where it went wrong.

lake fire I luv my mammy

its broke my heart too when Chinese Amah's slap his face, I had to skip everytime I could bare to look.

Rich Rochester I'm 28 and I saw this when I was a kid. It traumatized me!!! I remember being mad at the kid for letting go of his mom's hand to get his airplane.

Amen brother! Again, as I watch the movie over and over...even this scene, I am just amazed at Spielberg's brilliance in imagery throughout the film. One of those imagery themes seems to be surrender........when Jamie falls before the Japanese soldiers at the start, to the surrender to the American commander at the end, to what appears to be a reflection of a white flag in his eyes at the very end in his mothers arms. Brilliant work!

I Agree! Life is very hard. I used to be afraid of death but i have live long enough to know that when it comes, i will be released from this earth into the arms of God! Rest will come.

Don't get your hopes up. The idea that dead Christians automatically go to heaven to live with God forever (doing who knows what) is not only NOT supported in Scripture, but an affront to the billions of people throughout history who have lived outside of the "Christian World" and who, by your belief, are excluded from this fantasy destiny .

Them thinking they are going to heaven has no bearing on you or the billions of non Christians.