Today, I went to the theater to watch a very old movie, Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence. The original title, when translated directly, feels much more fitting as the movie’s title.

I was initially drawn to it because of David Bowie’s appearance, which led me to watch it on the big screen.

The setting appears to be during World War II, a time when Japan and the Western powers were at war. The story focuses on a Japanese military officer, a non-commissioned officer, and Mr. Lawrence. While David Bowie does appear, he plays a rather unique supporting role.

Mr. Lawrence is portrayed as a British POW who speaks Japanese, allowing him to interact with both the Japanese officer and non-commissioned officer. The film unfolds on Java Island, where the story revolves around their interactions in a camp for British POWs.

Japan and the Samurai

One of the most striking scenes in the film is a harakiri (ritual suicide) sequence. While I don’t know much about samurai culture, I am aware that the samurai spirit is integral to Japanese identity.

The movie contrasts the “Catholic culture” of the British soldiers with the “samurai culture” of the Japanese military. From the British perspective, this cultural difference is portrayed as something difficult to understand.

The contrast is particularly evident in scenes where British soldiers sing Catholic hymns while under the control of the samurai-style Japanese forces.

Dreamlike Music

As one might expect from a movie featuring David Bowie, the film includes a number of dreamlike musical pieces. The soundtrack blends Eastern and Western elements beautifully and consistently throughout the film.

I’d recommend listening to the album as a standalone experience.

Of course, being a film from 1983, there are moments where the actor’s dialogue and the background music feel somewhat disjointed. However, considering the era, this is not surprising.

The track Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence by Ryuichi Sakamoto seems to have been included in the film, either in its original form or as an arrangement. Sakamoto himself participated in the soundtrack’s production.

It’s a familiar tune, but I didn’t realize the history behind it until I watched this movie.

In Closing

I’ve never watched such an old film in theaters before, and it felt refreshingly raw. It’s been a while since I felt like I truly enjoyed a well-made movie.

Lastly, I was reminded once again that Takeshi Kitano is an incredibly talented actor.