Based on J.G. Ballard's award-winning semi-autobiographical novel, Steven Spielberg’s Oscar nominated, BAFTA winning saga chronicles the experiences of a young son of wealthy colonial settlers in Shanghai which comes under Japanese occupation during World War II. With screenplay by Tom Stoppard, a young Christian Bale, who came back to the region as Batman in ‘Batman Begins’, won the Young Artist Award for Best Young Actor in a Motion Picture Drama for his role as Jim ‘Jamie’ Graham. Separated from his parents, Jamie initially survives in his abandoned home living on whatever he can find but is eventually captured by the Japanese with Basie (John Malkovich), who renames him Jim. What follows are years of internment and Jim’s attempts to survive and be reunited with his parents. Despite the awards and nominations, along with the critical acclaim, Empire of the Sun was not a huge box office success.

Release / Airing: 09/12/1987