Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence

Under the influence of the absurdities of war, a paradoxical mix of kinship and hostility arises between prisoner and guard.

In Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence, this is reflected in the curious obsession of the hard-line camp commandant Yonoi (Sakamoto) with his rebellious prisoner, Major Jack Celliers (David Bowie), who is under the command of British Lieutenant Colonel Mr. Lawrence (Tom Conti).

While Lawrence does his best, however imperfectly, to mediate, a strange, possibly homoerotic bond develops between Yonoi and Celliers. In the background looms the camp commandant’s particularly brutal right-hand man, Sergeant Hara (Takeshi Kitano, who went on to become a director).

Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence would become Nagisa Oshima’s most successful production. Ryuichi Sakamoto, former frontman of Yellow Magic Orchestra, was admired for his unexpected performance as an actor, and composed the film's hypnotic score.

Tribute to David Bowie, the actor

To accompany the re-release of The Man Who Fell to Earth, which premiered fifty years ago, Eye pays tribute to David Bowie, who passed away ten years ago.

On Saturday 14 March, you will be able to watch films that illuminate various aspects of Bowie’s relationship to film; whether as a composer/musician on the soundtrack or on screen as an actor. The programme includes The Man Who Fell to Earth (1976), Cat People (1982), Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence (1983), The Hunger (1983), and Labyrinth (1986).

Bowie appeared in more than thirty films, usually in cameo roles or small supporting parts. Because of his many albums, memorable tours, interviews, and constantly shifting personas, Bowie's stature as an actor has somewhat faded from prominence.

Several directors, including David Lynch, Christopher Nolan, and Nicolas Roeg, have pointed out Bowie’s qualities as an actor: the singer-performer was able to convincingly inhabit a wide range of character roles, with his portrayals of the hyper-intelligent, enigmatic alien in The Man Who Fell to Earth and the incorruptible British officer Jack “Strafer” Celliers (Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence) standing out as memorable examples.