Join me as I search Shanghai in 2024 for all of the filming locations for Steven Spielberg's 1987 Empire of the Sun. The JG Ballard semi-autobiographical tale of a young English boy struggling to survive under Japanese occupation of China during World War II.
The movie stars a young Christian Bale (13), and was the first western movie to be filmed in China since the revolution. It took Steven Spielberg a whole year to obtain approval for the 3 weeks of filming in China, the other locations were in Spain and the U.K.
Surprisingly almost all of the locations still exist, as you will see in the video, one or two background buildings have changed, particularly in the rooftop "ambush" scene, however the used rooftop is still there, and I was incredibly lucky to gain access for those shots. I also learned that the front door of the peace hotel is an entirely different building, but only one block away, my guess is that is either a restriction on using the real hotel entrance or Spielberg wanted a crossroads in front of the door (which doesn't exist at the real location) for dramatic effect.
I also believe the cast and crew stayed at the only recently finished Huating Hotel and Towers in Xujiahui, which was Shanghai's first 5 star international hotel in the modern era.
I don't cover it in the video, but apparently the large crowd scenes were so "energetic" that the main stars' safety meant they had to have a special group of body guards around them for security.
St. Ignatius Church is used in the movie, however JG Ballard actually went to Holy Trinity Church which is about 6km to the west, near the Bund and river.
The song the choir sing is a popular Welsh lullaby called Suo Gân which was chosen by director Steven Spielberg himself after he cast Welsh actor Christian Bale (from about 4,000 applicants). It was performed, however, by James Rainbird.
There are many other bits of trivia I picked up, for example, JG Ballard was himself on set during the early party scene, dressed as John Bull, but oddly this was cut from the film in the final edit, and Paul McGann is credited, but if he appears at all its only fleetingly.
I hope you enjoy my discoveries, it was certainly interesting putting this together.
Resources that helped;
wikipedia
en.wikipedia.o...)
IMDB
www.imdb.com/t...
That's Shanghai
www.thatsmags....
.... and thanks to Wei Lan for assisting with access to the ambush rooftop.
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#shanghai #china #tourism #free
16 авг 2024