Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence: Soundtrack From The Original Motion Picture [Soundtrack]

Ryuichi Sakamoto | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (October 11, 1994)
• Original Release Date: September 2, 1983
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Soundtrack
• Label: Milan Records
• ASIN: B0000015IO
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #99,594 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence

2. Batavia

3. Germination

4. A Hearty Breakfast

5. Before The War

6. The Seed and The Sower

7. A Brief Encounter

8. Ride, Ride, Ride (Celliers' Brother's Song) (for the film Merry Christm

9. The Fight

10. Father Christmas

11. Dismissed

12. Assembly

13. Beyond Reason

14. Sowing The Seed

15. The Lord Is My Shepherd, for chorus

16. Last Regrets

17. Ride, Ride, Ride (Celliers' Brother's Song) (for the film Merry Christm

18. The Seed

19. Forbidden Colours (for the film Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Sowing the seed for the Last Emperor, June 27, 2001

By 

Gavin Wilson - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence: Soundtrack From The Original Motion Picture (Audio CD)

Although this CD stands on its own very well -- and indeed was the most compelling soundtrack of 1983 -- it's hard to consider it totally separately from Sakomoto's other OST masterpiece, 1987's 'The Last Emperor'. Both movies had oriental themes and settings, but whereas 'The Last Emperor' was a largely acoustic / orchestral venture for Sakomoto, this is all-electronic.

'Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence' has two stand-out themes: the title theme (tracks #1, #10 and #19), and 'Sowing the Seed' (track #14). Both are excellent and unforgettable. The rest are sketches which provide a magnificent aural background to the dramatic events that unfold at the Japanese prisoner-of-war camp. I feel you have to see the movie to fully appreciate Sakomoto's intent, though the sight of David Bowie dressed as a schoolboy for one scene may be hard to take!

The final track, 'Forbidden Colours', deserves a mention, because this was the single released to promote the movie. It sounds as if Sakomoto and Seigen Ono created the entire instrumental soundtrack in Tokyo, but then the western producer decided a vocal-based track was needed for the single. I would guess that the opening instrumental track was sent to David Sylvian -- please tell me that he wasn't picked just because he sang for a band called 'Japan'! -- who then pasted his vocals over the top.

The single did reasonably well in the UK charts, but DJs quickly realised that the instrumental B-side -- i.e. the theme with the Sylvian vocal stripped out -- had more commercial merit. And this is the theme that everyone remembers the movie for. But over the years, David Sylvian's song has really grown on me. His lyric focusses on the homo-erotic relationship between the characters that Sakomoto and Bowie play, a theme which isn't so promounced in the original novel.

In retrospect, Sylvian's treatment of the song seems entirely right. It just seems bizarre that Bowie appears in the movie, but doesn't play on the soundtrack, whereas Sakomoto does. And yet for 1985's 'The Falcon and the Snowman', Bowie sings the main theme, but doesn't appear in the movie.

Anyway, enjoy the soundtrack, and make sure you see the movie. It's visceral!

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Essential Sylvian / Sakamoto collaboration, September 2, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence: Soundtrack From The Original Motion Picture (Audio CD)

This CD disappeared for some time, I remember hunting for years to find it again. This re-release gives fans of the movie and the two artists another chance to listen to a fine Sakamoto piece. Sakamoto was in Yellow Magic orchestra, Sylvian in Japan and then on his own. The collaboration with Sylvian is one of many: Bamboo Music/Bamboo Houses and Sylvian's first 3 solo albums -- all amazing when Sakamoto adds his unique keyboard touches. "Forbidden Colors" stands away from the rest of the album, I think, a wonderful song, one of my favorites.

Buy the movie, it's still available, enjoy Bowie against Sakamoto and Tom Conti's fine performance. Then, you'll need this album.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This is still No.1 in my list of favorite music, August 12, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence: Soundtrack From The Original Motion Picture (Audio CD)

I watched the movie for the first time when I was 21.

I listened to the entire soundtrack for the first time when I was 18.

I have known the melody of the title theme....since I was in elementary school.

I always whistled this melody without knowing what the music was called or who it was by.

Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence was the soundtrack of my life.

PS.
I have recently noticed the track #2 on disc #2 of the compilation Clicks & Cuts 3 (on Mille Plateaux), by Antonelli Electr., starts with a melody that is very remniscent of one of the short tracks on Merry Christmas Mr Lawrence. It made me really excited...