A classic in its own right, Nagisa Oshima’s prisoner of war camp drama is also best remembered for launching Ryuichi Sakamoto’s career as a film composer. The Yellow Magic Orchestra member also plays the role of Captain Yonoi, a stoic commander who oversees the prisoners in Java during World War II. The arrival of Major Celliers (David Bowie), a new captive, has disrupted the Japanese military man’s usual composure. He is enthralled by the charisma of his British counterpart, but this growing fascination has shaken him to his very core. While the theme to Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence remains one of Sakamoto’s most beloved pieces in his expansive oeuvre, the rest of the score is also a testament to the composer’s mastery of both eastern and western music.

Nagisa Oshima (1932–2013, Japan) is best known as one of the flagbearers of the Japanese New Wave. Films such as Death by Hanging (1968), Boy (1969), and The Ceremony (1971) confront traditional Japanese values in the wake of the postwar revival. His World War II drama Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence (1983) stars rock stars David Bowie and Ryuichi Sakamoto as soldiers on opposite sides. His final film was Gohatto (1999).