Editing Empire of the Sun (film) (section)

==Production==
===Development===
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| image1 = Steven Spielberg by Gage Skidmore.jpg
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| footer = Director [[Steven Spielberg]] (left) and screenwriter [[Tom Stoppard]]
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[[Warner Bros.]] purchased the [[film rights]], intending [[Harold Becker]] to direct and [[Robert Shapiro (filmmaker)|Robert Shapiro]] to produce.<ref name="faber" /> [[Tom Stoppard]] wrote the first draft of the screenplay, on which Ballard briefly collaborated.<ref name="visit" /> Becker dropped out, and [[David Lean]] came to direct with Spielberg as producer. Lean explained, "I worked on it for about a year and in the end I gave it up because I thought it was too similar to a [[diary]]. It was well-written and interesting, but I gave it to Steve."<ref name="faber">[[#refMcBride1997|McBride 1997]], p. 392.</ref> Spielberg felt "from the moment I read [[J. G. Ballard]]'s novel I secretly wanted to direct myself."<ref name="faber" /> Spielberg found the project to be very personal. As a child, his favourite film was Lean's ''[[The Bridge on the River Kwai]]'', which similarly takes place in a Japanese prisoner of war camp. Spielberg's fascination with World War II and [[List of aircraft of World War II|the aircraft of that era]] was stimulated by his father's stories of his experience as a [[radioman|radio operator]] on [[North American B-25 Mitchell]] bombers in the [[China Burma India Theatre of World War II|China-Burma Theater]].<ref name="faber" /> Spielberg hired [[Menno Meyjes]] to do an uncredited re-write before Stoppard was brought back to write the [[shooting script]].<ref name="visit" />

===Casting===
J.G. Ballard felt Bale had a physical resemblance to himself at the same age.<ref name="Sheen">[[Martin Sheen|Sheen, Martin]] (narrator), Steven Spielberg, J.G. Ballard, and Christian Bale. ''The China Odyssey: Empire of the Sun'' [[American Broadcasting Company]], 1987.</ref> The actor was 12 years old when he was cast. [[Amy Irving]], Bale's co-star in the [[television movie]] ''[[Anastasia: The Mystery of Anna]]'', recommended Bale to her then-husband, Steven Spielberg, for the role. More than 4,000 child actors auditioned.<ref>Wills, Dominic. [http://www.tiscali.co.uk/entertainment/film/biographies/christian_bale_biog.html "Christian Bale Biography"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080913060828/http://www.tiscali.co.uk/entertainment/film/biographies/christian_bale_biog.html |date=2008-09-13 }}. ''[[Tiscali]]''. Retrieved: September 16, 2008.</ref> Jim's singing voice was provided by English performer James Rainbird.<ref>Bullock, Paul. [http://fromdirectorstevenspielberg.tumblr.com/post/140508311575/steven-spielberg-questions-4-did-christian-bale-sing-in "Spielberg Questions #4: Did Christian Bale sing in Empire of the Sun?"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160310171948/http://fromdirectorstevenspielberg.tumblr.com/post/140508311575/steven-spielberg-questions-4-did-christian-bale-sing-in |date=March 10, 2016 }}. ''From Director Steven Spielberg''. Retrieved: March 5th 2016.</ref>

===Filming===
''Empire of the Sun'' was filmed at [[Elstree Studios (Shenley Road)|Elstree Studios]] in the United Kingdom, and [[filming location|on location]] in [[Shanghai]] and [[Spain]]. [[Principal photography]] began on 1 March 1987,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/74049/empire-of-the-sun#notes|title=Empire of the Sun - Miscellaneous Notes|website=Turner Classic Movies|access-date=March 21, 2021|archive-date=January 16, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210116210309/https://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/74049/empire-of-the-sun#notes|url-status=live}}</ref> and lasted for 16 weeks.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1987/12/16/movies/boy-in-empire-calls-acting-really-good-fun.html |title=Boy in 'Empire' calls acting 'really good fun' |last=Yarrow |first=Andrew |date=December 16, 1987 |website=[[The New York Times]] |access-date= March 21, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110211101903/https://www.nytimes.com/1987/12/16/movies/boy-in-empire-calls-acting-really-good-fun.html |archive-date=February 11, 2011 |url-status=live}}</ref> The filmmakers searched across Asia in an attempt to find locations that resembled 1941 Shanghai. They entered negotiations with [[Shanghai Film Studio]]s and [[China Film Group Corporation#China Film Co-Production Corporation|China Film Co-Production Corporation]] in 1985.<ref name="Walker" /> After a year of negotiations, permission was granted for a three-week shoot in early March 1987. It was the first American film shot in Shanghai since the 1940s.<ref name="visit" /> The Chinese authorities allowed the crew to alter signs to [[traditional Chinese characters]], as well as closing down city blocks for filming.<ref name="Walker" /> Over 5,000 local [[Extra (actor)|extras]] were used, some old enough to remember the [[Second Sino-Japanese War|Japanese occupation of Shanghai]] 40 years earlier. Members of the [[People's Liberation Army]] played Japanese soldiers.<ref name="Sheen" /> Other locations included [[Trebujena]] in [[Andalusia]], [[Knutsford]] in [[Cheshire]] and [[Sunningdale]] in [[Berkshire]].<ref name="Walker">[[#refWalker1998|Walker 1988]], p. 49.</ref> Lean often visited the set during the England shoot.<ref name="visit">[[#refMcBride1997|McBride 1997]], pp. 394–398.</ref>

Spielberg attempted to portray the era accurately, using period vehicles and aircraft. Four [[North American T-6 Texan|Harvard SNJ]] aircraft were lightly modified in France to resemble [[Mitsubishi A6M Zero]] aircraft.<ref name="Air Classics 1999-11">{{cite journal |title=Mark Hanne 1959-1999 |journal=Air Classics |volume=35 |issue=10 |page=6 |date=November 1999 |publisher=Challenge Publications |publication-place=Canoga Park, CA, US |issn=0002-2241 |oclc=733866638| url=https://www.proquest.com/docview/235492832 |id={{ProQuest|235492832}} |url-access=subscription}}</ref> Two additional non-flying replicas were used. Three restored [[P-51D Mustang]]s, two from 'The Fighter Collection' of England, and one from the 'Old Flying Machine Company', were flown in the film.<ref name="Air Classics 1999-11"/> These P-51s were flown by [[Ray Hanna]] (who was featured in the film flying at low-level past the child star with the canopy back, waving), his son Mark and "Hoof" Proudfoot and took over 10 days of filming to complete due to the complexity of the planned aerial sequences, which included the P-51s actually dropping plaster-filled replica 500&nbsp;lb bombs at low level, with simulated bomb blasts. A number of large scale remote control flying models were also used, including an 18-foot wingspan [[B-29]], but Spielberg felt the results were disappointing, so he extended the film contract with the full-size examples and pilots on set in Trebujena, Spain.<ref name="Air Classics 1988-01">{{cite journal |title=Empire Of The Sun Exclusive Look At Steven Spielberg's New WWII Movie! |journal=Air Classics |volume=24 |issue=1 |pages= |date=January 1988 |publisher=Challenge Publications |publication-place=Canoga Park, CA, US |issn=0002-2241 |oclc=637419754}}{{pages needed|date=June 2021}}</ref><ref name="Walker pp. 63–65" />

Spielberg had wanted to film in [[Super Panavision 70]] but did not want to work with the old camera equipment that was only available at the time.<ref>{{cite magazine|magazine=[[Daily Variety]]|date=May 21, 1992|title=Panavision redefines the wide-body look|page=17|last=Everett|first=Todd}}</ref>

===Special effects===
[[Industrial Light & Magic]] designed the [[visual effects]] sequences with some [[computer-generated imagery]] also used for the [[atomic bombing of Nagasaki]]. [[Norman Reynolds]] was hired as the [[production designer]] while [[Vic Armstrong]] served as the [[stunt co-ordinator]].<ref name="Walker pp. 63–65">[[#refWalker1998|Walker 1988]], pp. 63–65.</ref>