That happened tonight when I went to see my kid perform at choir at his middle school. There was a piece sung by the Select Choir that I really liked, and I kept thinking “where have I heard this?” The program said the song was called Suo Gân, and after looking it up online, it turns out it’s a piece that was featured in Spielberg’s film Empire of the Sun, which I had watched not too long ago.

It’s a Welsh lullaby, lyrics here…and here’s a clip from the film:

Click here to view the embedded video.

From IMDB: “After more than four hundred years of war between the Shinobi warriors of the Manjidani Koga and Tsubagakure Iga clans, the Lord Hattori Hanzou decrees that they must live in peace. Both clans live hidden in the woods and mountain without confrontation and without training ninjas in the shadow art of Shinobi. In 1614, the Lord of the Lords is convinced that the clans are dangerous threats for keeping peace in his lands, and his advisor plots a Machiavellian plan to destroy their best warriors in a contest. Meanwhile, the young Iga Oboro and Koga Gennesuke fall in love for each other. When Oboro’s grandmother and leader of Iga clan Ogen and Gennesuke’s father and leader of the Koga clan Danjo kill each other, Oboro and Gannesuke must lead their warriors in the ultimate battle of the Shinobi clans.”

Wild fighting techniques and some really beautiful photography. Subtitled.

Click here to view the embedded video.

I think that’s a good way to judge a film. Did you forget about it as soon as the credits were rolling, or does it make you think? It’s certainly had mixed reviews, I’m thinking that it’s one of those movies that you either love or hate. There are certainly a lot of uncomfortable parallels to what’s going on in our country today.

Check it out if you haven’t had a chance to yet.