Merry Christmas Mr Lawrence

A haunted David Bowie dominates the screen in one of his most iconic roles as British soldier and prisoner of war Jack Celliers, pitched into a battle of wills with the repressive Japanese camp commander Captain Yonoi (Sakamoto). The deeply traditional Yonoi is fascinated by Cilliers, and conflicted between his feelings for him and his commitment to the samurai code. Whether the attraction is sexual or more a kind of spiritual affinity, it's unclear, perhaps even to Yonoi himself, and his attempts at repression escalate into acts of brutality that eventually will destroy them both. Between these two excellent performances and the legendary "Beat" Takeshi as the camp's second-in-command, Tom Conti's more routine Lawrence struggles to make an impression, but it's no loss. Oshima's classic tale of wartime taboo has never looked better than on Blu-ray and Sakamoto's BAFTA award winning soundtrack is crystal clear in all its beauty. A slice of pure cinema. [Scotty McKellar]