British film producer Jeremy Thomas met Ryuichi Sakamoto through filmmaking and has developed a friendship that spans 40 years.
The story begins with the two men first meeting on "Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence" and culminates in his winning the Academy Award for Best Original Score for "The Last Emperor." Through the recollections of his one and only friend, Jeremy, Sakamoto explores what he was trying to convey to the world.
"During the filming of 'Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence' (hereafter referred to as 'Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence'), the actors and staff were all crammed into a hotel on the island of Rarotonga (in the Cook Islands). Everyone, Japanese and Western, was mixed together, eating, sleeping and working together. It was just like the prisoner-of-war camp depicted in the film.
David Bowie, Takeshi Kitano, and Ryuichi Sakamoto were there. The film became more interesting as we overcame cultural differences to understand each other. There were many communication issues, but I think it was a happy time filming. Each of us grew, and it was a turning point for everyone.
Nagisa Oshima's masterpiece, "Senmei," is set in a prisoner-of-war camp on the Indonesian island of Java during World War II. The film depicts the tragedy and friendship that emerges when people from different cultures, Japanese and Western, meet during the war. It was not only a box office success, but also garnered high praise, including being screened at the Cannes Film Festival.
"At first, I only had the impression that Ryuichi was a YMO pop star. During filming, he was polite and had a wonderful demeanor. As filming progressed, we gradually began to talk, and we realized we had a lot in common, so we became friends."
"Once filming was over, Ryuichi began working on the music. It was his first time composing film music, so he expressed some anxiety at first. But Oshima kept encouraging him, telling him to write a song for Captain Yonoi (played by Sakamoto). The resulting music was truly wonderful. I think that was due to his composition skills and deep understanding of film music."
The two worked together again four years later on "The Last Emperor," a historical epic directed by Bernardo Bertolucci depicting the turbulent life of Puyi, the last emperor of China's Qing dynasty.
Jeremy called Sakamoto just before filming began, and Sakamoto spoke about that moment in the film "CODA" as follows:
"They told me to come to Beijing next week and act. Most film jobs come suddenly," he said. Once filming began, "they suddenly told me to compose music for the coronation scene (in which Puyi becomes the emperor of Manchukuo) that they were going to shoot the day after tomorrow. I had come here as an actor, not hired as a composer." He ended up composing other songs, which led to him winning an Academy Award for Best Original Score.
"That was a plan. I'm always planning my strategies. Ryuichi said that he didn't really want to be an actor. But he's handsome, he's charismatic, and he's a great actor. So I offered him the part as an actor at first. But later, I really needed music. So I asked him.
Back then we were young, energetic, crazy and thought anything was possible.
And I knew he had the talent to compose. When he composed, the music was already in his head. That's not something you see very often. A talented music professor, like Mozart."
"Ryuichi worked all over the world, flying between London, New York, and Tokyo. When we went out to dinner together in New York, we opened a bottle of wine that cost $5,000. Sometimes we did crazy things like that."
The label of the 1974 red wine they drank on that occasion, made at Chateau Petrus in Bordeaux, is posted on a board in Jeremy's office, along with precious photographs of him and many other filmmakers, including Sakamoto.
"He also loved Japan, and I was able to learn more about the different culture of Japan from him. For example, we enjoyed delicious food like puffer fish and soft-shelled turtle. He loved to eat."
Jeremy has since produced many Japanese films alongside directors Takeshi Kitano and Takashi Miike, often depicting the values of righteousness and self-sacrifice that have a profound impact on the Japanese mentality.
His approach as a creator, building bridges between different cultures through film, resonates with Sakamoto's way of life, which has involved tackling environmental issues and war from a transnational perspective.
"In today's world, many problems arise due to a lack of communication. Ryuichi tried to connect the world through music. He was one of the few artists who spoke out about political and global issues. He had been an environmental activist since the 1980s.
Now, Ryuichi's partner, Norika, is passing on his work to the younger generation in a wonderful way. He was always thinking ahead, so his work was always avant-garde and new. I believe Ryuichi's unique music will be remembered for a long time to come.
He was a very strong and independent person. He was also friendly and easy to talk to. He was always kind to those around him, so everyone loved him. And to me, Ryuichi was always a dear friend."
