Ryuichi Sakamoto

He studied composition at Tokyo University of the Arts and founded Yellow Magic Orchestra in 1978. His film debut was as both actor and composer in Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence, alongside David Bowie. Bertolucci then hired him for The Last Emperor, The Sheltering Sky and Little Buddha.

Style

Bare piano, harmonies from Debussy and Satie, and in his last years electronic textures and found sounds.

Awards

Oscar for The Last Emperor (1988), shared with David Byrne and Cong Su.

Essential films

• Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence (1983)
• The Last Emperor (1987)
• The Sheltering Sky (1990)
• High Heels (1991)
• The Revenant (2015)

Listen

• Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence · Merry Christmas, Mr. LawrenceSpotifyYouTube
• The Last Emperor · The Last EmperorSpotifyYouTube
• The Sheltering Sky · The Sheltering SkySpotifyYouTube

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