Yes, he also adapted Michael Ondaatje's novel (I know he sounds Dutch but actually he's Canadian) which also has a non-linear path. I find the way that Minghella / Murch have constructed the opening is absolutely artful - the huge close up figure painting, which only later we realise Thomas has done, going in to the plane journey over the desert - the end of the film, in fact. It's a brilliantly sneaky story, well told over two hours 40.
Love the way Binoche does a kind of hopscotch step as she's running towards the candle trail. And that the Sikh is the senior officer.
The makeup is by Jim Henson's Creature Workshop!
For such a big film I find I've surprisingly little to say about it. John Seales operated his own camera; Remi Adefarisin shot the second unit. It was filmed in Italy and Tunisia. It won nine Oscars, including Picture, Director, Editing and Sound (also led by Murch), and for Seale, Stuart Craig's art direction, Gabriel Yared's music and Ann Roth's costumes. And of course for La Binoche as Supporting Actress (also the BAFTA, Berlin Silver Bear.. but not the César - stupid French, always so perverse).
I'd forgotten both Kristen Scott Thomas (nominated, lost to Frances McDormand in Fargo) and Colin Firth were in it. With Ralph Fiennes (nominated), Willem Dafoe, Naveen Andrews, Julian Wadham, Jurgen Prochnow.
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