FIRST OFF . . .

Director Steven Spielberg’s attempt to re-create Japan’s World War II sack of Shanghai created too much toxic smoke and cost the film companies involved $13,500 in pollution fines, United Press International reported Monday. Quoting Thursday’s edition of Shanghai’s News Report newspaper, the news service said that Spielberg, on location in Shanghai to film “The Empire of the Sun,” last month burned mounds of old tires that threw off toxic fumes over a densely populated neighborhood, darkening houses and provoking citizen complaints. Foul fumes reportedly spread over nearly a square mile, causing sulfur dioxide concentrations 30 times above acceptable levels. Warner Bros., Shanghai General Film Co. and China Cooperative Film Production Co. “created serious pollution,” the Shanghai newspaper said. Local authorities fined the three film companies on March 27 for violating city and state pollution regulations, the newspaper said. The film is based on J.G. Ballard’s novel about the Japanese occupation of Shanghai during World War II.