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The Last Emperor
1987 163 min China, France, Italy, United Kingdom PG-13 18+
★8.4
Drama, History
Director: Bernardo Bertolucci
📖 Based on the novel
«The First Half of My Life»
byPuyi
Trailers
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Teaser
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Description
A dramatic history of Pu Yi, the last of the Emperors of China, from his lofty birth and brief reign in the Forbidden City, the object of worship by half a billion people; through his abdication, his decline and dissolute lifestyle; his exploitation by the invading Japanese, and finally to his obscure existence as just another peasant worker in the People's Republic.
Budget:
$23.8M
US Gross:
$43.98M
Worldwide:
$44M
Starring
John Lone
Actor
Joan Chen
Actor
Peter O'Toole
Actor
Awards
Academy Awards 1988
— Best Director
Academy Awards 1988
— Best Cinematography
Golden Globe 1988
— Best Picture (Drama)
Golden Globe 1988
— Best Picture (Drama)
Golden Globe 1988
— Best Director
Academy Awards 1988
— Best Adapted Screenplay
Academy Awards 1988
— Best Film Editing
BAFTA 1989
— Best Costume Design
BAFTA 1989
— Best Cinematography
Academy Awards 1988
— Best Picture
BAFTA 1989
— Best Picture
BAFTA 1989
— Best Makeup and Hairstyling
BAFTA 1989
— Best Production Design
BAFTA 1989
— Best Supporting Actor
César Awards 1988
— Best Poster
Academy Awards 1988
— Best Costume Design
Academy Awards 1988
— Best Production Design
Golden Globe 1988
— Best Actor (Drama)
Academy Awards 1988
— Best Sound
Golden Globe 1988
— Best Original Score
European Film Awards 1988
— Special Jury Prize
Golden Globe 1988
— Best Screenplay
César Awards 1988
— Best International Feature Film
BAFTA 1989
— Best Film Editing
BAFTA 1989
— Best Visual Effects
Academy Awards 1988
— Best Original Score
BAFTA 1989
— Best Sound
BAFTA 1989
— Best Original Score
Key opinion
Bernardo Bertolucci's 'The Last Emperor' is widely regarded as a visually masterful and technically superlative biographical epic. While most critics laud its atmospheric depth and production scale, some viewers find the lengthy runtime and emotionally distant approach to the protagonist less engaging.
| Production | The film features exceptional production design and costumes that vividly recreate the grandeur and isolation of the Forbidden City. | |
| Cinematography | Vittorio Storaro's cinematography and the film's evocative color grading are universally praised for their immersive, epic quality. | |
| Score | The masterful score by Ryuichi Sakamoto, David Byrne, and Cong Su is highly regarded for its contribution to the film's atmospheric power. | |
| Theme | The film provides a compelling, thoughtful examination of the protagonist's loss of agency and his transformation from a captive monarch to a common man. | |
| Pacing | The expansive, three-hour-plus runtime is viewed by many as an immersive experience, though others find it exhausting or feel the pacing creates a sense of detachment. | |
| Acting | Opinions on the lead acting are divided: some find the performances powerful and nuanced, while others describe them as stilted or emotionally distant, particularly regarding the portrayal of Pu Yi's inner life. | |
| Screenplay | The screenplay is often praised for its historical ambition and scope, yet some critics feel it sanitizes the historical reality and fails to fully capture the complexity of the Emperor's political choices. |