The Last Emperor

About The Last Emperor

'The Last Emperor' is a British-Italian epic biographical film directed by Bernardo Bertolucci. It is based on the life of Puyi, the last emperor of China. He was enthroned at his childhood, survived the political turmoil and ended up being a commoner after the People's Republic of China was formed.

Making / Production

The film is famous for being the first feature film authorized by the People's Republic of China to film in the Forbidden City in Beijing. The script was written by Bertolucci and Mark Peploe, and the production was handled by Jeremy Thomas. The film required a large scale of extras and considerable sets for the production.

Actors

• John Lone plays the titular last emperor, Puyi. He portrayed this complex character from his early years through adulthood with a compelling performance.
• Joan Chen portrays Wanrong, the Empress, with emotional depth, portraying her tragic life beautifully.
• Peter O'Toole plays Reginald Johnston, Puyi's tutor. He brought a touching humanity to this role.

Trivia / Interesting Facts

• This film was the first feature film authorized by the Chinese government to be filmed inside the Forbidden City.
• It swept the 60th Academy Awards, winning all nine categories in which it was nominated.
• The film's runtime is 163 minutes but the original version was 218 minutes long.

Awards

'The Last Emperor' is noted for winning nine Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium. It was the first Best Picture winner not in the native English language.

Quotes

• "You are the son of heaven and the Lord of ten thousand years."
• "I have decided that you will be my new tutor."
• "China is changing. No-one can stop it."

Music, Soundtrack

• The score was composed by Ryuichi Sakamoto, David Byrne, and Cong Su.
• The soundtrack won the Academy Award for Best Original Score.
• The film features traditional Chinese music and modern compositions.