- Actors: John Lone, Joan Chen, Peter O'Toole, Ruocheng Ying, Victor Wong
- Directors: Bernardo Bertolucci
- Writers: Bernardo Bertolucci, Enzo Ungari, Henry Pu-yi, Mark Peploe
- Producers: Franco Giovale, Jeremy Thomas, John Daly
- Format: Color, Director's Cut, Dolby, DVD-Video, Letterboxed, Widescreen, NTSC
- Language: English, Spanish
- Region: (US and Canada This DVD will probably NOT be viewable in other countries. Read more about DVD formats.)
- Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1
- Number of discs: 1
- MPAA Rating:
- Studio: Live (Universal)
- Release Date: Feb 26 2002
- Run Time: 163 minutes
- Average Customer Review: 3.4 out of 5 stars See all reviews (76 customer reviews)
- ASIN: 6305261032
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Amazon Bestsellers Rank:
#31,696 in DVD (See Top 100 in DVD)
- #37 in DVD > Art House & International > Asian Cinema > China
- #99 in DVD > Art House & International > Asian Cinema > Hong Kong
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Product Description
Amazon.com Essential Video
Everything that was good about the 163-minute theatrical release of Bernardo Bertolucci's The Last Emperor in 1987 is even better in this new 218-minute director's cut. By contrast, much that was peculiarly distant and lifeless the first time around isn't really better or worse in this edition. Conclusion: the net gains are considerable if you invest time to appreciate Bertolucci's full feeling for the odd story of Pu Yi, China's final monarch. You remember the saga: taken from his mother at the age of three, Pu Yi is brought into the enclosed walls of the Forbidden City to replace the real emperor. There he becomes a pampered prisoner and hollow symbol of an older monarchy that has since given way to a ruthless, 20th century republic. With his pining loyalists beheaded or kept at bay by armed soldiers outside the City's walls, Pu Yi is tutored by an English gentleman (Peter O'Toole) and wed to a kindred spirit (Joan Chen). Eventually cast from his gated paradise, Pu Yi (wonderfully portrayed in adulthood by John Lone) becomes, by turns, a playboy, a dupe to the Japanese, and a victim of China's cultural reforms and re-education programs. This longer cut largely top-loads the film with greater reason to feel compassion for the emperor, with his often wordless sense-adventure in the mysteries that could only be known to one little boy plunged into indecipherable alien decorum, robbed of self-determination and common sense by his infinite privilege. Added scenes (including some in the political rehabilitation camp where Pu Yi is held for a decade) fill out not so much added facts as density of experience. This improved The Last Emperor is richer in soul and a pronounced sense of Bertolucci actually directing this film in the most personal and profound sense. --Tom Keogh
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Customer Reviews
Most helpful customer reviews
great film, awful dvd
July 5 2004
Format:DVD
I had the misfortune to buy this BEFORE I read the Amazon reviews and discovered that the DVD looked awful-a particular injustice for a film that won Best Picture. It's only 17 years old; there are films from the 30's that look great on DVD! I see though that in the U.K. they released a 2-disc version with commentary and both the original theatrical cut as well as the director's cut. I assume it's also restored and anamorphic and can only hope that we get an American version soon. The movie gets 5 stars, even at 219 minutes. The DVD gets 1 star, so that averages out to a generous 3.
Good movie.... Awful DVD
Jun 19 2004
Format:DVD
Enough comments have been made on the movie so I'll just tell you my opinion on the DVD edition. It is one of the worst DVD transcription I have ever saw. I really had the impression to watch a DivX. Do I need to tell more about the resolution? Only the english soundtrack is available (I wish the movie had been shooted in Chinese or Mandarin but that's not the point) and no subtitles. The DVD presents the director's cut which makes the movie 3 and a half hour instead of 2 and a half. The theatrical version is not available on the DVD... Otherwise there is no additionnal material.
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Most recent customer reviews
Hiromi from London is brainwashed by the Japanese Govt
To actual believe that the Rape of Nanjing was overstated or did not occur is equivalent to the Germans saying the Holocaust never occured. Read more
Published on May 5 2005 by Peter
Breathtakingly Beautiful, Decadent and Misconceived.
I revere every Bertoluccifs work tremendously, and this lavish film is no exception.
I was completely mesmerised by the view of the Forbidden City, beautiful period costumes... Read more
I was completely mesmerised by the view of the Forbidden City, beautiful period costumes... Read more
Published on Jun 25 2004 by Hiromi
Great ending
I bought the director's-cut dvd and I wish I hadn't. The movie was long around 3hrs and 20 mins, and the added scenes from the director's cut didn't make any difference in making... Read more
Published on Mar 12 2004
It's all true!
One of the most visually impressive films of all time has been treated like inconsequential trash in this poor DVD translation of Bertolucci's masterpiece. Read more
Published on Feb 25 2004 by Brian Whistler
no subtitling - otherwise marvelous
I could have given this 5 stars if the DVD had some with English subtitling. Unfortunately, I missed much of the dialogue between whispering actors and actor accents and subtitles... Read more
Published on Feb 17 2004
Not the version to buy
(...) this DVD is an appalling presentation of a cinema masterpiece. The video quality is disastrous and there are no extras. Read more
Published on Jan 14 2004 by James Luckard
LOUSY DVD
This is a WONDERFUL movie. One of my favorites. But this is a TERRIBLE DVD.
There are no special features, although there is a text box on the back of the box supposedly... Read more
Published on Nov 28 2003 by Dennis Forcier
A true classic - now even more so
Based on the true story of Aisin Gioro "Henry" Pu Yi, the last emperor of China, the theatrical release of THE LAST EMPEROR left me with a lot of sympathy for a real-life... Read more
Published on Nov 25 2003 by Daniel R Barnett
One of the best movies ever is made even better
With the advent of DVDs, many films are being issued in an expanded edition or director's cut. At times a great movie is not made any better with the added footage (e.g. Amadeus). Read more
Published on Nov 3 2003 by Patrick Courtney
This movie IS SPECTACULAR - DVD does not do it justice
This top notch movie is a must have - great drama and action: life, love, death, power, betrayal, redemption, renewal - based on true events. Read more
Published on Oct 28 2003 by Artisan7
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