A sweeping epic, given new luster with a 4K-UHD release
The phrase ‘epic’ is used all too liberally these days when it comes to movies. An overloaded term used when the latest bit of CGI overload or fan fiction ideals unfold onscreen. Bernardo Bertolucci’s The Last Emperor is one of the true epics. Centered around the life and times of Puyi, the last Emperor of the Qing-dynasty, it’s a window into the end of an era. A film large in scope, undeniable in ambition, and impressive in execution. It won all 9 Academy Awards it was nominated for in1988, including Best Cinematography, Best Costume Design, Best Picture and Best Director
The year is 1908, and three year old Puyi ascends to the throne. What follows is a revolution, and China’s transition into a republic. The young Emperor and his closest supporters remain sequestered within the walls of the Forbidden palace as the country around them undergoes change. To help Puyi prepare, a tutor named Reginald Johnston arrives from England (the always splendid Peter O’Toole) to illuminate him as to the ways of the world. Eventually leaving the palace behind, Puyi goes from playboy to eventual puppet of two masters, the Japanese and Chinese governments, as his lineage looks to be used to serve their own ends. It’s a fascinating period, the turn of the century bringing massive change across the social and political spectrum. For China, it’s a shift from the Qing-dynasty that had lasted hundreds of years (with Imperial rule actually running over two millennia), with millions of individuals as subjects. In place, the Xinhai Revolution and the rise of the People’s Republic. A paving of the way for Chairman Mao Zedong and his ideologies. With this bigger backdrop, Bertolucci trains his focus on the figure at the center of this sea change. A boy raised with the belief he was chosen by God to lead his people, worshipped and adorned with the trappings of his office, then forced to endure abdication. In the mix is his education and exposure to Western civilization. It’s an eventful journey for Puyi and those in his orbit, tragic at times, especially in the case of his wife, Wan Jung (a heart-wrenching turn from Joan Chen).
From a filmmaking point of view, The Last Emperor feels like one of those prestige projects that would make or break a studio, something in the vein of Gandhi or Lawrence of Arabia. Much of the epic sheen comes from the unprecedented access given to China and its locations (including the Forbidden City) in order to make the film. This boon to production values we well leveraged by designer Ferdinando Scarfiotti and beautifully showcased by cinematographer Vittorio Storaro. The Last Emperor is detailed, textured, and authentic to the point of decadency. Prestigious fare, where the what’s onscreen matches a level of ambition. Bertolucci was known as a more transgressive filmmaker, with films such as La Luna The Conformist, The Dreamers, and Las Tango in Paris, showcasing his edgier, more confrontational fare. The Last Emperor doesn’t quite resonate in the same way, but it has a more incisive edge that you might expect given the degree to Chinese cooperation. Rather than painting everything in a rosier light, there is a subversive quality to the film. There’s certainly some issues of edging off truths here, John Lone’s performance burnishing Puyi in a way that coupled with the script, certainly glosses over some of his darker tendencies and acts. But, there’s a strong sense within the film that this political transition, which might seem like a shift from tradition to modernity, isn’t so much a move forward as a step sideways. One authoritarian replaces another. Control remains rather than into anything really resembling democracy, or of benefit to your average Chinese citizen. It’s a bold undercurrent threaded through a film that offers a remarkable insight into an age and Chinese culture.
The Package
The Last Emperor is a dense, and visually rich film, one that takes on another level of life in 4K. The sheer density of the image elevates details and textures. Colors are robust, balanced, and supported by deep blacks and crisp whites. The details in the dark are especially noteworthy. It should be noted that this all covers the 4K treatment of the theatrical edition. It’s included Blu-ray edition also is a really nice presentation. A third disc includes a TV version of the film which does show up some inconsistencies in quality (and frame ratio), likely due to variances in source material, which is to be expected with those kinds of film cuts. In addition to the two versions of the film, the release is well supported by a host of extras:
- Audio commentary featuring director Bernardo Bertolucci, producer Jeremy Thomas, screenwriter Mark Peploe, and composer-actor Ryuichi Sakamoto: Rather then a collaboration, the contributors are recorded individually and intercut. It takes away some of the potential for interesting tangents, but the commentary is still interesting, as each breaks down their contributions, insights on the production, experiences on location in China, thoughts on each other, and comments on their other works too
- 218-minute television version: A longer runtime due to the addition of various expositionary scenes, extended scenes, and additional footage that to be frank, feels somewhat redundant. Apparently recut for a multi-night TV event, the extra content does not add anything but runtime, and severely hampers the films pacing
- The Italian Traveler, Bernardo Bertolucci, a film by Fernand Moszkowicz tracing the director’s geographic influences, from Parma to China: A personal reflection on filmmakers career, shot in the run up to the start of production on Last Emperor
- Footage taken by Bertolucci while on preproduction in China: Short, but insightful snippets of video as they scouted locations and reflected on the local culture
- Bernardo Bertolucci’s Chinese Adventure: Essentially a making of, which at nearly an hour in length, does a pretty good job of covering what’s needed. What is a standout is how portions of it are shot as a guerilla-style documentary, with the camera weaving its way around the sets and sequences, allowing insight and comparison to the completed footage.
- The Making of The Last Emperor featuring cinematographer Vittorio Storaro, editor Gabriella Cristiani, costume designer James Acheson, and art director Gianni Silvestri: A really good dive into one of the standout qualities of the film, it’s design and production
- Archival interview with Bertolucci: Taken from a TV broadcast, the director discusses the film’s acclaim and awards, before moving into reflections on his own career, tastes, and French cinema
- Interviews with composer David Byrne and cultural historian Ian Buruma: Byrne opens up on his approach (showcasing early pieces and samples) and his collaboration with Ryuichi Sakamoto. The latter entitled Beyond the Forbidden City, is a good dive into the history of this period in China, and well worth a watch. The
- Trailer
- PLUS: An essay by film critic David Thomson, a reminiscence by Bertolucci, interviews with production designer Ferdinando Scarfiotti and actor Ying Ruocheng, and an essay by Fabien S. Gerard: Contained in the liner notes
- Cover by Lucien S. Y. Yang
The Bottom Line
Criterion’s treatment of The Last Emperor is truly impressive. The 4K remaster is a visual feast for the eyes, and the package is brimming with extra features that do much to expand on the scope, scale, and ambition of the production, as well as dive into and expand upon the historical context of the film, the protagonist, and the wider era of Chinese history.
The Last Emperor is available August 13th, via 4K-UHD Criterion
