The Last Emperor Blu-ray

Release Year: 1987

Runtime: 163 min

Director: Bernardo Bertolucci

Cast: John Lone, Joan Chen, Peter O'Toole, Ruocheng Ying, Victor Wong

Studios: Soprofilms, TAO Film, Yanco, Recorded Picture Company

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.

Special Features:

Recorded high-definition digital transfer, supervised and approved by cinematographer Vittorio Storaro, with DTS-HD Master Audio stereo surround soundtrack

Audio commentary

Featuring director Bernardo Bertolucci, producer Jeremy Thomas, screenwriter Mark Peploe, and composer-actor Ryuichi Sakamoto

The Italian Traveler, Bernardo Bertolucci

A 53-minute film by Fernand Mozskowicz on Bertolucci from the director’s geographic inspirations, from Parma to China

Video images taken by Bertolucci while on preproduction in China

The Chinese Adventure of Bernardo Bertolucci

A 51-minute film by Paolo Brunatto revisiting the creation of the film

A new interview with Bertolucci

Featuring Storaro, editor Gabriella Cristiani, costume designer James Acheson, and art director Gianni Silvestri

A 66-minute documentary

Exploring Bertolucci’s creative process and the making of The Last Emperor

A 30-minute BBC interview with Bertolucci from 1989

An interview from 2008 with composer David Byrne

A 2008 interview with cultural historian Ian Buruma

Examining the period of the film

Theatrical trailer

PLUS:

A booklet featuring an essay by critic David Thomson

Technical Specifications:

• DTS-HD Master Audio
• Stereo
• 2.00:1 Aspect Ratio