As such, it is an exceedingly strong example of how a period piece should be staged.Īs a narrative Last Emperor is largely successfully, but not flawless. We see China and its traditional grandeur, the awkwardness that the outside poverty offers, and the contrast to the more modern changes taking place. In this way, the world building for Last Emperor is nearly perfect. Each scene is framed with immense elegance, and is accentuated masterfully by brilliant costume design and set design.
At three and a half hours, The Last Emperor is a film that requires some patience, but has the technical skill and sufficient narrative power to keep you engaged.ĭirector Bernardo Bertolucci is able to fill The Last Emperor with so much visual intrigue, that one can hardly afford to look away. The film covers his rise to power, his privileged isolation, and the political turmoil he found himself in later in life. Grandly staged and beautifully executed, The Last Emperor is a visually stunning biopic on the life of Aisin-Gioror Pu Yi.
