The Last Emperor
Seen it?1987 | 163 min | Drama, History
Friday Night FlickWhy it’s a Friday Night Flick
It won 9 Oscars, people are still talking about it, it earned strong reviews (87% on Rotten Tomatoes) and audiences rate it highly (7.6 out of 10). Make plans for this one.
Based on critics, audiences, awards, box office and buzz. Details below.Is it for you?
- Who'll love it
- Made for history buffs. If you loved The Zone of Interest or Empire of the Sun, start here.
- The mood
- Harrowing.
- The pace
- Unhurried and epic, at 2 hr 43 min.
- What might put you off
- Rated PG-13: peril. Probably too much for younger kids.
- It's long: 2 hr 43 min.
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.
How it earned its rating
- CriticsStrong
87% on Rotten Tomatoes, 76 on Metacritic
- AudiencesStrong
7.6 out of 10
- AwardsVery strong
Won 9 Oscars: Academy Awards: Best Picture, Academy Awards: Best Director, Academy Awards: Best Screenplay – Based on Material from Another Medium, Academy Awards: Best Art Direction and 5 more. Won 4 Golden Globes: Golden Globe Awards: Best Motion Picture – Drama, Golden Globe Awards: Best Director – Motion Picture, Golden Globe Awards: Best Screenplay – Motion Picture, Golden Globe Awards: Best Original Score – Motion Picture. Won 3 BAFTAs: British Academy Film Awards: Best Film, British Academy Film Awards: Best Costume Design, British Academy Film Awards: Best Make-Up Artist. Won 1 DGA Award: Directors Guild of America Awards: Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Motion Pictures. Also nominated for 1 more Golden Globe, 8 more BAFTAs and 1 WGA Award. Plus 12 other awards.
- Box office & staying powerSolid
$44 million worldwide on a $24 million budget; still draws a steady audience long after release
- Buzz & cultural impactVery strong
About 501K people sought it out in the past year
Trailer
More like this
The Zone of Interest Friday Night FlickAnother critically acclaimed true-story historical drama.
Empire of the Sun Friday Night FlickAnother war historical drama, and a Friday Night Flick.
The Railway Man
Weeknight WatchAnother true-story historical drama, though it's more of a weeknight watch.
Seven Years in Tibet
Sunday Safe BetAnother war historical drama, and a safe bet for a quiet night.
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Cast & crew
Directed by Bernardo Bertolucci
- John LonePu Yi (Adult)
- Joan ChenWan Jung
- Peter O'TooleReginald Johnston (R.J.)
- Ruocheng YingThe Governor
- Victor WongChen Pao Shen
- Dennis DunBig Li
- Ryuichi SakamotoAmakasu
- Maggie HanEastern Jewel
- Ric YoungInterrogator
- Vivian WuWen Hsiu