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:

Restored 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 tracing the director's geographic influences, 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 reviewing the creation of the film.

A 45-minute documentary

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