'The Last Emperor' tells the story of Pu Yi, as an adult played by John Lone, the last emperor of China. He was three years old when he first sat down on the Dragon Throne. He didn't know anything. The movie tells his story from that moment in flashbacks. We also get to see Pu Yi when the Chinese Communists have the power and he is imprisoned. Because people have taken care of him the rest of his life, from three years old to the moments inside the prison, it still feels he knows nothing.

To tell you about the life of Pu Yi would be a mistake. You have to see this movie to learn more about it. The strange thing is that Pu Yi can not do and decide much for himself. He is a hero of a movie where he is controlled by rules and other people. That is one of the reasons not many real things happen. We see the emperor grow up, we see him take an empress and a concubine, and then he has to leave the Forbidden City because the enemy is at the gate.

The impressive thing here are the locations and the costumes. Everything looks fabulous and it is not a surprise to find out that the movie was shot on location. With all the extras in those beautiful costumes there are a lot of very impressive scenes. May be the movie is a bit too long for some, it didn't really bother me. Director Bernardo Bertolucci has made a terrific movie.

This film is a wonderful example of the "Best Picture syndrome". A dull film receives many Oscars (including Best Picture) and suddenly it's considered a "masterpiece". My theory is that the year the movie premiered, it must have been a very bad year in general OR it confirms that many on the Oscar committee LOVE to vote for giant epic films that are visually stunning (but unwatchably dull). I also wonder if many who voted never actually saw the film--if they had, many would have died of boredom and couldn't have voted for the film!

My biggest problems with the movie are the turgid pacing as well as the general unlikability of the main character. When the Communists imprisoned this deposed emperor, I could sympathize with the revolutionaries and was shocked they didn't put him to death! His life was lived in complete self-indulgence and he didn't seem to care one bit for "his people". So, for the only time in history, I found myself rooting for the Chinese Communists! If you DID actually enjoy this film, I can suggest several other epics that are dreadfully dull and overrated: The English Patient, Gandhi, and Ryan's Daughter.

This is NOT to say that I hate epics or long movies--just not ones where you could care less for the characters (with the exception of Gandhi) and where the pacing is so slow. If you are not a glutton for punishment, try watching The Big Country (one of our greatest Westerns),Ben Hur (wow),Dances with Wolves, Chariots of Fire, The Best Years of Our Lives, etc. Make them LONG and BIG but give them characters you care about and pace them better!!!!!!

I can say very little about The Last Emperor that hasn't been said already, though it is for me my favourite Bertolucci film along with Last Tango in Paris.

The Last Emperor is a visually opulent film. The cinematography is stunning, as are the scenery, editing, costumes and sets. In fact, it is one of the most visually beautiful films I've seen, and I've seen a lot. Not only that, it wonderfully juxtaposes the pre and pro-revolutionary Chinese worlds.

The music is beautiful and adds to the charm of the film as well as having an authentic flavour. Bertolucci's direction is superb, the story is engrossing and I rarely found it dull over the (almost) 3 hour duration and the dialogue is thought-provoking.

The acting is most excellent. John Lone is truly remarkable in the lead, it is a very difficult and multifaceted role and he copes brilliantly with it. Also remarkable, perhaps even more so, is the great Peter O'Toole, whose is very charming, graceful and eloquent.

Overall, a beautiful and arresting film, one I found myself admiring rather than adoring first time, but now it is becoming a favourite. 10/10 Bethany Cox