The Last Emperor [Blu-ray]

The Last Emperor [Blu-ray]
by Bernardo Bertolucci

The Last Emperor [Blu-ray]

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DVD details

Actor: Joan Chen, John Lone, Peter O'Toole
Director: Bernardo Bertolucci
Brand: IMAGE ENT.
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Original Language)
Format: Color, DTS Surround Sound, NTSC, Widescreen
Picture Format: 2.20:1
Running Time: 164 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2009-01-06
Audience Rating: R (Restricted)
Studio: Criterion Collection
Product features:

Bernardo Bertolucci's The Last Emperor won nine Academy Awards?, unexpectedly sweeping every category in which it was nominated-quite a feat for a challenging, multilayered epic directed by an Italian and starring an international cast. Yet the power and scope of the film was, and remains, undeniable-the life of Emperor Pu Yi, who took the throne at age three, in 1908, before witnessing d

DVD Reviews of The Last Emperor [Blu-ray]

DVD Review: Cultural Clash
Summary: 5 Stars

I call this "a cultural clash" because within a lifespan, this story presents one way of life colliding with another one, both being part of the lifespan of a person who was born as an emperor, receiving all the honors of one, later to see his way of life move on to witness the end of monarchies to control by communist type economies and governmental controls, all within the life span of the "emperor" who refuses to acknowledge this profound cultural change. Can a person tolerate such changes while remaining "sober"? Our hero seems to have held on to a rational life, still thinking he is the emperor... emperor of what? The answer to this is the heart of the story.

DVD Review: A rare Criterion misfire
Summary: 3 Stars

I must add my voice to those who are disappointed in the video and audio quality of this Blu-Ray release. When my fiancee and I sat down to watch this movie, she remarked, "Wow, this is beautiful photography. I bet it will look even better when we get it on Blu-Ray" . . . to which I had to reply sheepishly that this *is* the Blu-Ray.

I should have read the customer reviews here before purchasing this disc. Instead, I relied on the usual superior standards of Criterion releases to guide my purchase decision. Now that I learn that this release omits a lengthier cut of the film that's been included in previous versions as well . . . I'm just mystified that Criterion put their stamp on this disappointingly murky print of an otherwise beautiful and haunting work of cinema. I'll be checking the reviews for all further Criterion purchases now.

DVD Review: A great film given great BluRay treatment
Summary: 5 Stars

The Last Emperor has always been a favorite of mine. The story of the last Emperor if China and his eventual transition into Chairman mao's China. The film honestly shows life in the Forbidden City, it's isolation from the real world, it's internal politics and corruptions. But the main line is the child emperor growing up in the city with only his courtier and an English teacher as company. The whole film is rich in colour, movement and sound. The video transition to the blu-ray format is stunning. More detail in shaded areas and a richness of full bodied colours that was just not possible on DVD. The Audio has benefited greatly from a fine DTS HD Master Audion track along with a stereo track for those who need it. Definitely amongst the best transfers to date.

DVD Review: Don't waste your money or support this truly below average quality release by Criterion
Summary: 1 Stars

This is one of the worst Blu-Ray releases I have seen. There is so much grain in 98% of the movie that Criterion should be disgusted with their blatant opportunism.

I guess I won't be buying any of Criterion's Blu-Ray releases in the future until I see a Blu-Ray review confirming whether or not Criterion chose to release a DVD version on Blu-Ray or actually mastered a new version from the original film itself.

Don't waste your money on this garbage release!! Especially if you already own the DVD version which actually has less grain/noise. The small amount of added details in the occasional close up scenes do not even come close to making up for the distraction caused by the sheer volume of grain/noise. If you have a decent video setup at all, you will find yourself constantly distracted by the noise particles all over your screen.

Shame Criterion! Shame! You owe everyone who bought this a full refund or a rerelease. Even the original Blu-Ray releases of Stargate and 5th Element weren't as annoying, because at least they had the excuse of inadequate time to get the early Blu-Ray releases out, and after the fact they allowed us to send in our initial release versions for re-mastered copies of the films after the fact. Criterion has no excuse, they need to rerelease this properly and give everyone who bought a copy a chance to send it in for an exchange...

DVD Review: Blu-ray is the best version of this film
Summary: 5 Stars

This is a review for the 164 minute version of the movie that is contained on the Blu-ray disc. The longer version on the DVD, that many here have commented on, was not a director's cut but was an edit that was shown as a mini series on Italian television.

The Blu-ray transfer of this film is the best I have seen this film look, with rich colors, strong detail and with clear and vivid audio. Epic in scope and beautifully filmed by Cinematographer Vittorio Storaro (Apocalypse Now, Reds, One from the Heart & many others).

The Last Emperor reminds me why I love films. The movie has strong performances, interesting locations, lavish costumes and beautiful art direction. This film is a reminder that it used to be possible to make visually rich productions without CGI.

The Blu-ray disc contains hours of extra content including interviews with the director Bertolucci, composer David Byrne, editor Gabriella Cristiana, costume designer James Acheson, and art director Gianni Silvestri. There is also an interesting Interview with historian Ian Buruma that fills in many of the historical details of the events depicted in the film. Criterion did a fantastic job with this Blu-ray release. Highly recommended.

Description of The Last Emperor [Blu-ray]

Bernardo Bertolucci s The Last Emperor won nine Academy Awards, unexpectedly sweeping every category in which it was nominated quite a feat for a challenging, multilayered epic directed by an Italian and starring an international cast. Yet the power and scope of the film was, and remains, undeniable the life of Emperor Pu Yi, who took the throne at age three, in 1908, before witnessing decades of cultural and political upheaval, within and without the walls of the Forbidden City. Recreating Ching-dynasty China with astonishing detail and unparalleled craftsmanship by cinematographer Vittorio Storaro and production designer Ferdinando Scarfiotti, The Last Emperor is also an intimate character study of one man reconciling personal responsibility and political legacy.

DIRECTOR-APPROVED BLU-RAY EDITION FEATURES:
Restored, high-definition digital transfer, supervised and approved by cinematographer Vittorio Storaro
DTS-HD Master Audio stereo surround soundtrack
Audio commentary by 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 in China
The Chinese Adventure of Bernardo Bertolucci, a 52-minute documentary that revisits the film s creation
A 47-minute documentary featuring Storaro, editor Gabriella Cristiana, 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 interview with Bertolucci from 1989
Interview with composer David Byrne
Interview with Ian Buruma examining the historical period of the film
Theatrical trailer
PLUS: A booklet featuring an essay by critic David Thomson

Bernardo Bertolucci does the nearly impossible with this sweeping, grand epic that tells a very personal tale. The story is a dramatic history of Pu Yi, the last of the emperors of China. It follows his life from its elite beginnings in the Forbidden City, where he was crowned at age three and worshipped by half a billion people. He was later forced to abdicate and, unable to fend for himself in the outside world, became a dissolute and exploited shell of a man. He died in obscurity, living as a peasant in the People's Republic. We never really warm up to John Lone in the title role, but this movie focuses more on visuals than characterization anyway. Filmed in the Forbidden City, it is spectacularly beautiful, filling the screen with saturated colors and exquisite detail. It won nine Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Director. --Rochelle O'Gorman

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