Review of The Last Emperor (1987) by Keaton B — 31 Aug 2013

With Bernardo Bertolucci's magnum opus -- fifteen years after making his mark on society with "Last Tango In Paris" and "The Conformist" -- we are given an inside look at Pu-Yi, the last emperor not only of the Qin dynasty -- which had ruled China since the seventeenth century -- but of China as well.

Through beautiful imagery that manages to employ the massive scale that the Forbidden City communicates, sharp direction, as well as an enticing score by Ryuichi Sakamoto, Talking Heads frontman David Byrne, and Cong Su, "The Last Emperor" equally ranks alongside other instant classics as among the greatest films of all time!