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The Last Emperor 4-disc special edition from Criterion in February

21 February 2007

Once described to me by a friend as a nicely photographed history lesson, Bernardo Bertolucci's 1987 The Last Emperor is regarded by many as a work of remarkable beauty and depth, though others have been a little less enthusiastic, particularly when the director's cut extended an already long film to three-and-a-half hours. This is no doubting its visual splendour and the icon status of some of its imagery (it even made it into The Simpsons), and its nine Oscar wins indicate the impact it had on the American market.

The Last Emperor coer

The film tells the life story of Emperor Pu Yi, who in 1908 at just 3 years old became the Emperor of China. During his reign he witnessed decades of cultural and political upheaval, ending his days as just another peasant worker in the People's Republic. Recreating Qing dynasty China with astonishing detail and unparalleled craftsmanship by cinematographer Vittorio Storaro and production designer Ferdinando Scarfiotti, and featuring a memorable music score by Ryuchi Sakamoto and David Byrne, The Last Emperor is also an intimate character study of one man reconciling personal responsibility and political legacy.

Now Criterion have announced what must be the most comprehensive DVD incarnation of the film to date, with a Director-approved 4-disc set planned for a February 2008 release with the following features:

  • All-new, restored high-definition 2.35:1 anamorphic digital transfer with Dolby stereo 2.0 sound, supervised and approved by cinematographer Vittorio Storaro;
  • All-new, restored high-definition digital transfer of the extended television version;
  • Audio commentary by director Bernardo Bertolucci, producer Jeremy Thomas, composer Ryuichi Sakamoto, and screenwriter Mark Peploe;
  • The Italian Traveler, a documentary by Fernand Mozskowicz, exploring Bertolucci's journey from Parma to China;
  • The Making of The Last Emperor, a new documentary featuring Storaro, editor Gabriella Cristiana, costume designer James Acheson, and art director Gianni Silvestre;
  • Postcards from China, video images taken by Bertolucci while on preproduction;
  • The Late Show: Face to Face, a 30-minute BBC interview with Bertolucci from 1989;
  • New video interviews with composers David Byrne and Sakamoto;
  • Theatrical trailer;
  • A booklet featuring essays by David Thomson and excerpts from script supervisor Fabien Gerard's journals from the production
  • More!

The Last Emperor will be released by Criterion in February 2008 (exact date to be confirmed) at the SRP of $59.95.