The Last Emperor
7.7
“1500 slaves. 353,260,000 royal subjects. Warlords. Concubines. And 2 wives. He was the loneliest boy in the world.”
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.
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Cast
57 people
John Lone
Pu Yi (Adult)
Known for
Rush Hour 2
War
Joan Chen
Wan Jung
Known for
Twin Peaks
Marco Polo
Peter O'Toole
Reginald Johnston (R.J.)
Known for
Lawrence of Arabia
Ratatouille
Ruocheng Ying
The Governor
Known for
Little Buddha
Victor Wong
Chen Pao Shen
Known for
Big Trouble in Little China
Tremors
Dennis Dun
Big Li
Known for
Big Trouble in Little China
Prince of Darkness
Ryuichi Sakamoto
Amakasu
Known for
Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence
New Rose Hotel
Maggie Han
Eastern Jewel
Also in
Junior
Teech
Ric Young
Interrogator
Known for
The Transporter
Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom
Vivian Wu
Wen Hsiu
Known for
Away
The Afterparty
Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa
Chang
Known for
The Man in the High Castle
Hachi: A Dog's Tale
Jade Go
Ar Mo
Known for
Big Trouble in Little China
Bernardo Bertolucci Director · Mark Peploe Screenplay Aisin-Gioro Puyi Author
Director Screenplay
Bernardo Bertolucci
Screenplay
Mark Peploe
Author
Aisin-Gioro Puyi
Composer
David Byrne
Composer
Ryuichi Sakamoto
Composer
Su Cong
Cinematographer
Vittorio Storaro
Editor
Gabriella Cristiani
Production designer
Ferdinando Scarfiotti
Production designer
Bruno Cesari
Costume designer
James Acheson
Costume designer
Sun Huanxiang
Worldwide gross $44M · Budget $24M · United States release November 20, 1987
Box office
Budget
$23,800,000
Worldwide gross
$44,000,000
Gross vs. budget
1.8×
Production
Soprofilms
Production
TAO Film
Production
Yanco
Production
Recorded Picture Company
Production
Columbia Pictures
Studio
Hemdale Film Corporation
Production
Recorded Pictures Company
Production
China · France · Italy · United Kingdom
Produced in
Languages
Original language
English
Spoken on screen
Chinese · English · Japanese · Nyanja
Release dates
Hong Kong SAR China · October 4, 1987
Theatrical
Italy · October 23, 1987
Theatrical
United States · November 20, 1987
Limited theatrical · New York City, New York
United States
November 18, 1987 · Premiere · New York City, New York
November 19, 1987 · Premiere · Los Angeles, California
April 15, 1988 · Theatrical
Australia
November 26, 1987 · Theatrical
Brazil
October 21, 1987 · Theatrical
January 8, 1988 · Theatrical · IMDB
Denmark
December 18, 1987 · Theatrical
France
November 25, 1987 · Theatrical
February 18, 2003 · Physical · DVD
October 5, 2012 · Physical · Blu-Ray
October 3, 2023 · Physical · 4K UHD
Germany
October 29, 1987 · Theatrical
July 1, 2025 · Theatrical · Best of Cinema
Greece
December 19, 1987 · Theatrical
Ireland
May 27, 1988 · Theatrical
Italy
October 22, 1987 · Premiere · Rome
Japan
October 4, 1987 · Premiere · Tokyo International Film Festival
January 23, 1988 · Theatrical
Netherlands
December 10, 1987 · Theatrical
December 25, 2003 · TV · RTL 5
April 23, 2004 · Physical · DVD
May 7, 2013 · Physical · Blu ray
Portugal
December 18, 1987 · Theatrical
Russia
October 29, 2009 · Physical · DVD
May 15, 2025 · Theatrical · Restored 4K version
South Korea
December 24, 1988 · Theatrical
February 26, 2015 · Theatrical
Spain
December 17, 1987 · Theatrical
Sweden
December 3, 1987 · Theatrical
Taiwan
April 23, 1988 · Theatrical
May 15, 2020 · Theatrical · 數位修復
United Kingdom
February 26, 1988 · Theatrical
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Some details come from TheTVDB.