The Last Emperor (1987)

The Last Emperor (1987), directed by Bernardo Bertolucci, is a sweeping historical epic that chronicles the extraordinary life of Puyi, the final emperor of China. Crowned as a child during the Qing Dynasty, Puyi grows up isolated within the walls of the Forbidden City, only to witness the fall of imperial rule, war, and eventual imprisonment under Communist China. Through shifting timelines and stunning visuals, the film explores themes of identity, power, loss, and transformation.

The score is one of the film’s most profound elements, composed by an eclectic trio: Ryuichi Sakamoto, David Byrne, and Cong Su. Their combined work merges Eastern and Western musical traditions, using ambient textures, traditional Chinese instrumentation, and minimalist themes to mirror Puyi’s emotional and cultural journey. The music shifts from regal and ceremonial to haunting and introspective, reflecting the arc of an emperor reduced to an ordinary man.

Sakamoto’s title theme, in particular, stands out for its meditative elegance, capturing the spiritual emptiness and faded grandeur of Puyi’s legacy. The score won the Academy Award for Best Original Score, enhancing the film’s ethereal atmosphere and its deeply human portrait of a lost world.

With its breathtaking cinematography, lavish production, and transcendent music, The Last Emperor remains a landmark in historical filmmaking.