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Starring: John Lone, Joan Chen, Peter O'Toole
| This is the story of (Henry) Pu-Yi, the final emperor of China. Of lofty birth, crowned shortly after the turn of the 20th century at the age of 3 and abdicated at 7, Pu-Yi (Lone) is wholly unprepared to rule, let alone comprehend or control the swiftly-changing events around him. Guided by his Scottish tutor Reginald Johnston (O'Toole), the passive prince yearns to attend Oxford, or even just leave the royal grounds of the Forbidden City. When the Japanese invade, they make him a puppet ruler of his native province of Manchuria, and his wife the Empress Wan Jung (Chen) becomes an opium addict and the lover of a lesbian Japanese spy. Pu-Ti drifts and deteriorates, going to prison when the Communists take over. His life ends as a humble gardener in the Botanical Gardens in Beijing, though he seems much more content than he ever was on the throne. Italian director Bernardo Bertolucci secured the unprecedented coup of getting the Communist Chinese government's permission to film inside the Forbidden City, where some of the historic events depicted in the film actually took place. Released in the U.S. at 164 minutes, this 1987 film's uncut length is 224 minutes, which may seem overlong and slow to the average American viewer, but it's a gorgeous and fascinating story. The film won 10 Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Cinematography, and Best Screenplay. | ||
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Plot Time/era of movie: - 1930's-1950's Job/Profession/Poverty Story? Yes Job: Ethnic/Regional/Gender story? Yes Main Char. ethnic: (if not US Caucasian) Culture of surrounding area: Main Character Identity: - Male Profession/status: Age: - long lived adults Is this an ordinary person caught up in events? Yes Hair color? - brunette (Black) Hair type - (man) short/standard straight Body type - (man) average Unclothed? - Chest Events of movie makes character more... - sad Ethnicity/Nationality How sensitive is this character? - sensitive to others' feelings Sense of humor? - Mostly serious with occasional humor Intelligence - Smarter than most other characters Physique - average physique Secondary Main Character Identity: - Female Hair color - brunette (Black) How much in movie? - 40% Ethnicity/Nationality - Chinese Main Adversary Identity: - general circumstances Setting Asia/Pacific/Middle East Yes Asian country: - China City? Yes Misc setting Style Accounts of torture and death? - moderately detailed references to deaths Movie makes you feel... - concerned Sex/nudity in movie? Yes What kind of sex: - lesbians! - sex under blankets Non-American film? Yes What language? - Chinese Subtitles? - Yes If soundtrack VERY NOTICEABLE... - Orchestra/classical Is this movie based on a - book |
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