Film-making at Its Best; Great Historical Recreation

Rating: 10/10 (12 November 2009)

I found I could not take my eyes off this film for many reasons. The first is a view of a culture we in the West don't understands. Tradition is at the center of everything and the Emperor is in the middle of it all. Now add the circumstances of the reign. First of all, the great and powerful Emperor can't leave the forbidden city. He is pursued by people willing to die for him, though many are crooks and people of questionable character. You then add the maturity level of the boy given this title Obviously, he has no tools to do what he is supposed to do. His divine right makes it a zoo in the palace. He is attracted to Western culture and want so badly to be a celebrity playing outside the walls of his imposed exile. He gets in bed with the Japanese because it gives him an opportunity to regain power but pretty much brings his undoing. I can't begin to explain all the elements in this film that are so impressive. Others can do that so much better. The incredible time shifts from his incarceration and "confession" to a time in China when so much "strange" stuff was going on is portrayed so well. There aren't many three hour plus movies I will watch a second time, but this is one of them. The performances by all are so striking. Peter O'Toole is outstanding, as are all the incarnations of the Emperor. This really deserved its Oscar.