A remarkable voyage through China
"The Last Emperor"

"The Last Emperor" keeps the tradition of great epic movies and, at the same time, innovates when it calls up the attention of spectators to an universe completely different from the one they are used to. The movie takes us to imperial China.

In Bernardo Bertolucci's film we have the opportunity to follow the true story (adapted to the screen) of the final representative of a political tradition held in China since a long time.

Protected throughout time by natural barriers that existed among their country and other regions of the planet (like the frozen climate that keeps them apart of the Russian territory, the Pacific Ocean that protect them from Japan or even the mountains that do not allow people who live in the southern part of their territory to enter their land, like the indians), the chinese could preserve their culture and mantain traditions so that they could became milenary.

Among many traditions was their political system, based on a imperial government, in which power remained in the control of certain families for decades or even centuries. The political dominium of a dinasty kept on going for ages because the emperors were replaced by their sons (hereditary). It didn't matter wheter the new emperor was capable or not of doing his job, if he could work in a fair way and if he was competent to administrate the country; There was not a real concern with what could happen to the population if the new maximum authority (the emperor) was not prepared or was tiranic, if he was a sadistic person or only interested in the luxury and confort that came along with power.

Signs of rebellion, questioning by the people, fighting for freedom or even peaceful manifestations were considered treasoning acts and the persons involved in them were punished with energy and strenght (they were sent to prison, suffered phisical punishments, were exiled or even killed). Changes made in the control of the country were a result of disputes between powerful families that united to other land owners and defied the authority of the soberans enpowered.

China's history changes since the moment the country opens its doors to the entrance of foreigners (during the 1800's and the beginning of the 1900's). These foreigners were interested in the trading possibilities of a huge country, with a large internal market as well as the possibility of producing and exploring a lot of natural resources. The new winds that blew in Chinese cities also promoted the entrance of new ideas, including ones regarding politics; The twentieth century confirms this new local reality with state coups and revolutions that established in the gigantic China a republic system and socialism in a very short period of time (less than fifty years is the time in between the republic in1919 and the socialist revolution in 1949).

Pu Yi, the last of the local emperors, had the bad luck of being born just in time to live the changes that were happening...

The Film

Pu Yi (John Lone) passed the first part of his life (24 years) closed in the Forbidden City where he was crowned as the new emperor of China when he was 3 years old. In this closed inhabit he was surrounded by all the care normally given to emperors (This made certain he had many privileges and all kinds of luxuries).

He had no contact with his people, didn't know their difficulties, was helped by ministers and secretaries that were not honest and, certainly, was not aware of the changes that in a short period of time would happen in his country.

Surprised by a political coup that established China as a republic, he had to leave the Forbidden City and started a real odissey until the end of his life. In the 1930's he was used as a leader of a new country called Manchukuo, settled in chinese territory, by the japanese.

In 1949 he watched the rise to power of a strong popular movement led by the socialist Mao-Tse-Tung. All the simbols related to imperial past started suffering violent attacks and persecutions by the new regime.

His days seemed to be over, his glorious past as emperor was only a memory of the old times; Pu Yi was condemned to pay for all the luxury and burgoise style of living that were not accepted by the leaders of the socialist government...

P.S. The movie was awarded in film festivals in England, France and in the United States (it won 4 Golden Globes and 9 Academy Awards, including best film and director).

For Teachers

1- There is an empty space on western countries education regarding eastern countries. We hardly ever study remarkable cultures such as the chinese, the japanese, the indian or the arab. When we do so, sometimes we get wrong information, with a lot of stereotypes. There are several ways to achieve some knowledge about these cultures and people. We could even follow this idea:

a) Using geography we could make a research on information such as location, population data, economical production, climate, vegetation,...

b) On History ground we can search for the way each country developed their political systems, laws, culture, habits, economy.

c) Literature can guide us through the social relations, behaviors, ethics, daily routines,...

d) A good research can make us get information about their production on Mathematics, Physics, Medicine, Biology and Chemistry (among other sciences).

2- How can we make this research? There are possibilities on the internet, at school or town libraries and even on the movies. Ask your students to search for websites, books, magazines, newspaper articles or movies that countain information regarding China, Japan, India or any other eastern country.

3- Motivate the students so that they prepare their work to present to other students or even to organize an exposition for the community, a newspaper to be given at school or even a debate after the use of films and explanations given by them.

João Luís Almeida Machado
Master Degree in Education, Arts and History of Culture (Universidade Presbiteriana Mackenzie, in São Paulo); Professor at Faculdade Senac in Campos do Jordão; Middle and High School teacher; writes weekly columns for the website Planeta Educação (www.planetaeducacao.com.br).

Send e-mails, comments, suggestions and critics for:
profjoaoluis@planetaeducacao.com.br

Technical Information

The Last Emperor

Country/Year of production:- USA, 1987
Lenght of time/Gender:- 165 min., Drama/Epic
Director: Bernardo Bertolucci
Screenwriter: Bernardo Bertolucci and Mark People
Cast:- John Lone, Joan Chen, Peter O'Toole,
Ying Ruocheng, Victor Wong, Ryiuchi Sakamoto, Dennis Dun.

Links

- www.adorocinema.com/filmes/ultimo-imperador/ultimo-imperador.htm (in portuguese)
- www.cineguia.com.br/index.shtml?cod_filme=CNA2570&rg=0 (in portuguese)
- www.rottentomatoes.com/m/TheLastEmperor-1011940/ (in english)
- http://us.imdb.com/Title?0093389 (in english)