The Last Emperor Highlights

[@harg8939]

Timeless movie and ageless artists! Empress Dowager Cixi was the granny in Crazy Rich Asians movie while the Empress Wanrong and Consort Wenxiu were playing the role of Empress Dowagers in Ruyi series.

[@analaurita9260]

That's why wenxiu looked so familiar!!

[@smoshypancakes888]

I wonder who cixi played as in crazy rich asians

[@TheMotherofTacos]

Oh! That's why the Empress Dowager in the Ruyi series looked so familiar to me

[@NojQauNyoosQabTshaj]

Omfg! Thank you! I knew Wanrong looked familiar but did not know Wenxiu was Zhen Huan.

[@harg8939]

@@smoshypancakes888 Lisa Lu is Cixi. Lisa is the granny of Henry and mother in law of Michelle Yeoh. So sorry for the super late reply.

[@hinas_for_life]

When I first viewed this film I was blown away by the costumes and palaces. It is one of my top ten favorite films!

[@stefanfilipovits21]

That’s what got me into it when I was young too: the costumes and locations. But then the more I watched and understood the more interested I became in the man himself and the times he lived through. It’s beautiful to watch, it has really great performances (Peter o’toole and Joan Chen especially), and this history behind it is fascinating.

[@smoshypancakes888]

ya this seems like a high budget movie. itd b cool to see my favorite song chrysanthemum by jay chou in it because of the beauty.

[@jeffreysommer3292]

The poor man was a puppet throughout his whole life.

[@vibinginmybedroomrn9948]

Don’t sugarcoat him. Although Puyi was used as a puppet his whole life, he was also very power hungry and greedy himself.

[@smoshypancakes888]

society just swept him up on a ride.

[@mediocreman6323]

@@vibinginmybedroomrn9948 - both you and “Jeffrey Sommer” are correct.

[@joeswanson733]

@@vibinginmybedroomrn9948 it was empress cixi that f'd up puyis life. imagine if puyi was never picked for the emperor role. well i can iamgine how his life would've turned out. probably a happier one for himself.

[@butthole9067]

He was a pedophile

[@HolgerDanske]

The only man to be an emperor 3 times. A most extraordinary story and a tragic life.

[@stefanfilipovits21]

“Extraordinary and tragic” indeed. He’s a very complicated figure to study and his legacy is very mixed even now. Fascinating though, the man himself and the times he grew up in are truly fascinating.

[@dkwhattouseasusername1012]

I mean he was a pretty sadistic guy...

[@HolgerDanske]

@@dkwhattouseasusername1012 No doubt. He was a traitorous weasel too, a.ong many other things.

[@stefanfilipovits21]

@@dkwhattouseasusername1012 sadistic is an understatement. His poor servants and slaves…

[@rontti8826]

​@@stefanfilipovits21 There's a little sadist in every child I've ever known. Luckily they are usually not in position to fulfill it on anything bigger than an insect :)

[@j.g.8494]

This movie made a instant impression on me as soon as it started. The beautiful but melancholy sound track, especially its main theme, transported me to ancient China and its long, incredible history. I saw the movie when it came out in the spring of 1988, just before one of my most memorable trips abroad. For this reason, I often think of it with very fond memories.

[@catherinefink9114]

It’s Empress Dowager Xiaoshengxian from Ruyi’s Royal love in the palace! Vivian Wu is so timeless😍

[@mr.cebuano2843]

You mean actress right . because it's the era of the last emperor in this movie clip and in the era where empress xiaoshengxian lifed was in qianlong and yongzheng emperor

[@ayapapaya]

'Tis indeed the same actress! And Joan Chen, who plays Wanrong in this movie, also plays the Empress Dowager's nemesis Empress Xiaojingxian in Ruyi's Royal Love Love in the Palace.

[@Ebizzill]

omg I was trying to figure out where I knew her from.... has aged gracefully

[@jonathanlee4511]

Love Vivian Wu and Joan Chen

[@robbies7191]

But he found peace in the last dozen years of his life. He was once the emperor of my country, but in the end he was as much a part of it as we are

[@princess7jasmine]

After like neglecting his wives and acting like a complete ass for most of his life.

[@diggingga6197]

@@princess7jasmine its part of the game.

[@smoshypancakes888]

ya i guess it is a story about when ur born into a role and how it can effect your life even if ur just nothing special.

[@leoaugust179]

He never found peace in reality, The Chinese Communist Party forced him to work in labor camps. He was publicly humiliated in the street, and used as a political object in Communist China until his death.

[@robbies7191]

@@leoaugust179 force？poor brainwashed guy

[@danielblue4460]

If you were Puyi, you will thread the very path he chose, that was to survive. Who would have known Japan will be defeated?, he never knew America will enter the war and the strength it had.

[@smoshypancakes888]

Yes you can never tell what lies for you in the future. Although your decisions pave the path to your own fate.

[@Sumnantic]

It is said that in the final years of Pu Yi's life that he was a street sweeper. Imagine passing by someone with so much history without knowing it?

[@smoshypancakes888]

thanks for commenting on my video! ya it is quite amazing passing by someone who will b or is famous. One time I passed by Steven Tyler at the CVS store. Let me know what you like on youtube or would like to see me create.

[@Sumnantic]

@@smoshypancakes888 Yea meeting famous people is cool. My dad met Weird Al Yankovic, George Stephanopolus, and some other famous people.

[@erichuang7524]

don't gas him up. He was an emperor, he was bourgeois scum. What makes him any better than a street sweeper? Why should he not sweep the streets and live life like everybody else?

[@Sumnantic]

@@erichuang7524 what do you mean? Just pointing out that's how his life ended :|

[@zzulm]

Wow like Coldplay's song "sweep the streets that I used to own"

[@bosunbill9059]

A Fun fact about this movie, Puren, Puyi's brother acted as consultant of this movie. And Puyi's Warden and close friend Jin Wan also appeared as a Cameo in this movie.

[@stefanfilipovits21]

That’s interesting. Do you know where/what scene Jin Wan shows up in? I’d be curious to see what he looks like.

[@quondo88]

@@stefanfilipovits21he's the guy standing to the immediate left of the warden speaking at the end.

[@stefanfilipovits21]

@@quondo88 thank you!

[@smoshypancakes888]

Interesting facts thanks!

[@mgxshuimgxshui]

Actually, his name is Pi'jie, not pu'ren.

[@andrewvernon4664]

In some Buddhist traditions like Vajrayana it's said that if you die with your eyes open you'll be reborn in the Deva Loka, or as a god with a really long lifespan. It has to do with where the consciousness exits the body. Preferably, you want to exit through the crown of the head because that way you can either enter a Pure Land or pass straight into enlightenment. Since the karma that leads to rebirth as a god is pride, it wouldn't be too much of a stretch to think that the lady at the beginning went there considering her ties to royalty. It may sound good to be born as a deva (god) but it's said that death in that realm is the most painful because you lose so much and are often reborn in lower realms as an animal, hungry ghost, or even a hell being. The two best realms to be born in outside of a Pure Land or straight to enlightenment is as a human or a deva, so if you must reincarnate those are the best realms in which to exist.

[@imrebenedect]

WOW, thanks for sharing

[@williamweb9782]

@andrewvernon4664 Dowager Cixi was known as the Dragon Empress, was totally corrupt and extremely resourceful. An interesting figure in her own right she rose from concubine to empress of the Ching Dynasty.

[@Ironheart73]

The movie is essentially the story of a man finding his own humanity and conscience. He starts out as a spoiled brat who never really learned how to care for anyone but himself. Until certain events in his life humbles him and teachers him to care for others

[@smoshypancakes888]

what do u mean by humbled? like remolding through labor?

[@omednazari5573]

@@smoshypancakes888 name is program I guess, really Iron hearted

[@Monatio79]

That prison commandant says it best in the scene before his release. "You used to think you were better than everyone else; now you think you're the worst."

[@Ironheart73]

@@smoshypancakes888 Partly, yes. Because as depicted in the movie, even as an adult he barely knows how to tie his shoelaces. The way he is though is not entirely his fault. The status bestowed on him made him disconnected from humanity. He was raised as a spoiled brat. It is only when he went to prison and became a commoner did he not only learn humanity, but he also found his freedom. Although I must say the movie tones down the cruelty of Puyi to the Eunuchs. He actually killed one by beating him with a stick for his own amusement. While it is true the Puyi was incarcerated and learned gardening while imprison, he was still treated like a VIP. Mao wanted to use him as a propaganda. While the Bolsheviks murdered the monarchs they toppled, Mao wanted to show that his communist ideology was so much better, it could convert an emperor

[@bushwickbaby]

Joan Chen and John Lone so incredibly gorgeous!

[@tkan2126]

西太后が崩御して宝玉を口に入れるシーンは怖かった

[@johnlacroix3522]

One of my favorite cinematic films of all time.

[@lauralilia3462]

One of my favorite movies.

[@julioareck]

4:42 is wrong: he was not transported to the Republic of China (the nationalist one that had already retreated to Taiwan), but to the People's Republic of China, the communist one in the mainland.

[@danielblue4460]

I too was shocked when I read that, I've never known Puyi to have visited Formosa especially after 1949.

[@rlai2201]

It was the Republic of China aka Taiwan who expelled the last emperor

[@Huobaojiqi]

Oof if only this film was made by the someone from the country it was set in cuz a lot of parts of the movie would have been more accurate and certainly better

[@momoqin9296]

This is the only movie filmed in the real forbidden city

[@atd4074]

The only thing annoyed me was they didn't speak their mother tongue instead of really-hard-to-listen English. Otherwise, this is an amazing movie

[@delmanpronto9374]

go make your own film then.

[@Freya1412]

@@delmanpronto9374 damn you're savage. 😂👏👏👏

[@sssienghai6912]

So hard very hard ! I think you are very clear

[@sincereeastman6972]

@@delmanpronto9374 sure let me just use the $200 I’ll fund this remake

[@delmanpronto9374]

@@sincereeastman6972 go right ahead sir.

[@jackderrida]

If nothing else, the man was goddamn survivor.

[@michaelthong598]

Life is full of unexpected.

[@smoshypancakes888]

thanks for commenting on my video! Is there something you'd like to see me create for my next video?

[@sidmichael1158]

John rabe. The last Emperor Nanjing Are the films you would watch if you want to know more

[@hanssolos3699]

john lone and joan chen did an amazing job. sadly, their careers never went beyond this movie cos hollywood was never into asian actors in lead roles. its 2021, hollywood still struggles with asian leads. lets see if shang chi's actors will have better careers or same fate as the cast of the last emperor.

[@paolog7809]

trivia = John Lone killed JOan Chen in the movie The Hunted

[@bushbunyip9037]

if you want more asian actors watch movies' made in asian countries, you know there is more than hollywood

[@bnkundwa]

He was replaced at two years old.

[@justadjustor8993]

1:42 I'm so sorry but I burst out laughing 😂😂. I didn't expect there to be eyeholes in the bridal veil!

[@sdlock83]

The veil is to prevent others from seeing the bride's face, not to prevent the bride from seeing out.

[@bnkundwa]

History never changes. It is part of the past.

[@zionmolina3039]

What is that chanting at 0:54?

[@justadjustor8993]

3:42 Wasn't this his coronation ceremony at Manchukuo? 😯

[@lemonde3415]

Yes, Manchukuo and Manchuria are the same. You can search in You Tube for original footage. Its pretty well depicted actually.

[@bhattkris]

The book based on this movie is fantastic. Liked the concluding para the most.

[@ishaanshetty3853]

Where can you find soft copy of the book?

[@michaelalston4964]

Justice Watched it, it was very good!

[@smoshypancakes888]

Any suggestions on another movie I should edit? Leave a comment! Thanks for all the input everyone! Yes it is peoples republic of china!

[@Ebizzill]

why does the young man with the glasses remind me of Wallace Huo

[@mud6866]

"Longevity soup..." Dies

[@smoshypancakes888]

thanks for commenting on my video! lol isnt there also something called longevity noodles too? Is there something you'd like to see me create for my next video?

[@mud6866]

@@smoshypancakes888 apparently the longevity noodle dish is one long noodle! Haha I like that. I would love to hear a story from your life, if you would be up for it

[@smoshypancakes888]

@@mud6866 my life? What do u mean?

[@mud6866]

@@smoshypancakes888 i mean like... you know how somethings you can just never forget? Like maybe its not really a story, but something that stayed with you forever?

[@mud6866]

Sorry for any confusion

[@flip1sba]

in 4:47, it is more Transported to The People's Republic of China. Rep of China is Taiwan.

[@luncheonsadmode6842]

PRC wasn’t established until 1949.

[@flip1sba]

yi yi chen yes but the written caption says transported to Rep of China and the scene was in 1950.

[@crewbar6]

@@flip1sba up to 1949 Nationalistic China was the Republic of China. When they fled to Taiwan, they brought the name with them

[@sidmichael1158]

Are the soldiers japanese or Chinese?

[@blondeatomic1444]

at 2:26 is china sodiers

[@Itried20takennames]

On the plane were both Japanese military and Chinese staff of Puyi. They were fleeing back to Japan as the puppet government fell in Manchuria in the closing days of WW2.

[@fourthprince1099]

I love realist feel of it definitely is a golden cage. Everything timed no secrets

[@mikehunt9884]

john lone was way too good looking to be puyi..

[@Aces77777]

This movie is very difficult to understand if you don't know the history

[@joseeduardotschen9186]

Never found it difficult even as a kid

[@fabiengerard8142]

?!?!?

[@Aces77777]

They are known as the Manchurian ching dynasty

[@Aces77777]

@@joseeduardotschen9186 You don't know the history of China

[@cbcdesign001]

@@Aces77777 you dont need to have intimate knowledge of Chinas history to follow the movie, its not a complicated story.

[@noir1910]

1:00 Haribo(Jelly)!

[@odmaamunkhbold6109]

What is the name of this movie?

[@flyingfoxes.]

Living under a rock

[@AUSCarLover]

I think Puyi is intendedly and overly portrayed to make audience feel pity for him. Actual Puyi might be just a despicable man who is spoiled all through his life. He can torture and kill without hesitance for he's demigod whereas the others are worthless low lives with nothing in their pitiful existence. I watched the last emperor when I was young and just bought that he's a victim in his unfortunate life like in the movie. Many decade later I just found out that actually it's so psychologically simple that people born of royalty tend to be ignorant and don't see normal people as human being if they are just raised to be royalty. That's why royal history is full of bloodshed to people or to their own family. Before Puyi could think and live like a normal person, he has to go through lots of rehabilitation arranged by Chinese communist government. To show that he's truly evil in the movie and turn good in the end is something I wish it could be.

[@maxfram17]

You are rare example of thinking man in modern world of lies.

[@NhatHuyNg]

lol you talk like a true chicom do.g. Was mao zedong ever born in royal? why did he cause so much bloodshed, dumbass?

[@litog888]

You could say the same thing to Qin Shi Hwangti who united China & gave us the script in Chinese writing today. Competence is prime benevolence a bonus. Puyi was never a model emperor but was a poor late substitute.

[@Bread-nx9fo]

@@maxfram17 ok dummy lmao

[@tardwrangler]

Idiot

[@RoboHoboable]

What is that weird black bead they put in the empress dowagers mouth and why do they do it?

[@smoshypancakes888]

Chinese believed that pearls were conceived in the brains of dragons. The black pearl was regarded as a symbol of wisdom. As such, it was guarded between the teeth of the dragon. This here as my friend is describing here in chinese is a ye mingzhu or dragon pearl.

[@smoshypancakes888]

@王得得 谢谢你。我不知道那是什么直到你告诉我。

[@riza-2396]

@@smoshypancakes888 Ye Mingzhu. The legendary luminous beads may be spherical radiant ore, or they may be large pearls.

[@olentangyriver1191]

@@smoshypancakes888 谢谢你。

[@moefinesse9878]

The last emperor of China was a ethnic Manchu. These people are native to the province of Manchuria where they spoke a language related to Mongolian, Korean, Japanese and other Tungus languages. The majority of China are the Han who absolutely hated the Manchu people as they were conquered by a nomadic people who had breached the Great wall of China,

[@smoshypancakes888]

You know a lot about this do you want to collaborate for my next video?

[@jennywright8883]

Can't find this film anywhere!

[@c.k.2303]

The Criterion Collection website has DVD and Blu-ray versions.

[@mulawarmankwsuper]

Isn't he a bit of a sadist

[@stefanfilipovits21]

Yes, there are many accounts of him beating his slaves to death

[@Huobaojiqi]

Tf why does everyone think he was a sadist he literally lost all power as an emperor before he even became an adult how could he have done anything bad

[@ivanlim9459]

This clips so naive.... Puyi didnt understand cultural revolution era 🙁🙁🙁 Pu Yi had lived in 3different shock cultural at the same time 1. Emperor Era 2. SunYatsen Kuomintung Era ... puyi as prisoner criminal for 10 years his teacher .. tought him to be citizen 3. Republic era born ... mao zhe dong era .... Now his teacher is a prisoner ... 😟 what ashame all that u had learn is a wrong

[@joseeduardotschen9186]

I would add a lot of more shocks

[@winnieloh4279]

Actually the PuYi before 10 years imprisonment was psychopath, extremely narcissistic, power obsessed but coward. The film portrayed PuYi in most favourable version. His empress who desperately wanted to give birth to her illegitimate child was allowed to with the promise that her baby would be quietly sent away to be raised her brother . The reality was she had been forced to watch helplessly as her few minutes baby was snatched from her hands and poisoned by the Japanese or thrown into fireplace by PuYi himself. (Two conflicting reports as who killed the poor infant) PuYi himself couldn’t bring himself to confess or even mention the incident in his autobiography in which the movie is based on. However he did admit his guilt for many other atrocities in the autobiography which wasn’t mentioned in the film.

[@celebrim1]

@@winnieloh4279 Considering that the book was written under the supervision of Mao, it's difficult really to know what part of the book represents a truthful account. It would have certainly been in the interest of the new regime to make the old regime appears as corrupt and cruel as possible. This is not to say that I necessarily believe PuYi wasn't corrupt and cruel - he very likely was - but merely to say that the autobiography is a good deal less trustworthy as an account than is usual.

[@yskztkhs7986]

満州のネズミって漢人の本音がみえて面白い

[@香土屋]

あとはこの国の人、鯛を知らないんじゃないかって言うような食事しかないよね

[@hieutrinhthi7975]

đây là bản full hã trời

[@olentangyriver1191]

I'm looking for it also..

[@Nishkid641]

Free Manchuria. The Manchus should have their own country like the Mongols currently have.

[@vokysweet9268]

Manchu is part of the melting pot culture of China now since the first Ching Emperor unified all ethicities in 1648. There is no point to make it a separate country then have armies to kill each other. It's like breaking your family apart and treat each family member like neighbor. Horrible idea.

[@Nishkid641]

@@vokysweet9268 part of Manchuria was conquered by Russia and there are also Mnachus in Russia. So let make China reuniting with Russia too. Lol.

[@MbisonBalrog]

His life not terrible towards end. I believe he had children. I’d say his wife was worse.

[@anyab4246]

True the empress died a pretty miserable and lonely death :((

[@GY1022]

서태후만 아니였음 저렇게 쉽게 무너지지 않았을 텐데

[@songzhong1611]

4:44 Transported to P. Rep of China

[@canpek545]

Few westerners know the difference.

[@marquileonardo]

China suffered a lot! Tbh and I’m somewhat satisfied that they’re at the peak of power and still growing. I wish they were just a little liberal towards India and Indians because both the nations were the most and highly developed, rich and both were exploited by the west especially the British

[@NewNicator]

It's because they were able to grow their economy through state capitalism during the end of the 20th century. When a country has a strong economy it's able to prosper and maintains the happiness of its citizens. If China took the same route as the Soviet Union, then they would have possibly collapsed the same way.

[@Bookofshavings]

Curious, you chose to speak the kings tongue yet you claim to be exploited by the british.

[@CcpCcp-sk6dt]

Oh no it’s Stalin’s army 4:17

[@Elena-ek9zq]

美国人拍的电源比中国人拍的好看，真实

[@nehcooahnait7827]

意大利导演。

[@Elena-ek9zq]

@@nehcooahnait7827 美国欧洲不管那里的都比中国导演强，除了拍买妇女，贪污，宫斗，还有校园不知道拍些什么，看完后就是这人真可怜，其他什么都没有

[@Elena-ek9zq]

不会让人反思，人性，世界格局，全都不会有

[@kikarboota16]

Mother NafeESa

[@smoshypancakes888]

thanks for the subscription! if theres other content you want me to make let me know!

[@DulgIstg]

Horrible man tortured his wife then left her to die

[@alfredom.antonio8812]

Wanrong is so,,,,,,

[@halokki9884]

这部电影过于美化溥仪了，最好把它当做童话来看

[@liamsan7857]

That's how all film is, no one likes boring stuff. All in all, its still a movie not a documentary.

[@ManchuCLuBMix]

That racist soldier called us Manchu rats, I feel very offended hearing that. At least I’m glad that it’s finally over. I’m off to celebrate with a dance.

[@LordBeefton]

Pu Yi deserved much worse

[@caolinh6657]

First time hearing all Chinese people speak English😂

[@jerolvilladolid]

The last emperor of China was not Puyi, but emperor Xianfeng. The “husband” of Cixi. He was the last emperor to have any semblance of control over state affairs. After Xianfeng, the dragon throne was virtually vacant save of Cixi’s boy emperor puppets. China, for all the popular culture, does not have a lot of boy-emperor rulers prior to Cixi’s era.

[@celebrim1]

China has not stopped having Emperors. They just do not consider it the fashion to use the title.

[@gamingrae969]

She really tried following Wu Zetian's footsteps huh

[@AndreaBorto]

Romolus augustus was a teen puppet of germanic odoacer and it is considered the last emperor of western roman empire because the roman insigna were sent to costantinople after his abdication. What matter is the formal crowning not the real power.

[@345mrse]

I ruv this movie.

[@darksidegalaxy4775]

What do you want sister

[@nirbangogoi34]

Is She Empress Chubby😊

[@yuryakseenov9766]

#NATASHALONDON1992

[@kativi5881]

bola di masukin ke mulut 😄😄😄kualat luh

[@ellynkei88]

Ia bukan bola, tapi mutiara...

[@AbsoluteFidelity]

Bodoh tak bertempat

[@cristiamastudillo9171]

Jennifer Lopez

[@ImperialEarthEmpire]

I dont feel pity a bit about that man, he shouldve rot in jail n never to see the sun...

[@matismf]

So many Jews!