The Last Emperor (1987)

A dramatic history of Pu Yi, the last of the Emperors of China, from his lofty birth and brief reign in the Forbidden City, the object of worship by half a billion people; through his abdication, his decline and dissolute lifestyle; his exploitation by the invading Japanese, and finally to his obscure existence as just another peasant worker in the People's Republic.

Genres: Drama, History

What to watch after The Last Emperor

• 1900 (1976) — Same subject: world war ii, communism
• The Conformist (1970) — Bernardo Bertolucci directed both
• Oedipus Rex (1967) — Two steps away in the credits
• Ju Dou (1990) — Same subject: china
• Mao's Last Dancer (2009) — Same subject: communism
• 8½ (1963) — Same subject: suicide attempt