The Last Emperor Revisited

A behind-the-scenes look into the filming of The Last Emperor through the photographs of Basil Pao. The Last Emperor Revisited is a true behind-the-scenes look at the making of Bernardo Bertolucci’s legendary film through the exquisite eye of a photographer who had unlimited access to everyone and everything, everywhere. The photographs feature an international cast of characters who contributed to the creation of the masterpiece, from the director, filmmakers, and actors, to the farmers, workers, and students in and around Beijing who were recruited as extras. In July 1986, Basil Pao joined the cast and crew for the filming of The Last Emperor. His principal role was to play the young emperor Pu Yi’s father Prince Chun, but he also served as a third assistant director and special stills photographer. The book contains over 250 photographs, including some of Pao’s most iconic images of the film, along with a treasure trove of “never-been-seen” pictures captured during filming in Beijing and Italy. In Pao’s own words: “It is the chronicle of a truly extraordinary experience that completely changed my life.”