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The Last Emperor is a lavish historical epic directed by the great Italian filmmaker Bernardo Bertolucci and starring John Lone, Joan Chen, and Peter O'Toole. The film tells the life story of Pu Yi, the last monarch of the Chinese Qing dynasty prior to the republican revolution in 1911.
The score for The Last Emperor was created by an unlikely trio: Ryuichi Sakamoto, David Byrne, and Cong Su. The soundtrack is a theme-filled exploration of the sounds and musical traditions of Imperial China, filtered through some very contemporary sensibilities. Sakamoto's contribution comprises nine cues and is focused around his main theme: a beautiful, lyrical melody for the full orchestra. It's soft, wistful, and introspective, but becomes increasingly dramatic.
Byrne contributes five cues, and the first one is the most recognisable, as it's the main title theme playing over the film's stylish opening credits sequence. It emerges from a set of evocative Chinese percussion items, with the melody being carried by a gorgeous, lilting erhu. It's traditional and wholly steeped in Chinese classical music, but it has a real emotional weight that will connect with westerners. Cong Su's contribution to the soundtrack album comprises just one cue - “Lunch” - but there is much more of his music in the film; Su was basically responsible for writing all the period-specific Chinese source music one hears in and around the imperial palace during Pu Yi's childhood. All in all, Sakamoto, Byrne and Cong Su deliver an excellent score.
The LP comes with an insert with liner notes and photos.
Tracklist
SIDE A
1. RYUICHI SAKAMOTO - FIRST CORONATION
2. RYUICHI SAKAMOTO - OPEN THE DOOR
3. RYUICHI SAKAMOTO - WHERE IS ARMO?
4. RYUICHI SAKAMOTO - PICKING UP BRIDES
5. RYUICHI SAKAMOTO - THE LAST EMPEROR: THEME VARIATION 1
6. RYUICHI SAKAMOTO - RAIN (I WANT A DIVORCE)
7. RYUICHI SAKAMOTO - THE BABY (WAS BORN DEAD)
8. RYUICHI SAKAMOTO - THE LAST EMPEROR: THEME VARIATION 2
9. RYUICHI SAKAMOTO - THE LAST EMPEROR
SIDE B
1. DAVID BYRNE - MAIN TITLE THEME (THE LAST EMPEROR)
2. DAVID BYRNE - PICKING A BRIDE
3. DAVID BYRNE - BED
4. DAVID BYRNE - WIND, RAIN AND WATER
5. DAVID BYRNE - PAPER EMPEROR
6. CONG SU - LUNCH
7. THE RED GUARD ACCORDION BAND - RED GUARD
8. THE BALL ORCHESTRA OF VIENNA - THE EMPEROR’S WALTZ
9. THE GIRLS RED GUARD DANCERS - THE RED GUARD DANCE