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Region 4 Winners and Losers

Region 4 Winners and Losers

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Explanatory Notes
Additions or corrections (Please refer to the Explanatory Notes before emailing an addition or correction to this listing)
Title Best
Last Emperor, The (Blu-ray)R4

     The Last Emperor has been released in Region A through the Criterion Collection and Region B through Optimum Entertainment.

    Criterion Collection Blu-Ray Edition details: 

  • Audio commentary featuring director Bernardo Bertolucci, producer Jeremy Thomas, screenwriter Mark Peploe, and composer-actor Ryuichi Sakamoto
  • The Italian Traveler: Bernardo Bertolucci, a 53:03 film by Fernand Moszkowicz tracing the director's geographic influences, from Parma to China (SD)
  • Video images taken by Bertolucci while on preproduction in China
  • The Chinese Adventure of Bernardo Bertolucci, a 50:53 documentary that revisits the film's making
  • Making the Last Emperor - a new, 47-minute documentary featuring Storaro, editor Gabriella Cristiana, costume designer James Acheson, and art director Gianni Silvestri
  • A 1:06:03 BBC documentary exploring Bertolucci's creative process and the making of The Last Emperor (SD)
  • A 30:35 interview with Bertolucci from 1989
  • A new interview with composer David Byrne (25:05 - SD)
  • A 2008 interview with Ian Buruma examining the historical period of the film
  • Theatrical trailer
  • 16-page liner notes booklet featuring an essay by David Thomson
Optimum Entertainment Region B Blu-ray Edition details:
  • Theatrical Cut and Extended Cut;
  • Commentary of the theatrical cut with Bertolucci, Thomas, and Sakamoto;
  • Making-of Documentary
  • "Postcard from China".

     The Criterion Edition has received the usual acclaim (aspect ratio arguments aside) but the Optimum Edition combines two cuts of the film on one Blu-ray, compromising the bitrate of both.

     So which is the preferable version? Region A by a seeming long shot but remember that this, like all Criterion titles, is Region locked. Unless you have one of the rare all region players or bought one in the US stick with our Region B.