Customer Reviews

The Last Emperor

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

"The Last Emperor"'s soundtrack consists of music that is really "East Meets West"...

Every track is special... You can hear chinese instruments, like the pipa and erhu, playing at this moment and then through smooth transition western instruments, like the violins, take over the melody... The melodys sound very Chinese in most of the tracks, while some of the tracks sounds really western... Good mix!

What impress me most is the track entitled "Main Title Theme [The Last Emperor]"... It gives listeners an imperial China feel and it is really relaxing.

Most of all, I think the music written for this movie is the best I have ever heard... You can hear lots of effort being put in writting it. It also sounds better than the soundtrack of "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" as it does not attempt to squeeze in any so called pop songs to destroys the whole effect of the soundtrack.

Finally, the music here is what I really called "East Meets West"... Buy this soundtrack! You will be surprised at how the composer managed to mix eastern and western instruments together to produce such beautiful music!

After seeing the film for the first time, I was stunned by the amazing beauty and emotional content that could be created by simply telling a tragic real-life story. But it wasn't until buying the soundtrack that I realised, although the film would have been incredible and artistic on its own, it was the music that created the depth of mood that made the film so poignant. The tracks are hauntingly beautiful, and reflect all aspects of the film; the culture, the sorrow and the reminiscence of another era long gone. I recommend the soundtrack for anyone who has seen and loved the film. The combination of traditionally Chinese instruments with "a Western touch" is brilliantly skillful, and will appeal even to those who haven't had a preference for classical music before. Although the last couple of tracks may falter with Red Guard music and chants, the vast majority are instantly recognisable and deeply touching.

Producer Jeremy Thomas and composer Ryuichi Sakomoto had worked together previously on the stark and at times surreal 'Merry Christmas Mr Lawrence'. The soundtrack for that movie was a critical (though largely electronic) success. So it was almost inevitable that for Thomas's next oriental project, the sumptuous 'Last Emperor', he would again recruit Sakomoto for the soundtrack.

What I don't understand is why Thomas also commissioned David Byrne to contribute several compositions. (Unfortunately the extensive CD sleevenotes tell us much about the making of the movie, but nothing about the construction of the soundtrack!) Did Thomas simply want to instil a healthy sense of competition between two leading composers, or did Sakomoto run out of inspiration? There's no sign of the latter here, because every one of the Sakomoto pieces is a gem.

David Byrne clearly did his homework for this movie, listening carefully to not just chinese music, but also to Sakomoto's previous work, presumably intending a smooth blend between the tunes written by the two composers. But actually Sakomoto had moved on since 'Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence' -- he was now writing large-scale, mostly acoustic, orchestral pieces for 'The Last Emperor' -- so the transition from the Sakomoto section to the Byrne section isn't quite as seamless as Byrne might have planned.

In retrospect, perhaps the most influential of all the music here is track #4, the chinese chamber piece, 'Picking Up Brides'. If nothing else, it provided the material for a seemingly endless sequence of Andreas Vollenweider albums!

This is one of those few soundtracks which stands on its own. There is much to be enjoyed here even if you never see the movie. But you'd be missing a visual treat.

...but entertaining, none-the-less.

It is always fun to track down anything David Byrne has worked on, but this soundtrack is a wee disappointing. While listening to the soundtrack (as opposed to watching the movie which it underscores) you always have a sense that this is somehow a synthetic interpretation of what you expect when you look at the forbidden city...almost westernized.

It's great music, and a great and cohesive effort, but many of the repetitive melodies sound as if they might be more at home in Broadway hit than a period piece about the declining days of Chinese aristocracy.

If you saw the movie and enjoyed the music (as I did) there is no reason not to pick this disc up. If you are buying this because you think you are getting some authentic Chinese music...keep shopping.

Rather than this being a "word of mouth" review and purchase, it is a "word of another CD". First, I love Chinese traditional music and the Western approximation instruments, pipa [lute], gu-zheng [zither], erhu [violin] and diza [flute]. The deep spiritual, mystical sound is hypnotic and moving. I recently discovered the Asian music company, Pacific Moon and its range of artists. One artist is Jiang Xiao-Qing and her CD, "Breathing Spaces." [Such a quiet joy] The last cut, # 11 is the Theme from the Last Emperor, and it is so haunting and beautiful, it led me to wonder about the actual soundtrack. In both CDs the magic of Ryuichi Sakamoto's writing and arranging will take your breath away with where it takes you. Both are to be played during a time you really want to simply think, drift and drop back into your own sense of self. Now that part of my Chinese music section is complete--If you like to close the door and simply relax, give yourself a real treat! It's worth the trip to the computer to buy this treasure from Amazon.com. Kathleen Rand Reed

This is a wonderful soundtrack, full of gorgeous music that transpires countries and adequately conveys the attitudes and emotions of its characters. Beautiful themes make this a worthwhile album to listen to on rainy days, or whenever you want to be inspired. I'd also buy the film if I were you.

The movie was excellent but the music is what made the movie. The classic chinese instruments with classical violins, etc. sets an amazing mood to the soundtrack. It is definitely a keeper. I would reccommend this CD to anybody who appreciates classical, ethnic, or just a good find.

"The Last Emperor" is one of the most stunning soundtracks ever made. It's an amazing collaboration between Japanese composer Ryuichi Sakamoto (of the Yellow Magic Orchestra) and David Byrne (New Wave,the Talking Heads) Sakamoto took on Western sensibilities. Byrne explored the subtleties of Eastern music (he has gone on to write the "Big Love Hymnal" for the second season of the HBO series)

The opening theme of "The Last Emperor" characterizes the whole movie- the bittersweet, melancholy life of Pu Yi, China's last emperor. It embodies the Forbidden City in its twilight years. When Pu Yi is torn from his parents to be enthroned as a living god, the soundtrack depicts his pain. There's the sensuality of Pu Yi taking his wife and his concubine. The music also shows his depravity in his puppet kingdom of Manchukuo,as well as his wife's decline in opium addiction. The pomp and circumstance of the opening themes is supplanted with the militaristic uniformity of the Communists. "The Last Emperor" soundtrack is powerful in its depiction of Chinese history.

"The Last Emperor" gets the diadem as one of the best soundtracks ever composed.

This soundtrack is of the best I have ever heard. Created by Ryuichi Sakamoto, David Byrne (I) and Cong Su, it takes us to the time of the Imperial Chinese, the Conflict with the Republic and the ending we all know. Winner of the Academy Award Oscar in the cateogory of Best Music, Original Score. A must have!!!

I felt in the blackhole of feeling while I was watching this film. Then I have tried to find this score. This album is the best score I have ever listen. Both film and score are worth for the state-of-the-art awards.