Coloristic of the film by Bernardo Bertolucci «The Last Emperor»

Bykova Natalia Ivanovna PhD in Pedagogy Associate professor, Department of Directing and Choreography, F. M. Dostoevskiy Omsk State University 644116, Russia, Omsk, Krasny Put str., 36, office 313 bukovani@mail.ru Other publications by this author

Introduction

Bernardo Bertolucci's film "The Last Emperor" was shot in 1987. Despite the fact that this work of the Italian director is more than thirty years old, the film currently has a fairly high rating. The relevance of addressing this topic is motivated by several factors. Firstly, the action of the picture is turned to real historical events taking place on the territory of China, a state with which we have long-standing economic and political ties.  The main character is a representative of the Manchu dynasty Aisingero Pu Yi, the last emperor of the Qing State, (1908-1912), since 1934 the emperor of the puppet state of Manchukuo, which was created on the territory of occupied Manchuria. Secondly, the important historical mission of our state in the development of events is emphasized.  The film begins with an episode on the Russian-Chinese border, the viewer sees an echelon with political prisoners arriving from our territory to China, including the former emperor. The picture also ends with an episode in which Russian paratroopers are present. Our state played an important role in the liberation of Manchuria from Japanese influence in 1945-1946.

The purpose of the study is to analyze the artistic techniques used by the creators of the film, in particular composition and coloristic solutions, since the dynamics of changes in the psychological state of the protagonist is revealed primarily through the visual series, in which color performs the most important semantic load.

The research methodology is based on a comparative historical approach to the study of the documentary basis of the film and the conceptual understanding of the director's interpretation of the event series and the image of the main character.

The work of B. Bertolucci has repeatedly been the subject of research by domestic and foreign art critics. The works of the director were mainly analyzed, which caused an ambiguous reaction from viewers around the world. These are, first of all, such films as "The Conformist" (1970) and "Last Tango in Paris" (1972). The attitude of the world cinema community to the work of B. Bertolucci has been and remains controversial due to the fact that he is perceived in many ways as an outrageous director, sometimes shocking the audience, often touching on taboo topics. In addition, B. Bertolucci in many of his works raised serious social problems and adhered to an active citizen position.

The film "The Last Emperor" was practically not studied by art critics, despite the fact that this work received worldwide recognition and brought B. Bertolucci world fame. The film has won many awards: the special jury prize of the European Film Academy, the Japanese Film Academy Award, three BAFTA Awards of the British Academy of Cinema, five Silver Ribbon Awards (Italy), nine David di Donatello Awards (Italy), nine Academy Awards of the American Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences "Oscar" and many others. Despite the worldwide recognition of the significance of this work by the cinematographic community, the artistic principles underlying the film have not been practically studied.

Creativity of B. Bertolucci and the history of the creation of the film "The Last Emperor"

As a student of the Faculty of Philosophy, Bertolucci became interested in cinematography and began working with the Italian director Pier Paolo Pasolini, who seriously influenced his cinematic preferences and political position.  The film "Conformist" (1970), based on the play by the Italian writer Alberto Moravia, brings fame to the director. This is a psychological drama in which the main artistic techniques of B. Bertolucci's creativity are traced: a complex composition, an original artistic solution of the visual series, depth in the image of the character. In this work, as well as later in the film "The Last Emperor", we see an appeal to crucial events in the history of the state. B. Bertolucci touches in the film not only personal problems, but also issues of anti-fascist themes. For post-war Italy, this topic was relevant, as it raised many questions related to the fate of people who became passive accomplices of the fascist crimes of the followers of Mussolini's party.

The director's works "Last Tango in Paris" (1972), "The Moon" (1979), "The Tragedy of a Funny Man" (1981) caused an ambiguous reaction from the audience and film critics, which causes a creative crisis. Reflecting on the works of famous artists, writers and directors, in particular about the film by B. Bertolucci "Last Tango in Paris", O. A. Krivtsun figuratively and metaphorically discusses the importance of such works in art. "Philosophy is looking for the truth, while art already contains it in itself – this is how you can express the specifics of works of artistic creativity that remain alive for centuries ... To preserve the secret as a secret and at the same time to reveal it to the world – this is the unique task of art, cultivated for thousands of years. Aesthetic canons ascend and collapse, new and old aesthetic concepts end their lives, while art itself demonstrates the ability to expose new levels of sensuality, new zones of existence, closed to man for the time being" ^[1], p. 238.

The next period of Bertolucci's work was marked by the search for new themes and ideas outside Italy. This is how an interesting triad of films appears: "The Last Emperor" (1987), "Under the Cover of Heaven" (1990) and "Little Buddha" (1993). The film "The Last Emperor" draws the audience's attention to crucial events in the history of the Chinese Empire; the picture "Under the Cover of Heaven", based on the novel of the same name by Paul Bowles, immerses young people in the atmosphere of a complex psychological drama who find themselves in Africa; the film "Little Buddha" is a kind of attempt to rethink the ideas of Buddhism, certain philosophical and spiritual postulates through the images of their heroes who, after the death of a Tibetan lama, try to find his rebirth or a new incarnation in other people ^[2]. 

The artistic features of B. Bertolucci's work can be traced in many of his works, but the Russian audience is most interested in the film "The Last Emperor", which retains a high audience interest, as evidenced by the viewing ratings, and has not lost the relevance of the issues. Russian viewers, especially the younger generation, know the history of the Second World War quite well, as these events have been the focus of many books and films more than once.  However, what was happening in the East, in particular on the territory of China and Japan at that time, is not familiar to modern youth. The role of our state and our army in resolving the difficult political situation in this region was very significant.

B. Bertolucci's appeal to the history of China is not accidental. Already at this time, China is beginning to actively assert itself as a serious political power and claim many economic achievements. The preparation for the filming of the film was quite serious. The director consulted with the Chinese government, historians, studied architectural monuments, interior features. etiquette, clothing, household details of those who lived in the Forbidden City, the main palace complex of Beijing. Many full-scale filming took place on the territory of China, in particular in Beijing. B. Bertolucci was the first European director to whom the Chinese authorities allowed filming on the territory of the Forbidden City. The film stars many Chinese actors and actors of Chinese descent. More than a thousand people were involved in the mass scenes, including soldiers of the Chinese army were involved by order of the Government of the People's Republic of China. According to special sketches, costumes were created for the main character at different ages, from childhood to the last years of his life, and numerous characters playing residents of the Forbidden City.

Content features of the film composition

Already in his first cinematic works, B. Bertolucci established himself as a director looking for interesting artistic solutions and attaching great importance to the compositional construction of the film.

The events in the film "The Last Emperor" unfold along two parallel storylines, in each of them the development of events takes place almost in chronological order. The first storyline is the story of prisoner No. 981, who is in prison for political criminals. This is the former emperor of the state of Qing and Manchukuo, Aisingero Pu I. The viewer gets acquainted with him from the first days of his return to China and traces his fate to the last days of his life. This storyline is shot in muted tones, dominated by shades of gray, earthy, khaki (Fig. 1).

Figure 1. A frame from the movie "The Last Emperor". 

Individual events that occur with the hero and the questions that are asked to him during the consideration of his case evoke memories of the past in the character's memory. This is the second storyline, telling about a little boy who was taken from his parents and brought to the Forbidden City. Since the emperor left no direct heirs, it is Pu Yi who should take this place at the moment. The individual stages of personality formation, the process of growing up, understanding the world and realizing their role in the history of the country are the content of the second storyline.

In addition to two parallel lines in the development of the plot, another important feature of the compositional construction of the film should be noted – this is the ring composition technique. The ring composition in this work is not traditionally created in a straight line, when the events of the entire work or its individual structural units begin and end with the same fragments. The rigidity in this film occurs at the level of understanding what is happening to the hero, on the one hand, on the other hand, at the level of introducing events into the content of the film that demonstrate the influence of the Soviet Union and Russian soldiers on what is happening in this region. This is an important fact not only for the fate of the protagonist, but also for the entire world community — understanding the role of our state in resolving the conflict in the East and helping China to return its territories after World War II.

The events in the film begin in 1950. The Soviet-Chinese border. Chinese political prisoners are returning to their territory for further detention in prison in their homeland. Among them is the former Emperor Pu Yi. The film ends with a description of the events that take place in 1945 in Manchukuo.   Aisingero Pu tried to escape, but was captured by a Russian airborne, captured and deported to the USSR. All these years, Pu Yi was detained on our territory, testified during the Tokyo trial, the International Military Tribunal considering crimes in the Far East.

Thus, compositionally, the film offers the viewer, through the prism of an experienced person, a political prisoner serving sentences for his crimes before the state, to analyze the events of his entire life and try to understand what his real role is in what is happening in the country and to comprehend the potential possibility or impossibility of influencing the outcome of these events and the general historical situation. Kazyuchits M. F., reflecting on the work of B. Bertolucci, notes that during this period in the work of the director "the importance of philosophical reflections on man, history and religion increases. In these works, the ideas that Bertolucci is guided by can be compared with the philosophy of existentialism with a certain degree of approximation, at least in the interpretation of J. P. Sartre" ^[3], pp. 72-73. The author of the article emphasizes that this film is dominated by the motif of loneliness of a person who does not know and does not understand his purpose.  

The coloristic solution of B. Bertolucci's film "The Last Emperor"

The use of visual artistic techniques is one of the characteristic features of B. Bertolucci's creative handwriting.  A team, which included famous cameramen, decorators, and production designers, worked on the film "The Last Emperor". The quality of the work of this team has been evaluated by numerous film awards. In this film, the coloristic solution of an episode fulfills one of two tasks: to convey historically embedded semantic shades of color and to express the dynamics of the emotional state of the hero, his feelings and dramatic experiences.

The director, having become acquainted with many aspects of the peculiar culture of China, while preserving many traditional representations of the Eastern worldview, is looking for approaches to creating the image of the main character that would allow him to immerse himself in the world of this character and walk with him the path of growing up and rethinking his life path. Realizing what an important symbolic role color plays in creating a picture of the world in China, the director did not go the traditional way. In the history of cinema, one can distinguish a galaxy of famous films, where it is through the color palette that the main idea and intent of the work is revealed. As an example, we can cite Zhang Yimou's film "Hero", where color is an important semantic conceptual component, since each interpretation of events is presented in a kind of color solution ^[4]. The analysis of the film "The Last Emperor" allows us to conclude that color appears in this cinematic work rather than as a symbol, but as a kind of metaphorical image, perceived as a whole in the overall picture of the emotional state of the hero, the composition of the frame, details of clothing, interior, various content aspects. B. Bertolucci does not dictate to the viewer his interpretation of events, nor he does not accuse the hero of anything and does not condemn him for inaction or mistakes, ambitions and selfish motives. He reflects and encourages the audience to have a dialogue. His hero is an Aisingero Pu And practically says nothing about his feelings and experiences, with rare exceptions, one can only guess about them by separately thrown phrases and actions.  In this situation, the team of filmmakers faces a difficult task to convey the dramaturgy of the image.

To this end, Bertolucci invites Vittorio Storaro, who is one of the few winners of three Oscar film awards in modern cinema, as the main cameraman. In 1979 , V. Storaro together with Francis F. Coppoloy creates the film "Apocalypse Now", which raises the issue of the Vietnam War. Vittorio Storaro also worked with B. Bertolucci on the creation of the film "Conformist", later he will take part in the filming of the film "Little Buddha". Color in the interpretation of V. Storaro personifies certain psychological states of the hero. For example, black is associated with the unconscious, and green with the process of cognition of the world ^[5], p. 429.  While working on creating images of heroes, V. Storaro does not literally adhere to his theory of color perception, but in many aspects the viewer sees exactly this interpretation.  

 Exploring the techniques of creating a psychological portrait of the hero in this work, we can come to the conclusion that in the figurative and metaphorical series of the film, the coloristic solution is perceived more at the metaphorical level. Poznin V. F. in the article "Color as an element of the dramaturgy of the film" notes that the color solution of a particular fragment of the film is determined both by the dramaturgy of the episode itself and by symbolic or metaphorical meaning, depending on the context 5, p. 418. Metaphorical understanding of the color solution of the episode, on the one hand, poses a difficult task for viewers to carefully view works, on the other hand, the metaphorical image is perceived ambiguously and is not always read, especially in visual arts.

Researchers studying visual metaphorical images pay attention to the complexity of the perception of such a metaphor. "There is a certain dualism inherent in the very problem of visual metaphor: on the one hand, it is a question of its creation, on the other – a question of reading. We can't always know exactly what the author put into a particular metaphor.  More  moreover, we do not always notice it or do not see its proper metaphorical meaning" ^[6], p. 6.  

The analysis of the coloristic solution of this film allows us to conclude that B. Bertolucci did not strive for an unambiguous interpretation of the symbolism of color in this picture. He repeatedly stressed the idea that he was making an Italian film about events from the history of China. Therefore, a strictly traditional conventional understanding of the symbolism of color in the East should not be expected from the visual series of the film.  As a rule, the viewer perceives the color scheme in visual arts quite subjectively. N. A. Kormin in the article "Art and aesthetic structures of metaphysics of color" draws attention to an important point in the perception of the coloristic solution of a work of art. "In aesthetics and in art, both the design of coloristic processality and the design of the history of analogizing perception of color always arise: at the same time, the design of aesthetic properties of color in one historical epoch may not coincide with its construction in another" ^[7], p. 55.   This fact is important in understanding the semantic symbolism of this film for two reasons. Firstly, the colors of clothing, costume design, and interiors of the Forbidden City correspond to the aesthetics of eastern color symbols of a certain historical period. The film was shot in 1987, the perception of many aspects has changed significantly by this time. Secondly, it was important for the filmmakers not only to preserve historical correspondences, but also to convey through the coloristic solution of a certain episode the emotional state of the hero, the dramaturgy of this or that episode, the evolution of the image of Aisingero Pu I. The perception of such nuances is subjective and cannot be unambiguous, therefore not all the ideas embedded in the coloristic solution of the film are read and are perceived by the viewer.

The image of the last Chinese emperor Aisingero Pu Yi is interesting to the modern viewer due to the fact that it symbolizes a passing era and suggests thinking about the fate of a character who finds himself in a situation of hostage circumstances, trying to adapt to the conditions of a crisis society. N. A. Khrenov, analyzing the relationship between Russia and China, emphasizes how important rituals were in the life of the state and the family in this country and draws attention to this film by B. Bertolucci as an example demonstrating the destruction of classically established rituals. "But in this film, the director's attention is directed precisely to that era in history in which this ritual is destroyed and chaos begins. The ritual is being destroyed because the old Chinese empire is disappearing into the past. In this situation, the last Chinese emperor is no longer destined to play his role. He, like any other person, a mere mortal in the twentieth century undergoes all the cataclysms generated in this century ..." ^[8], p. 160.  

Many details of life in the palace complex mostly correspond to the hysterical era and do not carry any other semantic load except information. He Zhiyun, analyzing the evolution of ancient Chinese costume, notes that different dynasties ruling in China have formed certain requirements for clothes and fabric color. Many elements of Chinese clothing and hats of the last rulers were formed during the reign of the Zhou Dynasty. Some ideas reflecting the basis of Chinese statehood and culture arose precisely during the reign of this dynasty and survived until the reign of the last Chinese emperor ^[9], p. 153. The filmmakers tried to preserve in their work the general flavor and aesthetics in the interior design of the palace complex and the clothes of those who were in the Forbidden City during the reign of Aisingero Pu Yi (Fig. 2).

Figure 2. A frame from the movie "The Last Emperor".  Aisingero Pu And in childhood.

B. Bertolucci understood how important it is to adhere to authenticity in certain details, since for China historically established cultural values have been and remain very important due to their certain immutability. According to Tun D., it was this immutability that helped the state to preserve its national specifics and not lose its national flavor during the period of globalization, when elements of spiritual culture throughout the world take on a universal character ^[10].  

 The childhood and youth of Aisingero Pu Yi take place in the Forbidden City, and the viewer has the opportunity to get acquainted with many interiors of the palace complex and elements of clothing. Yellow and gold were the traditional colors for the Chinese government, which symbolized financial well-being. Yellow and gold-colored clothes could only be worn by representatives of the imperial family or elected officials ^[11]. In one of the episodes of the film, Pu Yi looks in surprise at his half-brother's clothes and is surprised to see yellow elements in his suit that should not be there. Yang Jing, exploring the reflection of cultural values in clothing, emphasizes that "traditional Chinese clothing also served as the most important classifying element in the hierarchical system of China, being an external expression of political and moral ethics. By means of the external characteristics of clothing, a distinction was made in the classes of dignitaries, the ceremonial role of certain subjects of the emperor was noted, as well as rituals and state administration were carried out" ^[12], p. 21.  

The attitude to the power of the emperor and to his person in this historical period is still quite respectful on the part of many people. The director of the film emphasizes this fact several times in separate episodes. In the frames of the film, one of the scenes that unfolds in the prison is indicative. The former emperor, who has been living in a Closed city surrounded by a huge number of servants since childhood, is completely unsuited to life. He often walks with his shoelaces not tied on his shoes. The former servant, seeing once again the emperor's shoelaces not tied on his shoes, crying and shouting "for the last time", still runs up to him to tie them ^[13]. Interestingly, the attitude to power has now been transformed. In the scientific literature, one can find studies of changing attitudes towards government representatives in modern China. For example, Sun Tzuqi's article "Transformation of the Image of Power in the structure of the political mentality of Chinese citizens in 2016" analyzes the data of sociological studies of attitudes to power at the present stage ^[14].

In those episodes where color works as an artistic device, many aspects of perception are formed in stages, gradually, often at the level of the viewer's subconscious and his emotional-subjective perception of what he saw. The film uses a diverse color palette. As an example, there are several options for revealing the psychological state of the main character's image through shades of a particular color. For example, shades of red. For the first time we see a bright red color in the film in the episode when the hero opens his veins after arriving in China from the USSR. Blood spreads in the water in scarlet spots and this color evokes childhood memories in the mind of the character. Beijing, 1908, huge red doors through which cavalry enters to pick up and take little Aisingero Pu Yi to the Forbidden City. In the future, for quite a long time, in many scenes depicting life in the palace complex, there are various shades of red.

Many of the mise en scenes in the episodes depicting the boy's life in the palace complex are made with the dominant of various shades of red. Red colors are also present in the elements of the interior design and clothing of the characters in the Forbidden City (Fig. 3).

Figure 3. A frame from the movie "The Last Emperor".  The palace complex.

The red color has a strong enough emotional impact on a person. "Physiologically, this is explained by the fact that long light waves are most quickly perceived by sight, and the strong emotional impact of this color is probably due to the fact that in our minds it is associated with the sun, fire, blood. Shades of red can awaken different associations and feelings — from excitement and aggressiveness to pacification and tenderness 5, p. 425. Analyzing the emotional state of the main character of the film, we can conclude that shades of red are associated in the hero's mind with lack of freedom, addiction, prohibitions, with the Forbidden City. 

In many episodes, the red color is not associated with objects and elements of the character's environment, it symbolizes the emotional state of the hero: closeness from the whole world and dependence on stereotypes and prevailing living conditions, the inability to go beyond the imposed restrictions. Therefore, red becomes the background, enhancing the feelings of the character and the viewer (Fig. 4).

Figure 4. A frame from the movie "The Last Emperor".  Aisingero Pu I.

 The attitude to the red color in the frame should not be taken literally. For example, the episodes of the meeting with the future empress and concubines are also in many cases performed with the presence of shades of red (Fig. 5). The hero meets with beautiful girls who show him signs of attention. Such moments, at first glance, should cause positive emotions in the character. However, many of these scenes are made with dominant red shades, reflecting the emotional state of the hero. Why? The answer to this question should be found in one of the hero's replicas. He is also not free in his choice of life companions, as in everything else in the Forbidden City. The choice was made from the proposed candidates and was not associated in the mind of the hero with his desires. Hence the feeling of imposing a decision and shades of red.

Figure 5. A frame from the movie "The Last Emperor". Meeting.

Reflecting on the coloristic solution of B. Bertolucci's film "The Last Emperor", it should also be noted the shades of green in the transmission of the emotional state of the hero. The green color and shades of green in the symbolism of Chinese art play an important role because historically in Chinese painting and poetry, descriptions of flowers and trees are an integral part of many works of art. For example, Lu Sa, analyzing traditional Chinese painting, notes that the awareness of the connection between nature and man occurs in China in the Middle Ages. "It is not by chance that the landscape has become the expression of the most lyrical and sublime feelings of the authors. For their transmission, the symbolism of the traditional Chinese landscape, associated with images of nature, was gradually formed. It eventually turned into a complex and detailed aesthetic system" ^[15], p. 16. In this film by B. Bertolucci, nature and landscape appear in the frame rarely, only in individual episodes. We can talk about the shades of green that arise in the color scheme of the frame when the state of the hero is harmonized. For example, the episode with the wet nurse. This woman replaced his mother and was very dear to the young emperor. There are no aggressive red shades in the color scheme of this episode, there are shades of green, flowers in the background (Fig. 6).

Figure 6. A frame from the movie "The Last Emperor".  The wet nurse.

In the finale of the film, the hero, released after imprisonment, works as a gardener. The nature and plants of the botanical garden symbolize the state of reconciliation of the former emperor with the world and, possibly, with himself.

In the color scheme of individual episodes in the finale of the film there is a fairly wide range of colors. These are the fragments in which Aisingero Pu Yi becomes the emperor of Manchukuo. The viewer sees for the first time a variety of colors and natural color shades (Fig. 7).

Figure 7. A frame from the movie "The Last Emperor". Heroes in Manchukuo.

Analyzing such a color scheme, one can come to the conclusion that Pu Yi felt freedom for the first time in his life. It seems to him that he has become a real emperor. The one he always wanted to be –the ruler of his state. The multicoloration, the appearance of rainbow shades, can be interpreted as a hope for a way out of a crisis situation. D. N. Belova, exploring the light symbolism of female mythological images of Japanese and Chinese culture, notes that the rainbow, fitting into the concept of the unity of man and nature, becomes a symbol of their interaction, it is a hope for salvation ^[16]. At that moment, Aisingero Pu really believed in such a possibility, believed in his future. The viewer who understands that the last emperor is in prison, and everything that happens is memories, realizes that this is an illusion of freedom. The situation in the region was extremely unstable. Japan occupied Manchuria and created a puppet state controlled by it ^[17].  The emperor does not and cannot have any freedom in such a state. Pu Yi soon realizes that he is once again in the same dependent position as he was in the Forbidden City. The color scheme of this storyline gradually turns into muted tones, as events approach the denouement, to the arrest of Aisingero Pu Yi.

Conclusion

Bernardo Bertolucci's film "The Last Emperor" refers to the real historical events of the reign of the last Chinese emperor Aisingero Pu I. The coloristic solution of the film allows, on the one hand, to immerse the viewer in the historical atmosphere of the life of the imperial palace, to get acquainted with many traditions and customs of unfamiliar China at the beginning of the XX century. See the Forbidden City palace complex, which today is one of the most interesting museum complexes in the country. Thus, the color symbolism of the film fits into the historical traditions of interior design, costumes, and architecture of the city. On the other hand, analyzing the coloristic solution of individual episodes, it can be concluded that the main function of the color solution in this film is the disclosure of the emotional state of the character. Various shades of color are associated in the subconscious of the hero with prohibitions and imprisonment, with hopes and plans for the future, with feelings of harmony and disharmony with the world and himself.  A little boy, who was brought to the palace complex, grows up, tries to know the world around him, determine his place in this world, dreams of becoming an emperor, managing his state. The dynamics of changing the character's attitude is transmitted through a fairly diverse color scheme, which complements and enriches the artistic intent of the film and allows you to penetrate deeper into the emotional state of the hero, comprehending with him his difficult life path.