A quarter century after the international release of “The Last Emperor,” the film has finally realized its fate.

After serving as guest artistic director last year, Bertolucci returned to the AFI Fest today for the North American premiere of the new version of his nine-time Oscar-winning biopic (including best picture and best director). The film has received a complete facelift: a 3D conversion, 4K restoration and sound re-mastering.

“I think it’s a new life for this film,” he said. “The film is not the temptation that often filmmakers have with 3D to throw, I don’t know, noodles in the face of the viewers. … It’s a very innocent 3D, but I think it will make you feel very much inside the Forbidden City.”

via Bernardo Bertolucci: ‘The Last Emperor’ Destined to be Converted to 3D | Variety.