In 1987 some of the great films were Broadcast News, Good Morning, Vietnam, Fatal Attraction, and Moonstruck, but the film that won nine Oscars, including best picture, was a true story set in an Asian country. What was the title?

At the 60th Academy Awards, Bernardo Bertolucci's sweeping historical epic was the night's biggest winner, securing a perfect nine out of nine Oscars, including Best Picture and Best Director. The film tells the remarkable true story of Aisin-Gioro Puyi, who was crowned Emperor of China in 1908 at the age of two, only to see his empire crumble around him. The narrative follows his entire life, from a pampered, isolated childhood in the Forbidden City to his time as a puppet ruler for the invading Japanese, his imprisonment and "re-education" by the Communists, and his eventual life as a regular citizen in Beijing.

What gave the film its stunning authenticity and visual grandeur was the unprecedented access granted to the production. It was the first Western feature film ever allowed to shoot inside Beijing's Forbidden City, the former imperial palace. The filmmakers utilized this historic location to its fullest, employing nearly 19,000 extras over the course of the shoot. This monumental scale and rich historical scope set it apart from its fellow 1987 nominees, which were largely contemporary American stories, and cemented its place as a cinematic masterpiece.