The Emperor's New Clothes (1994): cast, story & where to watch

Released in 1994, The Emperor's New Clothes is a fantasy and family film directed by Juraj Herz, running about 90 minutes.

What it’s about. The Emperor of a European country demands new clothes to wear every day, in fact sometimes several times a day. He imposes a heavy tax on the poor citizens to pay for his vanity. An itinerant man and boy come to the capital city and see the injustice, and make friends, but they soon have to flee. They return disguised as Arab tailors, and offer to make the Emperor a new suit of clothes. But only the wise will be able to see it; fools, or those unfit for their public office, will not see anything. The Emperor orders the suit made, and much money is needed to purchase the raw materials. Eventually the suit is ready, and the Emperor and his officials pretend that they can see a wonderful outfit; will anyone prick the bubble of the illusion?

Who’s in it. The Emperor's New Clothes stars Harald Juhnke as Kaiser, Andréa Ferréol as Herzogin, Jan Kalous as Tobias and Carsten Voigt as Lorenzo, among others.

How it landed. With an audience score of 7.0/10, The Emperor's New Clothes has been warmly received by audiences.

Where to watch. Streaming options change often. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch The Emperor's New Clothes page.

If you liked it. Fans of The Emperor's New Clothes tend to enjoy The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, The Green Mile, Spirited Away and The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring.