Customer Reviews

Red Cherry [VHS]

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

I would have given this film 5 stars, but what is disturbing is that the claims that it was based on a true story are only partly true. Yes, the film was based on the true story of Zhu De's daughter Zhu Min, who went to the Soviet International Children's School at the age of 14. The film crew had contacted her and obtained her consent when making the film. But the most horrific and most unforgettable part was fictional (and there's the rub). Moreover, her father, Zhu De was not executed in China as a communist before the war. He became an important military figure and later leader in the government. (1954-59) as deputy chairman of the People's Republic of China. He was chairman of the National People's Congress (1959 -67), Communist China's major legislative body, until denounced during the Cultural Revolution . He was restored to his posts in 1971 and died in 1976. From what I understand, it is not unusual in China to call a story "true," despite the facts.

I almost missed this movies because the strong and negative review from the other Amazon reader. I am glad I took the risk and bough this DVD. It is not a bad film if we put aside our political view point and watch the movies calmly and fairly. Chinese or Russian are entitled to tell their stories from their point of view too.

This 1995 Chinese film is based on actual accounts of WW2 survivors and is a testament to the horrors of war. It opens in 1940 when a young Chinese boy and girl are sent to a Russian school. There is a civil war going on in China and their parents have killed by the Nationalists. They are welcomed by their Russian comrades and the first half hour of the film is about their idyllic existence with kind teachers and an atmosphere of acceptance and learning. We see the youngsters enjoying childhood pranks and we smile at their antics.

Then the world suddenly changes. The Nazis invade Russia. And the children of the school become the victims of abject cruelty. Some of them are murdered, all of them are starving and there are moments of heroism as well as horror. The two Chinese children suffer, as do the Russians. The boy becomes a street urchin and eventually he performs some courageous acts against the enemy. The girl works as a virtual slave in a monastery that has been taken over by the Nazis. The commander sees himself as an artist and forces her to have an ugly tattoo glorifying the nazi regime on her back. When the Nazis are defeated she suffers the emotional shame of this.

This film has won many accolades including an Oscar nomination. I add my own accolades. It is beautifully photographed, well paced and horrifying to watch the innocence of the children despoiled. I wanted to hug the children and save them all. I felt their hunger and their shame and their will to survive. I applauded the small acts of heroism. And I wanted to reach out my arms and save these children.

This film is not for everyone. The war is depicted in gruesome reality. And even after the war ends, we understand that its scars will last forever.

Highly recommended, but be prepared to be upset by its theme.

This impressive film begins in the early summer of 1941, at the Ivanov International School in Moscow. Luo Xiaoman and Chuchu are two new students who have come to Russia after the brutal revolution in China killed their parents. As kanikuli (summer break) arrives, Chuchu accompanies her class to children's camp in Byelorussia. Xiaoman remains in Moscow. Then, Russia is invaded with the devastating fury of Hitler's "Operation Barbarossa". The western borders of the USSR are struck especially hard. By the end of the onslaught, only 25% of Byelorussia will be left intact. And Chuchu's camp is directly in Hitler's path. Back at the Ivanov School, the faculty and older students, Xiaoman included, rush to enlist in the army. But the Chinese boy is deemed too young for the front. "Red Cherry" is an uncompromising, horrifying story about two children's parallel experience of the war. Chuchu sees her teacher, Miss Vera, and classmates murdered before her eyes. She is spared by the Nazi commander, General von Dietrich, who admires her "perfect golden skin". He takes Chuchu with him, but he has a hideous fate in mind for the little girl. Meanwhile, Xiaoman becomes a bicycle messenger. His unhappy duty is to deliver notices of casualties from the front. One recipient of tragic news is an elderly blind woman who asks Xiaoman to read the letter aloud. He feels such pity for her that he makes up a congratulatory message about her son's heroic service and promotion. From then on, Xiaoman and the orphaned girl Nadya, whom he "adopts", regularly deliver revised notices from the front. But the front is swiftly advancing eastward, toward Moscow. General von Dietrich reveals that he is sick and dying. An amateur tattooist, he hopes to live on through his art. Chuchu's perfect skin will become the living canvas for the Nazi's undying fervor for his Fuhrer. Battle comes to Moscow, and Xiaoman will get his chance to fight for Russia. But his innocent imagination could not have predicted the outcome. Although heartbreaking, "Red Cherry" is haunting, beautiful, and recommended. Moreso, because the story is true. The two child actors are wonderful. The film is in Russian, German, and Mandarin, with English subtitles.

Red Cherry is really a slice of a biography of the lives of two Chinese adolescents. There is no real plot - they do not overcome anything by their efforts, solve any mystery, etc. There is no happy ending as they ride off into the sunset.

Still, this is a captivating movie showing both the cruelty of some men and the inner drive for survival of the victims. When it ends, you will not feel like it has been two hours since the movie began. Nobody would feel like they wasted their time watching this movie.

For those sensitive to such things, there are a few scenes that contain children, both boys and girls (but not together), totally naked. It is NOT, in any way, erotic, however. But it does give a sense of other culture's relaxed attitudes toward nakedness in contrast to typical American attitudes.

If you are trying to decide if you should buy the DVD, I wholeheartedly say, get it. Nobody I've shown it to has regretted seeing Red Cherry.

original, horrifying, touching, beautifully filmed, wonderfully acted and directed. You wont find such high quality film coming from hollywood. This is not to be missed. If you cant afford to buy it, rent it. I rented it from blockbuster, although they arent my favorite rental store.

Greetings, comrades!

I have rented this video several times from my public library, and have always enjoyed it. It reminds me of the similarly-themed Europa Europa, as well as Burnt by the Sun. The film covers a lot of plot lines and a long slice of time, rather like a miniseries, but it is nowhere near as dull and plodding as other WWII films such as Sunshine.

If you liked Est-Ouest (East-West), Europa Europa, The Third Miracle, The Cold Room, or the work of Krzysztof Kieslowski, you will at the least enjoy Red Cherry. I have watched hundreds of WWII movies, from documentaries to fictionalized histories to pure fiction, and Red Cherry is certainly more intriguing and involving than the majority of WWII works available.

As a multilingual linguaphile, I especially liked the use of local languages and therefore English subtitles. It always seems faintly dorky to me to have everyone speaking English with a "Russian" or "German" accent in WWII movies. If you do NOT like subtitles, then this movie may drive you crazy.

However, if you want a fresh take on World War II from the point of view of orphaned Chinese children, this movie is just the ticket!

Dosvidanya, tovarishi!

This is a stunningly beautiful film from the standpoint of cinematography and direction.
Like other viewers, I would caution that it is a strong story. It also takes a decent attention span because it's a story for grown ups. Tiny-attention-span adolescents who just want to watch special effects ought to select something else to buy. Those of us who increasingly are having to search out films from other countries because we can no longer bear to watch the junk coming out of Hollywood will find this beautiful and moving film a feast. At least one reviewer here has questioned the truth of parts of the story; I really don't care, because it stands on its own as a fascinating and complex tale full of visual metaphor and excellent acting. There have been many dozens of brilliant films coming out of China for the last two decades and this is high on the list.

I do have one question: The description given for this version says that it is letterboxed and in widescreen. Then, further down, it says that the aspect ratio is 1.33 to 1. I assume the latter is an error. Can anyone verify the actual aspect ratio please. I would like to buy another copy as a gift, but I certainly don't want to get stuck with a chopped off aspect ration version. Help?

This movie was distrubing as well as informative. I always felt there were more stories relating to the German Atrocities, other than from a Jewish stand point. The Third Reich was purely evil, if you did not fit that (Aryan mold) you were destined for tragedy. Everyone has a story to be told,it has not come to light yet.

A russian commander thought he was saving two children from China's revolution bringing them to the Ivanov Internaional School of former Soviet Union during 1940-1945. From the time Chuchu and Luo Xiaoman first arrived at the school like other kids full of mischeivous adventures. In the summer of 1941 Chuchu and other classmates(not Luo)went to Belarussia summer camp their lives changed forever. The blatant execution of a school teacher, one classmate sacrificed his life for others to escape,Chu chu was a maid for a demented german doctor. He had the nasty habit of using human bodies for his tattoo work, one way of living forever on skin. He would then have lavish parties to show off his work. It's a deep movie.

a wonderful story based on real people. Well done and I highly recommend this movie. If you like it you will LOVE the Yugoslavian movie called
THE GREAT WATER which is a similar story of Russian ideology in an orphanage in Yugoslavia. I highly recommend both. Beautiful!
barb