Rating: 
Summary: One of the best documentary
Review: China-A Century of Revolution, is such an interesting documentary. I thought it would be boring. It turned out this was one of few documentaries that did not put me to sleep. Without realizing, I easily sat through two hour of viewing each time. This is a documentary that I could not stop watching until the end. It outlined modern Chinese history in a simple yet understandable manner. It does not contain the detils and background information of many important events - It is an impossible task to include more details in a six hour doucmentary. It does take one through most of the major events in the modern Chinese history and does a good job of it. For people who merely wishes to have a simple understanding of modern Chinese history, this documentary should be the one to watch. For people who wishes to have a in depth understanding of modern Chinese history, this documentary would help to clarify things. Much of the footages are brand new to me. The interviews with the still living government officials and ordinary citizens help to bring dead history alive. This is a must see for any one who is interested in modern Chinese history. I don't normally write reviews. I feel I owe it to every one to write this review. It would be a shame if you miss it.
Rating:
Summary: One of the best documentary
Review: China-A Century of Revolution, is such an interesting documentary. I thought it would be boring. It turned out this was one of few documentaries that did not put me to sleep. Without realizing, I easily sat through two hour of viewing each time. This is a documentary that I could not stop watching until the end. It outlined modern Chinese history in a simple yet understandable manner. It does not contain the detils and background information of many important events - It is an impossible task to include more details in a six hour doucmentary. It does take one through most of the major events in the modern Chinese history and does a good job of it. For people who merely wishes to have a simple understanding of modern Chinese history, this documentary should be the one to watch. For people who wishes to have a in depth understanding of modern Chinese history, this documentary would help to clarify things. Much of the footages are brand new to me. The interviews with the still living government officials and ordinary citizens help to bring dead history alive. This is a must see for any one who is interested in modern Chinese history. I don't normally write reviews. I feel I owe it to every one to write this review. It would be a shame if you miss it.
Rating:
Summary: [Almost] Everything You Wanted To Know About Chinese History
Review: I've learnt so much from this documentary. A real eye-opener!Such a shame that documentaries of such don't get much publicity/advertisement. There's always something to know, and something to learn. I most definately recommend it.
Rating:
Summary: Fantastic piece of work
Review: If you really want a moving and riveting oral and pictorial history of modern China, this is the video set to get. Fantastic narration and amazing archival footage, this video set is used in many University and High School curricula. A tremendous documentary work that I hope is shown again on TV.
P.S. If you want to round out your education of the pre-revolutionary beginnings then you should get "The Soong Dynasty" by Seagrave. It is an absolutely fascinating account of the Soong family's rise to power and the beginnings of the revolution in China.
Rating:
Summary: Monumental doucumentary. Sweeping in scope and detail.
Review: This documentary is excellently produced and I can easily watch all 6-hours of it in one sitting. It is just that compelling and fascinating to see the history of China over the last century unfold and come to life in expert testimony and primary footage of the actual events that took place, even all the way back to a speech given by Sun Yat-Sen. 6 hours is long, and at the same time, it is a very short space to compress a full century of history into. However, this film does it superbly. The dvd splits the history into three eras. The pre-WWII period (Sun Yat-Sen, Japanese Invation, the duel between the CCP and the KMT), the rise of Mao and the Communists, and what the future holds for China and the Chinese. There is ample detail provided about events and people who shaped each era. If you know nothing about China in the last century, and all the turmoil which occured, I would strongly recommend this documentary. It has no equal in terms of it's broad scope and compelling content, and makes the already intriging story of China in the 20th century come even more alive, and human. If you already are a Chinese history buff, this film will be interesting all the same. It is full of rare footage (where else will you get to see Dr. Sun in film? or peasants "struggling" against their landlords?) and audio (I've never heard Madame Mao's voice before this.) that you will probably never see or hear anywhere else. Interviews with those who endured the Cultural Revoution and those who will shape the future of China give the film an intimate touch. Included are: Dr. Li, Mao's personal physician of two decades, Chinese celebrities, peasants, landlords, urban dwellers, students. All love China, but they sweep the gamut from those who hate Mao to those who love him, and what the Communists have done for/to China, and what the future lies in store for them, and the rest of the Chinese people. Overall, and AMAZING documentary with an incredible scope. Covering one of the most amazing and remarkable chapters of human history, good and bad, this documentary will not dissapoint.
Rating:
Summary: Monumental doucumentary. Sweeping in scope and detail.
Review: This documentary is excellently produced and I can easily watch all 6-hours of it in one sitting. It is just that compelling and fascinating to see the history of China over the last century unfold and come to life in expert testimony and primary footage of the actual events that took place, even all the way back to a speech given by Sun Yat-Sen. 6 hours is long, and at the same time, it is a very short space to compress a full century of history into. However, this film does it superbly. The dvd splits the history into three eras. The pre-WWII period (Sun Yat-Sen, Japanese Invation, the duel between the CCP and the KMT), the rise of Mao and the Communists, and what the future holds for China and the Chinese. There is ample detail provided about events and people who shaped each era. If you know nothing about China in the last century, and all the turmoil which occured, I would strongly recommend this documentary. It has no equal in terms of it's broad scope and compelling content, and makes the already intriging story of China in the 20th century come even more alive, and human. If you already are a Chinese history buff, this film will be interesting all the same. It is full of rare footage (where else will you get to see Dr. Sun in film? or peasants "struggling" against their landlords?) and audio (I've never heard Madame Mao's voice before this.) that you will probably never see or hear anywhere else. Interviews with those who endured the Cultural Revoution and those who will shape the future of China give the film an intimate touch. Included are: Dr. Li, Mao's personal physician of two decades, Chinese celebrities, peasants, landlords, urban dwellers, students. All love China, but they sweep the gamut from those who hate Mao to those who love him, and what the Communists have done for/to China, and what the future lies in store for them, and the rest of the Chinese people. Overall, and AMAZING documentary with an incredible scope. Covering one of the most amazing and remarkable chapters of human history, good and bad, this documentary will not dissapoint.
Rating:
Summary: Unbelievable
Review: This is a great film. Pure and simple. Excellent.
Rating:
Summary: Great Overview
Review: This is a great overview to modern China for anyone interested in doing business or traveling there. So much of modern China's history happened out of view of the rest of the world. Now, Sue Williams and company have pulled back the curtain to give a great, objective view of China's recent past. Much of the narrative is told by local Chinese who lived the history. The historical footage is great, as well. This is a concise, objective, and, dare I say, entertaining look at what might be the most important nation in the 21st century.
Rating:
Summary: Great Overview
Review: This is a great overview to modern China for anyone interested in doing business or traveling there. So much of modern China's history happened out of view of the rest of the world. Now, Sue Williams and company have pulled back the curtain to give a great, objective view of China's recent past. Much of the narrative is told by local Chinese who lived the history. The historical footage is great, as well. This is a concise, objective, and, dare I say, entertaining look at what might be the most important nation in the 21st century.
Rating:
Summary: A documentary benchmark
Review: This is a wonderfully unbiased documentary on the 20th century history of China. It begins with the fall of an Empire and rise of Sun Yat Sen in 1911, and moves onto Chiang Kai Shek and Chairman Mao who are portrayed as leaders who participated in some of the most significant events that define the Cultural Revolution. I remember Secondary School curriculae that portrays the Nationalist Chiang as the 'good-guy', and Chairman Mao as the 'bad-guy' of chinese 20th century history. However, this documentary remains ambivalent on both of these matters, presenting the facts without bias by the producers. They expertly weave a history with evenhandedness making it impartial and objective to the sometimes very subjective matter that is The Cultural Revolution. The entire six hour documentary spans approximately 70 years, from 1911 (Sun Yat Sen) through to the rule and capitalistic tendencies of Deng Xiao Peng. While the objectivity of the documentary is laudable, the treatment of the subject matter is nothing short of exceptional. The intention of the documentary is to serve as an overview within a six hour time-frame. It is NOT intended as an in-depth political study of the times! Subsequently, the documentary does not getted bogged-down in too much detail, but simultaneously manages to adequately portray the events that defined 20th century China. On the whole this documentary is highly watchable, offering historical footage and interviews with those who participated in the Cultural Revolution in one form or another. Any curriculum study of 20th century China would be greatly enhanced by including this documentary. The documentary also serves as a great introduction to China for anyone interested in the country and how it has arrived at being the country it is today.
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