The 1952 animated version by Soyuzmultfilm personally is superior, but both do justice to such a great story. The special effects here are not mind-blowing, sometimes a little crude. The film is very fairy-tale-like in its detail and atmosphere, it is lovely to look at and the colours are appropriately moody with striking colour tinges. The music is both ethereal and haunting, while the writing is never too sophisticated or childish, if anything it's gentle with a good sense of mood conveyed. The story is simple and leisurely and for the better, fairy-tales are better adapted like that in my opinion, contrary to what's been said before there is a sense of mystery and magic here though more convincing in the 1952 animated version. The ending is very heartfelt. The acting is noble, generally natural and not too theatrical, while the direction is solid and doesn't allow the storytelling to get too limp. In conclusion, not quite as good as the 1952 animation but lovely still. 8/10 Bethany Cox
Review of The Scarlet Flower
