CHINA TRILOGY: rare footages, undisputably the best documentary about China.
In 1986 Ambrica Productions began the CHINA Trilogy, a series of three feature-length documentaries that explore the history of modern China. Much of the twentieth century in China has been dominated by a single generation of men and women and their commitment to communism. This group formed the Chinese Communist Party in the 1920's, came to power in the 1940's and transformed the country into a world power in the 1980's. Now the last leaders of this generation are passing away, bringing to an end one of the most dramatic periods of Chinese history. Their stories and the stories of the ordinary people of China -- peasants and workers, intellectuals and soldiers, families in villages and cities -- form the heart of the CHINA Trilogy.
The first film, CHINA IN REVOLUTION describes the epic upheaval that began in China with the fall of the last emperor in 1911. Over the next four decades, the Chinese people were caught up in struggles with warlords, foreign invasion and a bitter rivalry between the Chinese Communist Party and the Nationalist Party. The film highlights the two figures who came to shape events, Chang Kai-shek and Mao Zedong. First they worked as allies to unite the country and then they fought a bloody civil war that was won by the Communists in 1949.
CHINA IN REVOLUTION 1911-1949 explores the turbulent years prior to the establishment of the People's Republic of China (PRC) in 1949. This ground breaking television documentary is the first to examine this complex historical era through interviews with people who experienced it. In the course of the program, viewers watch and listen as Chinese citizens recall their dramatic pasts. The film, which combines rare archival footage with location segments filmed in China and Taiwan, was first broadcast on PBS just after the Tiananmen Square tragedy of 1989. CHINA IN REVOLUTION begins Ambrica Production's epic series on the history of 20th century China.
PRESS REVIEWS
"The film provides exactly the sort of long-range socio-political context that Western news organizations seldom bring to breaking events. Moreover, it does so with a visual integrity that is simply stunning... If this film serves no other purpose, it reminds us that the Tiananmen Square rebellion has a much longer history -- and a far deeper context -- than a few days in June 1989. No one 'lost'China, but this film helps re-find her." The Boston Globe
"What is remarkable about this documentary film is not only that it contains rare footage chronicling those turbulent years, but also that the archival footage is enlivened by the film-makers' interviews with people - both on the mainland and on Taiwan - who either witnessed the happenings shown on the screen or were themselves participants in the historic events that changed China for better or for worse. The recounting of their personal experiences brings history closer to the audience and provides authentic details in a breathtaking panorama." The Asian Wall Street Journal .
《China - A Century of Revolution》 Sue Willams 1989,1994,1997 美国制片人Sue Williams耗资一百多万美元给美国PBS电视台(Public Broadcasting Service）拍摄的文献记录片，去年蓝带出碟，3张，很有价值（难以想象是怎样采访到这些人的！），最近才抽空看完。 片子把中国近代史按领导人（独裁者）分三个部分—— 1.CHINA Trilogy: China in Revolution: 1911-1949 
Kathryn Pierce Dietz，Sue Williams，1989 2.CHINA Trilogy: The Mao Years: 1949-1976
 Sue Williams，1994 3.CHINA Trilogy: Born Under the Red Flag 1976-1997 
Sue Williams，1997
感觉就像是费正清的《伟大的中国革命》的简洁电影版而已，很简单，你看到片头的赞助机构就能明白——片子所有观点的出发点是美国官方，也就是说，这是一部用美国官方利益来衡量一切的中国近现代史。 中国近现代史的革命和复杂程度不是一言两语能说清的（也就说不清根本），片子采取了很传统的西方史学观——因果确定关系，很明显的强调了个人对历史的决定性作用啥的。关键在于——这个省略（是资源的问题，也是认识的问题），绝对是一种误导——对不了解中国历史的人（可以是外国人，也可以是现在的中国大学生）。 所有的问题都被简单化呈现了，没有一点分析。这恰恰和中国近代史的情况完全相反。具体不再多说，也三言两语说不出来。 至于片子本身，是采用了很传统的西方记录片模式，各种个人观点（相互矛盾）都有呈现，但所有的资料都很简单，无法让观众作出判断，当然，对一部只有360分钟的纪录片来说，已经不容易了。 影片的观点，平淡无奇，关键是资料，对一个普通中国人来说，这些资料（有孙，蒋，毛，邓的真实讲话录音资料），实在是太牛逼了，我年近50的亲戚，第一次惊奇的听到孙中山是怎么说话的——完全是一个港商的范儿，第一次看到沈醉是啥样的。当然，你也可以听到薄一波的山西话和赵的河南腔，真TM亲切。 这里就开始一部部的介绍,先介绍第一部CHINA Trilogy: China in Revolution: 1911-1949 | 
小子来看的时候，链接已经失效了，能否恭请再upload一下？