The Scarlet Flower

The Scarlet Flower is a film from the Soviet Union that was based on a Russian fairy tale which was itself reminiscent of 'Beauty and the Beast'. In it a man goes on a trip and promises to return with gifts for his three daughters, the least materialistic of which asks for a scarlet Flower she saw in a dream. Her father finds the flower but it is the property of a fearsome forest creature, who gives him it but with conditions attached.

A good number of the very best fantasy films based on fairy tales originate from Central and Eastern Europe and The Scarlet Flower is yet another example of this. It's probably because these stories so often emerged from this part of the world that these cultures often produced film equivalents which understood the source material so much better. Like other fascinating east European fantasies such as The Singing Ringing Tree (1957) from East Germany or Valerie and Her Week of Wonders (1970) from Czechoslovakia, this one is also another atmospheric and visually beautiful bit of work which combines the enchanting with the dark and macabre. The forest, the waterfall and the crumbling woodland Gothic house all make for lovely locations; with the unusual characters like the old man, the witch and the beast being interesting fairy tale characters who add a further dimension of mystery and ambiance to proceedings. The leafy exteriors and interiors possess a dream-like feel, while the colour tints used only accentuate this further. Overall, I thought this was another example that shows the instinctive feel the East Europeans have for this type of unusual fantastical material.