Mao's Great Famine

Gr 10 Up—Following the Communists' 1949 takeover of mainland China, Mao Zedong found himself at the helm of a war-ravaged country that had more in common with the 15th century than the 20th century. His unsuccessful efforts to mimic the Russian collectivization programs led to the need for more restrictive regulations and the imposition of re-education camps and collectivist communes. Mao established the "Great Leap Forward" program in 1958 to bring China from its agriculture-based economy into the industrial age, but it resulted in between 36 and 55 million deaths from starvation plus an untold number of political executions; only now through interviews with historians and actual survivors of the disastrous years in programs like this one can an accurate assessment be attempted. This well-paced documentary utilizes a rich array of vintage visuals, including newsreel and propaganda footage, and insightful commentary that points to the irony of a population that was starving while its leaders led sumptuous lives. Although Mao is still revered in Chinese culture, programs like this should shine a light into some dark corners. The production's exceptional content is severely hampered by its presentation. The filming appears to be a low-resolution format, which would affect picture quality in classrooms; there are no supplementary or bonus tracks; and there is no general English language subtitle option for the entire program (English subtitles are used when the commentary is in Chinese). The most bothersome problem for individual researchers and teachers is the lack of any chapter selection option.—Dwain Thomas, formerly of Lake Park High School, Roselle, IL