Review for ‘‘Cherry Rose’’ by Danil Panov

Cherry Rose is Danil Panov's bite-sized homage to old Hollywood, with the man himself writing, producing, directing, starring, singing and most of all setting fire to the piano.

The short draws heavily from both silent-era black & white films, as well as golden-age musicals, noir aesthetics and the physical comedy of greats such as Charlie Chaplin & Buster Keaton. During its short runtime however, Panov does little more than produce a fun music project and pay purely visual and sonic homage, as he doesn't go any deeper either with satire or social commentary. The lyrics of the song that occupies the majority of Cherry Rose are delightfully quirky however, and the wordplay is fitting and effective.

From a technical standpoint, the film is vibrant and captivating in its simplicity, especially considering it is a one-man project shot on a phone in only 10 days. Though the lighting could be better adjusted, the editing is sharp, the main performance is dynamic and passionate, and the visual references to the 30s are on point.

All in all, Cherry Rose is like a shot of 1930s bourbon. It hits you hard and fast, full of smoke and heat, and fades equally fast, not leaving behind much other than pure emotion and nostalgia. If Mr. Panov puts his undeniable skills to use beyond his comfort zone of reference and homage, great things await.