Length: 95 minutes
Director: Grigori Aleksandrov, Sergei M. Eisenstein
Cast: Vladimir Popov, Vasili Nikandrov, Layaschenko Chibisov, Boris Livanov, Mikholyev, Smelsky, Eduard Tisse
Eric's Impressions: It would be foolish to pass this off as just another Eisenstein propaganda - which it is - because it's much more. The revolutionary filmmaker attempts to recreate the Bolshevik victory 10 years after the fact and he does such a good job of pulling it off that you swear at times he's using actual documentary footage. This movie has all the usual Eisenstein film tricks - quick scene cuts, haunting imagery and dark subject matter. It's a heart-pounding ride that you won't soon forget and it's disappointing to learn that it's the last of his films we'll review in this book.
Natalie's Impressions: The last of the Eisenstein movies included in this book is typical soviet propaganda fare like his other films but it is also equally striking in its imagery. This film is my least favorite of his that I have seen because it is not as cohesive. It feels as though he is trying so hard to outdo himself, spending tons of money, trying to recreate events just exactly how they happened at the expense of a good solid plot with character development. I didn't get really drawn into the story because it was hard to follow but as usual, there were some very memorable scenes that bear the Eisenstein signature.
COUNTDOWN: Just 973 movies to go!
No comments:
Post a Comment