Director: Sergei M. Eisenstein
Year: 1925
Country: Russia
Language: Russian
The Battleship Potemkin was my glorious introduction to Russian Cinema and the brilliant of Sergei M. Eisenstein. I rented it from Movie Village after I saw the most famous clip, the Odessa Steps scene, in my introduction to film class. I didn't really know what to expect before I saw this film, at the very least I would be horribly bored and turn off the film early. However, I remained glued to the couch, staring at the screen, watching one of my now favorite films of all time. Many film critics would suggest the historical importance is what has helped the film stay known for all these years. I feel Battleship Potemkin is both historically important as well as incredibly entertaining.
Based on historical events, Battleship Potemkin tells of a riot at the battleship Potemkin. This riot is started as a protest strike when the battleship's crew was given rotten meat for dinner. Ending in a strike, the sailors raise a red flag and begin a great revolution in their home port.
While Battleship Potemkin may not be historically accurate, it is surely a legendary vision of oppression and rebellion. It was once so powerful that the film was banned in many nations, including its home country- The Soviet Union. Governments were extremely cautious because they believed the film could actually incite audiences to riot whether they were being oppressed or not. Indeed the film is a piece of class aware revolutionary propaganda. Yes, there may be people who walk out of this film unaffected, but it more likely that after this film you will analyze your life and become more political than you ever have been.
If Eisenstein didn't invent the montage, then he certainly perfected it. The Odessa steps scene, which had audiences in 1925 gasping out loud in their seats, is one of the most famous scenes in film history because of its intricate and fast paced cuts. Cutting between the fearful faces of the unarmed citizens and the faceless troops in uniform. Many other cuts are just as abrupt. All are with great rhythm and do not unroll slowly like most films from this decade. With the brilliant cuts, as well as the superb score and odd setting, it is understandable to see why this film was considered extremely dangerous.
In conclusion, though there is some question about how dated this film is, I think it's still effective among the right people. Many films ay homage to Battleship Potemkin, the nost famous seems to be The Untouchables' version of the highly praised Odessa steps scene. Even in the U.S, UK & France it was banned but that surely did not stop this film from being as beloved as it is today. Praise it! 5/5
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