Watches
January 24, 2022
The fun thing about Eisenstein is that he made several films which you can appreciate in very different ways. There's a very political plot here, but I didn't care one single bit, instead I was more intrigued by Eisenstein's hyper editing and visual bravura, which made an otherwise pretty boring film very palatable.
The film handles the October Revolution of 1917, Russia. An important historical event that details how the monarchy was overthrown by the Bolsheviks, who went on strike. It's probably true that the visual style detracts from the actual content here, as I can't say I learned much or am able to recount many details, but that's hardly a negative.
There are other, more famous Eisenstein films, but I think his visual prowess was never more impressive than here. The edgy editing, the stark black and white contrasts and the love for more abstract imagery really define this film. The middle part felt a bit more toned down, but the first and final third are pretty damn great. One of the best silents I've seen.