Saturday, June 11, 2011

27. Bronenosets Potyomkin

Bronenosets Potyomkin
The Battleship Potemkin

I did not like this film at all and I will probably be cursed for this by film buffs.  First of all, you are not even supposed to enjoy it.  This movie is more of a message that a piece of entertainment.  It is disturbing and depressing and it doesn't exactly put nice images into your head (dead children and maggots).  So I guess what most people think is that it is worth it because it is such a beautifully made film.  Eisenstein, the director, is called the master of montage and the stair scene is one of the most famous in cinema.

I do not agree.  Basically, this is a piece of propaganda.  The whole time they want you to just be cursing the czarists.  I, being the stubborn person that I am, don't like being told who to root for or what to think.  Good films let you decide those kinds of things for yourself.  In addition, the movie is supremely one-dimensional.  The czarists are mean for no other reason then to be mean and the workers are noble.  There is no character or even plot development.  The only thing this movie made me think about was how one-sided it was.

I recently read a movie review by King Roger Ebert.  He was reviewing Mommie Dearest and said that the movie "is unremittingly depressing, not to any purpose of drama or entertainment, but just to depress." My experience with Battleship was quite similar.

RATING: **---(two stars because someone thinks it is good)

Interesting Facts:

Probably should see it since it is so famous.  They actually kind of reference it in Star Wars.

This is like a worst version of Strike!.

The Soviet Union wanted it to beat Robin Hood in the box offices but Robin Hood won.  They thought it would show the how cool Russian arts were post-Revolution.  Told you it was propaganda.

Available on YouTube or Netflix Instant:

2 comments:

  1. Refreshing with a review daring to call it bullshit. The maggots were fun but disgusting and rest is just annoying.

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