This film commemorates the 'Battle of the Ice' in 1242 which repulsed a German invasion into Russia, and while the battle and the hero Alexander Nevsky are historically real, I'm sure they looked nothing like this. The film reduces the story to comic book level, to mythology, but perhaps all countries do that to their historical heroes. Here the nationalism is so dialed up though, and the stilted, wooden lines out of the script seem as if they were written by Stalin himself. As I watched, I tried to soak in what it told me about Russia and its history, but with all of the stirring patriotism, I imagined I was with a group of Party members or a youth group all being indoctrinated into the Soviet cause.
One of the things of interest for me was that the German invasion was actually motivated by religion, and part of the Crusades (in this case, against the Russian Orthodox Church instead of Muslims in the Holy Land). We see that in the film, and the Catholic Bishop accompanying the Teutonic Knights is depicted as scowling, and bent on conversion. The Knights themselves are seriously sinister, flinging Russian babies into the fire and wearing some fantastic helmets, one style of which resembles an upside down bucket with a cross-like opening in the front to see. I think the German headgear was my favorite part of the film. Meanwhile Alexander Nevksy rallies a peasant army and we're reminded throughout the film, often to patriotic song, that Russians will fiercely defend their Motherland, and that "those who come to us with a sword shall die by the sword." Are you listening, Hitler? was the clear context, but that didn't stop the demented dictator from disastrously invading three years later (and almost 700 years after the events of the film). The timing is thus of course pretty damn interesting too.
Much is made of director Sergei Eisenstein's battle scene, but to be honest, it was just ok from my point of view. Among other things, it suffers from the Russian defenders uttering silly things with smiles on their faces in the middle of the action. However, the framing of his shots before the battle are fantastic, and he makes full use of the sky which adds an epic feeling to it all. The score from Sergei Prokofiev is lauded, but in parts of this intense battle it's too jaunty and doesn't have the right tone. There is also a love triangle between two of the warriors and a young woman who pledges to give herself to the bravest in battle, but it's too simple and underdeveloped.
To recap, the good stuff:
One of the things of interest for me was that the German invasion was actually motivated by religion, and part of the Crusades (in this case, against the Russian Orthodox Church instead of Muslims in the Holy Land). We see that in the film, and the Catholic Bishop accompanying the Teutonic Knights is depicted as scowling, and bent on conversion. The Knights themselves are seriously sinister, flinging Russian babies into the fire and wearing some fantastic helmets, one style of which resembles an upside down bucket with a cross-like opening in the front to see. I think the German headgear was my favorite part of the film. Meanwhile Alexander Nevksy rallies a peasant army and we're reminded throughout the film, often to patriotic song, that Russians will fiercely defend their Motherland, and that "those who come to us with a sword shall die by the sword." Are you listening, Hitler? was the clear context, but that didn't stop the demented dictator from disastrously invading three years later (and almost 700 years after the events of the film). The timing is thus of course pretty damn interesting too.
Much is made of director Sergei Eisenstein's battle scene, but to be honest, it was just ok from my point of view. Among other things, it suffers from the Russian defenders uttering silly things with smiles on their faces in the middle of the action. However, the framing of his shots before the battle are fantastic, and he makes full use of the sky which adds an epic feeling to it all. The score from Sergei Prokofiev is lauded, but in parts of this intense battle it's too jaunty and doesn't have the right tone. There is also a love triangle between two of the warriors and a young woman who pledges to give herself to the bravest in battle, but it's too simple and underdeveloped.
To recap, the good stuff:
- German helmets
- Interesting timing (and history repeating itself, as it always seems to)
- The cinematography, especially pre-battle
- Springboard into reading more about Alexander Nevsky
- Oh, and the ribald ending to the rabbit and fox story. I did not see that one coming.