Battleship Potemkin (1925)

Eisenstein shooting Potemkin

Battleship Potemkin (1925) Planned as a part of a cycle of films about the Revolution (along with Strike and October); Planned as a part of a cycle of films about the Revolution (along with Strike and October); Tells about an episode of the 1905 revolt (suppressed); Tells about an episode of the 1905 revolt (suppressed); Myth-making, but relatively true to the historical events (not in details!) Myth-making, but relatively true to the historical events (not in details!)

Historically: 11 days of mutiny on Potemkin; 11 days of mutiny on Potemkin; Hailed by the population of Odessa; Hailed by the population of Odessa; Unrest in the city suppressed; Unrest in the city suppressed; No support from other ships; No support from other ships; Ran out of food and fuel, fled to Romania; Ran out of food and fuel, fled to Romania; No significant political outcome. No significant political outcome.

Battleship Potyomkin (1925) Five parts (reels) introduced by intertitles: ReelOne: Men and Maggots Rotten meat, doctor refuses to see the maggots, image of glasses Rotten meat, doctor refuses to see the maggots, image of glasses Reel Two: Drama on the Quarterdeck Refusal to eat soup – cornered on the deck, refusal to fire on comrades, mutiny, Vakulinchuk’s death Refusal to eat soup – cornered on the deck, refusal to fire on comrades, mutiny, Vakulinchuk’s death Reel Three: Appeal from the Dead Vakulinchuk’s body brought to Odessa, shrine, mourning, raising of red flag Vakulinchuk’s body brought to Odessa, shrine, mourning, raising of red flag Reel Four: The Odessa Steps Fraternization of sailors and townspeople. Sailboats bring food to ship. Soldiers massacre people on steps. Battleship fires on army headquarters. Fraternization of sailors and townspeople. Sailboats bring food to ship. Soldiers massacre people on steps. Battleship fires on army headquarters. Reel Five: Meeting the squadron Night of suspense, the engines of ship fired up. Ship passes triumphantly through squadron sent to suppress mutiny. Night of suspense, the engines of ship fired up. Ship passes triumphantly through squadron sent to suppress mutiny.

General Characteristics Eisenstein’s films are didactic: they always channel an ideological message; Eisenstein’s films are didactic: they always channel an ideological message; There is no hero (well-rounded individual) in his early films: there are masses, classes, types; There is no hero (well-rounded individual) in his early films: there are masses, classes, types; Montage of attractions: juxtaposition of unrelated expressive images in a rapid succession (technique influenced by D.W. Griffith’s Intolerance, 1916). Montage of attractions: juxtaposition of unrelated expressive images in a rapid succession (technique influenced by D.W. Griffith’s Intolerance, 1916).

Francisco Goya The Third of May 1808, 1814 The Third of May 1808 The Third of May 1808

Tatlin’s Monument to the Third International (1919)

Montage Creates metaphors (ex., lions); Creates metaphors (ex., lions); Innocence vs violence (ex., the face of the woman – the rows of soldiers with bayonets lowered); Innocence vs violence (ex., the face of the woman – the rows of soldiers with bayonets lowered); Soldiers as depersonalized graphic lines moving forward; citizens of Odessa as individuals (close- ups); Soldiers as depersonalized graphic lines moving forward; citizens of Odessa as individuals (close- ups); Difference in perspective: soldiers are in control, move downwards; victims’ perspective is from below. Difference in perspective: soldiers are in control, move downwards; victims’ perspective is from below.

Hand-painted flag