Sergei Eisenstein: a cinematic revolution. . .Soviet style

There has always been argument in film circles as to the most influential silent filmmaker. While there are countless different views on the subject, I will focus on the two that I consider the most influential filmmakers from the silent era. One is the great D.W. Griffith, which I will cover in a future blog. I'm currently studying his work. The other, Sergei Eisenstein, whom I have concluded my studies on, is the focus of this blog. I was going to do a whole mini-bio, but who would be interested in that? And that can be found anywhere really.

Eisenstein is so important, because he helped revolutionize the little things in cinema. His writings on montage are still used to this day by film students worldwide. Montage is the art of juxtaposing images to create another meaning. In layman's terms, using two images, to get a separate, THIRD meaning. For instance, take the image of a baby (I got this example from somewhere, might have been school). Babies generally create feelings of relaxation. But, have the next image be a pistol, and a whole separate meaning jumps into the viewers mind. It's a fascinating concept. And Eisenstein realized that his viewers had subconscious reactions to the juxtaposition of two or more unrelated images. Without his work on this, cinema might not be the art form it is today. Pretty much every film uses some form of montage, and our subconscious naturally connects the dots.

Critics have accused Eisenstein of formalism, and lack of narrative. They have a legitimate case against him, (at least in his silent films). But, the way I see it is, he wasn't out to tell stories. His films were designed to have an effect. His only motivation in making films was incite a reaction in his audience. And with his classics like Strike (1925) and The Battleship Potemkin (1925), he accomplished just that.

In Strike, a group of workers revolt against the injustice of their employer. There are definitely some odd scenes; the people living in the barrels immediately comes to mind. However, as a whole, it was an remarkably well-made film, especially as his feature-length debut. The most famous scene was the comparison of the workers getting killed to the cattle getting slaughtered. It clearly shows that from an early point in his career, Eisenstein was already well-versed in the art of montage.

The Battleship Potemkin, Eisenstein's most well known film, is one of the most legendary films of all time. Telling the story of a group of sailors who revolt against their superiors, it is a tremendously powerful film, even to this day. The classic scenes in this film are numerous: the ship's doctor looking at the maggots on the meat, the rapid editing as the two ships approach each other in the climax, and of course, the Odessa steps sequence. The Odessa Steps was the most brilliantly edited sequence in all of cinema up until that point. It's hard to describe without actually seeing it, but it involves a group of Cossacks putting down a gathering of people who sympathize with the Potemkin's crew. The editing is extremely quick and creates a tension that I believe was never previously seen in the cinema. The sequence with the baby carriage heading down the stairs is among the highlights of that entire sequence. http://http//www.youtube.com/watch?v=euG1y0KtP_Q

The film was an immense success, and after October (1927) (which was not as successful), Eisenstein tried his luck in Hollywood. Unfortunately his years in Hollywood were far from what he planned, none of his visions were fully realized. However, his unfinished documentary on Mexico, Que Viva Mexico!, is remarkable. It was an immense departure from anything he did previously. Meant to be a documentary on the Mexican people, it was an strangely surreal film, even in its unfinished form. It is a shame that it was never finished. But, a good two hours of film remain. Kino released a very good version of what's available of the film. http://http//www.youtube.com/watch?v=fKCsBH2o1Ys

Returning to his homeland, where he wasn't exactly Stalin's favorite must not have been his ideal course of action. But, shunned by Hollywood, he had little choice. His next great film Alexander Nevsky (1938), celebrated Russian nationalism, and was praised by Stalin. Naturally, Nevsky could be seen as Stalin on film to most Russians. The film was such a success that it was used by the Soviets for propaganda to create hope for the Russians in the face of the Nazi invasion. The revolutionary battle sequences were very influential for filmmakers like Olivier, Welles and Lean. The film was also another sea change for Eisenstein in that there was a clear narrative and a clear main character.

After Nevsky, Eisenstein made what I consider one of the lost gems of cinema. Ivan the Terrible parts one (1944) and two were incredibly well made films. Initially supposed to be a trilogy, Eisenstein sadly died before the third could be completed. And, considering Stalin banned the second part, it is unlikely that he would have been able to continue anyway. Telling the story of the ancient Russian tsar, it is a tale of intrigue and betrayal that showed a level of skill that Eisenstein had not yet shown. The two films explore the life of the Tsar. It shows how he came to power, and how he became paranoid and sought revenge against the boyars. Stalin, known for eradicating the people around him in the government loved the first film. In the second film, Ivan becomes more and more paranoid, and the heads keep on rolling. Stalin didn't have a problem with this. He had an issue with the fact that Eisenstein didn't do a good enough job showing WHY Ivan had to be cruel. Regardless, Stalin banned the second film, probably hitting a little too close to home. The two films are absolutely extraordinary and are among my favorite epics.

The tragedy of Eisenstein is that there was a lot that we will never get to see. He was sadly ostracized by many circles in his day. Perhaps he was just too radical. I personally think that he was very frustrated working in both Russia, and the US. In Russia, he was constantly under pressure to make films that were acceptable to the Party. And in the US, he arrived at a time when the Red Scare was just starting, and not many people were willing to be associated with a director who generally made Soviet propaganda (albeit extraordinary). However, at the end of the day, his writings on film and montage revolutionized cinema, and his studies made sure that it was never the same again.

Girl's birthdays, and celebrity deaths

Word to the wise, remember her birthday. Best friend, or girlfriend, it's just a good idea. Reminds of this time my girlfriend said, "Sumner, you should take leave on our anniversary." Great idea. "Yeah, that'll be cool." Well, I agreed and hung up. Then it dawned on me, I really don't know when that is. So, I called her, "Hey, so, uh, that anniversary thing, when is it again?" I'll just say it's a testament as to how lucky I have it that I didn't hear a dial tone. I guess I'm pretty kick ass too. Fuck you, I can be cocky on my own blog.

So, I'm sitting in the barracks in San Diego, and Fox News has been talking about MJ for over 6 hours now. It is pretty sad, no doubt. It's probably the biggest celebrity death of my life so far. I don't remember one this big since Di. But, really, people die every day. Just not a fan of all of this coverage. If you want to give him a great send off, stop talking about him. Thats what he wanted when he was alive.

I'm getting married. yup. Whoever didn't know that. There you go. You know how you grow up thinking about all of the things you want to accomplish in life? Getting married if often one of the most important. And it's happening to me. Of all people. The guy who'd rather smoke a cigar and sit outside than go to a bar. The guy who is a little chunky. The guy who watches films you've never heard of, and if you tried watching you would fall sleep. The guy who stays away from social gatherings. And, I'm getting married before most everyone I know. I'm everything you're NOT suppossed to be. Married?!?!?!? SUMNER?!!?!?!?! Yeah, and she is bangin' too. I guess I'm living proof intelligence is more important than any other factor. And confidence too. Hehe. No problems there!

World's Greatest Filmmaker?

Who is it? There are some new guys who recently joined the ranks of "great" but instead I'd like to focus on the two frontrunners, who have been doing this for a long, long time. One made his film career noteworthy by making movies about Sociopathic taxi drivers, a less romantic view of gangsters, despicable boxing legends, and Kafka-esque journeys through New York at night. The diversity of his work is perhaps what contributes the most to this man's greatness. This man goes by the name of Martin Scorsese, or "Marty" as he is called by his affectionate peers. I think at this point, it is safe to say that he represents the best of American cinema in the past 25 years.

Crossing the pond into Europe, we find a filmmaker with unlimited vision, and the tenacity to make any film that he wants, even if it nearly kills him, which has nearly happened on numerous occassions in this brilliant director's career. Films that exploit natures desire to destroy humanity, this is his comfort zone. Whether it be a journey into madness in the amazon, the expedition to carry a barge through the jungle, or a doc about a man who loves bears a little too much, Werner Herzog certainly has had a career of legend.

Growing up in New York, Scorsese transfered his experiences in that city onto film. While growing up, his father introduced him to cinema. One of his favorites growing up was John Ford's The Searchers. You know you're in for a great career when your first great film happens to be Mean Streets (1972). In my opinion, one of the best films of the 70s. This also started the legendary collaberation with Scorsese and De Niro, which would only get better in the following years.

In 1976, Scorsese made Taxi Driver, which is sometimes considered his greatest work. Digging into the depths of New York that no one really wanted to see, Taxi Driver is truly remarkable. De Niro plays Travis Bickle, a Vietnam vet who obviously has had some troubles adjusting. An insomniac, Bickle uses his disability to get a job as a cabbie at night, and as the film progresses, continuously shows his contempt for life in New York during the late hours. Always damning the general lack of morality on the streets, he spends his time not at work in porno theatres. Of all places. Eventually he falls in love with a young prostitute and tries to change her life. Spoiler Alert: To do so, he goes on a homicidal rampage against her employers. The overhead scene with the camera scrolling over the carnage was something that was never really seen before in American cinema. And debate continues to this day, whether the scenes with him after the massacre were really just all in his mind, and whether he is actually dead. Needless to say, the film was immediately hailed as a masterpiece and the character of Travis Bickle soon became legend. Are you talkin' to me?

Rather than go through Marty and De Niro's work, I think it best to focus on the two films that made both legends. The aforementioned Taxi Driver is one of them. In 1980, the two made a film together that remains one of the greatest films of all time. In fact, in my opinion, it is the greatest American film of all time. Even ahead of Citizen Kane, Casablanca and the Godfather. This film is Raging Bull.

The story goes that Marty had no desire to make this film. Definately not a fan of sports, he wasn't about to make a film about a boxer, of all things. During this time, Scorsese was also dealing with a number of addictions, at one point even being bedridden in the hospital. It was during this time when De Niro came to him for the idea of Raging Bull.

The Story is on the great boxer Jake La Motta, former middleweight champion, and the first boxer to defeat Sugar Ray Robinson. But its not quite a biopic, because there are a lot of liberties taken, like Joey (Joe Pesci) his made-up brother. But for those who have already seen the film, the actual sport plays little part in the grand scheme of the film.

From a purely technical standpoint, this is an amazing film. The black and white style is incredibly beautiful and further accentuates Marty's talent with period films. The editing from Thelma Schoonmaker won her an Oscar. The slow motion, and other nuances like discreet animal noises go unnoticed the first time through, repeat viewings reveal an incredible amount of subtlety, rarely, if ever seen before. Perhaps Orson Welles might be the only exception.

However, no matter how amazing a film looks or sounds, if it doesn't have an effective narrative, it is not a good way to spend two hours. The actual character of Jake La Motta is despicable. He has no redeeming qualities. He is abusive, paranoid and generally an asshole. This was a gripe many critics had with the film. Everyone hates the main character. But the talent of Scorsese allows us to feel for him. The film starts with La Motta at the bottom, after he quit boxing, and found himself without all friends, and even his family. Flash back twenty years prior, and we see La Motta rise to the top, and then fall back down to where we started the film. Most know about De Niro's dedication to his art, and in this film it was more evident than ever. Purposely putting his health at risk and gaining lots of weight to play his character after he quits boxing is rare dedication for an actor.

Roger Ebert gave excellent analysis of the character, so I won't go into that shit here. There are so many levels to this film, that everyone can relate someway to the La Motta character. There are many legendary scenes in this film. Whether its when Jake begs Sugar Ray to pound him into oblivion, or seeing his brother Joey for the first time in years and beggin for forgiveness, and not getting it. To me, the greatest scene will always be De Niro doing La Motta doing Brando. "It was you Charlie, it was you."

The inclusion of Scorsese's two aforementioned films would probably already make him one of the world's best, and that's why I'm not going to go into every film he's made. There are a lot of gems in his career. Some of which are vastly underrated, and unheard of, like After Hours. In more recent years, he has continued to make quality films like The Departed which finally nabbed Scorsese an Oscar for Best Director. Not that he should really give a shit. He has always done things outside of the norm in Hollywood. In my opinion he remains America's greatest living auteur.

Werner Herzog is perhaps one of the most unique directors of all time. The stories behind making his films, are often just as entertaining as the actual films. Unlike Scorsese and De Niro, Herzog and his muse Klaus Kinski, were definately not the best of friends. There was a period during the making of Aguirre, where many crew members thought that one of them was going to end up killing the other. Thankfully, it never happened, but Herzog did threaten to shoot Kinski, if he left the set. Klaus Kinski was legitimately insane, and later on in his career claimed to be the second coming of Jesus. Herzog made a documentary on Kinski called My Best Fiend, which chronicled their relationship and how well their films turned out together.

Prone to belittle the human condition in his films, he loves to show how weak humans really are, especially compared to nature. After the French New Wave took off in the early 60s, Germany wanted a piece of the action too. After all, Germany is pretty much equal with France and the US in terms of cinematic greatness. However, after the end of WW II, German cinema was seriously lagging behind. New filmmakers began to surface though, and they were on the same level as Truffaut and Godard in France. The two biggest names were Werner Herzog, and Rainer Fassbinder.

Herzog has been making films for a long time, and like Scorsese has made films that cover a wide variety of genres. His two greatest films, Aguirre, the Wrath of God and Fitzcarraldo are two of my favorite films ever. Both involve Klaus Kinski. And that was always trouble. Gotta love it.

Being one of the primary influences that led Coppola to make Apocalypse Now, Aguirre is the story of a Spanish expedition in the jungles of the Amazon, in search of the lost city of Gold. El Dorado. The film is extremely surreal and just gets wierder as the film goes on. Naturally, they never find the lost city, and all but one die, and that man is Aguirre, played by Klaus Kinski. Playing his character with such intensity, it is one of my favorite performances. The strange gait he has when he walks around the raft is so striking to me. Almost like his whole being is off-kilter.

The film was interesting before it even was made. Werner Herzog, describing Kinski's reaction when he read the script, says, "Between three and four in the morning, the phone rang," Herzog recalled. "It took me at least a couple of minutes before I realized that it was Kinski who was the source of this inarticulate screaming. And after an hour of this, it dawned on me that he found it the most fascinating screenplay and wanted to be Aguirre." And that was before they reached the location for shooting. In the Jungle. With Guns.

I guess Kinski was pissed about not being able to sleep or whatever, but whatever it was, he ended up shooting a some crewmembers tent because of their noise. Someone had his finger blown off. He also must not have enjoyed a current assistant. After demanding to Herzog that he be fired, he was turned down. Furious he tried to leave the set, at which point, Herzog threatened to shoot him, and then shoot himself.

Funny stories aside, this is a land mark film that helped pave the way for many experimental German cinema. It also happens to be one of my favorites. And what article is complete without a lovely picture of Kinski?

Following Aguirre, came another adventure, both on screen and off. This time, the epic, Fitzcarraldo. A strange story to begin with. Basically, Kinski plays Brian Sweeney Fitzgerald, an opera fanatic who's dream is to build an opera house in the middle of the South American jungle. And, to pursue his dream, he does the unthinkable, dragging a barge over a mountain. No special effects here. The cast and crew actually dragged that thing over the mountain. Naturally this caused as much drama as the escapades in Aguirre. Les Blank even made a documentary about the making of this film, Burden of Dreams. An apt title. Describing the film is inadequate. It really must be seen.

Part of what makes Herzog so great in my view is the fact that I don't think any other director would have had the resolve to finally finish both of these films, considering all of the problems encountered. Maybe Coppola. Following this train of thought, imagine the leadership that Herzog must have shown to keep everyone together until the end of these productions. And like Scorsese, Herzog has never stopped making great films. His remake of Nosferatu is one of the greatest remakes of all time. I was light on the drama that Herzog has endured off the set. I didn't mention the time that a sniper actually shot him during an interview. I am envious of the sense of satisfaction he must have when he goes to bed at night, knowing he didn't let ANYTHING get in the way of his vision.

Holy Shit! That was longer than expected. Anyways, two of the best.