Search - Alexander Nevsky Criterion Collection (#87) on DVD

I was very impressed with this film

Kurt A. Johnson | North-Central Illinois, USA | 07/08/2010

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Alexander Nevsky retells the story of Prince (and later Saint) Alexander Nevsky, Grand Prince of Novgorod and Vladimir, who in 1242 defeated the crusading Livonian Knights at the Battle of the Ice. This 1938 film was produced by the great Russian filmmaker Sergei Mikhailovich Eisenstein. The film has a definite timeliness about it, with the Germanic bishop sporting swastikas and the enemy foot soldiers wearing helmets that were obvious references to 20th century German helmets. Released to great critical acclaim, the movie was subsequently pulled from theatres after the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact was signed. Later, after the German invasion of Russia, the film was returned to the theatres.

I must say that I was very impressed with this film. It's powerfully made, and Sergei Prokofiev's soundtrack does a great job of accompanying the film. I expected to find the movie to be much more political than it was. It was definitely nationalistic, but it was not overtly communist or Stalinist or what have you. No, this is a great movie that well deserves its reputation as a classic. If you like great cinematography, then watch this film - you won't be disappointed!

One of the bonuses on this DVD is a restored version of Eisenstein's never-finished 1937 film, which was cobbled together from the first and last frames of each shot, which had been saved by his widow. It's a bald work of political propaganda, a celebration of Communist informers, and I for one found it totally without merit. A much better addition is the commentary on the score of the film Alexander Nevsky - it is definitely worth your time to check it out.

Anyway, this is a great DVD, and I give it my highest recommendations!"