Alexander Newski

Alexander Nevsky (1938) is a brilliant piece of cinematic propaganda. The people of Russia are threatened by two major enemies, the Mongols and the Teutonic Knights of the Holy Roman Empire. In ordered to unite the warring, rival Princes in the Russian Realm, Nevsky takes charge and fights the lesser of two evils (The Teutonics). This influential film was copied many times over and it still holds up to this day. The soundtrack by composer Prokiev and Eisentstein's direction are a sight and sound to behold Many years later, John Milius used many of the movies scenes, set pieces and costumes from this film and incorporated them into Conan.

One of my favorite lines from Conan was taken from this movie. "It's not the strength of the iron in a weapon but the strength of the person that wields it is what matters." The comparisons are unmistakable. The armor that James Earl Jones and the Leader of the Teutonic Knights wear are virtually identical. A true tribute paid from one director to another.

I give Alexander Nevsky one of my highest recommendations. The movie plays like the final Act of Richard III. The presence of Prince Alexander on the screen is truly amazing.

Guys, before saying that Alexander Nevsky is a propaganda film, please keep in mind that it is about a Russian saint, prince and patriot and it was produced in the country which totally denied religion, patriotism and nobility. If you look more attentively you can notice that the Novgorod churches had no crosses on top. The full helmets Eisenshtein took from ancient manuscripts and followed the history precisely. The portable organ the monk plays was an exact copy of the real thing from the 13th century which crusaders used. The children auto-da-fe was taken from ancient chronicles (both Russian and German). But in addition it had religious meaning since it draws parallel with Herod's slaughter of the innocents (used later once again in Ivan The Terrible). Alexander Nevsky is a Russian historical saga which has everything in common with old Russian cultural and historical tradition but nothing (or very little) with the Soviet propaganda. The film definitely has allusions to the Stalin's time: free Novgorod republic fights for its freedom at the expense of prosperity, elected prince Alexander (leader but not czar) etc. But nevertheless I think that the French critic Robert Brasillach (he was very close to nazis) was right when he called Alexander Nevsky the slavic war carol which has nothing to do with bolshevism, communism etc.

But IMHO Serghey Eisenshtein was against the war and followed the tradition of War And Peace by Leo Tolstoy. The same plot with common people uniting to oppose the uppish professional army. If you remember the scene when Russian soldiers alike in color with the earth and trees butted into the German close formation they use axes the same way they did when chopping woods. No pride, honor or awards but every day job. I think it is an excellent film which is larger then our judgements.

I think it's a superb cinematography experience, once again Einsenstein goes beyond the conventional visual elements of the movies, lets take an example, we are used to see the white color as a sign of purity, and the black color as the "bad" element. Here this visual elements are twisted, showing the enemy in white and the russians in dark uniforms. Certainly there is a propaganda tone in the whole story, but it's quite comprehensible for the time (previous to WWII) and the country. There is another element for which this movie is so touching, the excellent music by Serge Prokofiev, and specially the part of the battle. Alexander Nevsky is very much worth seeing not seeking for a conventional war movie, but as an alternative way of cinematic expression.

I've loved this movie since the first time I saw it lo these many years ago. I'm not sure how many times I've seen it, perhaps 10, perhaps 20. This last time I watched it I was struck by a detail that I hadn't noticed before.

Toward the end of the picture, the slain heroes are conveyed back to the town via sled. There are a couple of closeups of the dead men. The one that struck me most was a shot of the blond youth. All you see on the screen is his profile from head to hands. His hands hold a flickering candle. The wind is blowing and his thick blond hair is dancing in the wind, in sync with the flicker of the candle flame. The contrast between death and the life he has lost is incredibly powerful. The moving hair and candle flame remind us of the life force that once inhabited his body.

Every time I revisit this film I see something new.

At school I was taught how some shots were called and there were two directors constantly mentioned : Orson Welles and Sergei M. Eisenstein. I didn't care that much then (I was a kid!) but now I know why, Eisenstein is a genius and it is a shame to see what was possible in 1938 where as almost more than a half century we're stuck with countless blank movies! Some say this movie isn't worth the genius of Eisenstein (then they have to watch it over and over till they can say anything bad) or even worse that it is just some propagandamovie for the Russians. Let's say it as it is, it is indeed pure propaganda for patriotism but isn't "Saving private Ryan" or "The longest day" so? I could sum up so many movies in where America is being raised to the top so why not Russia, and besides every war is fought for itrs patriotism why else would they raise flags? Aleksandr Nevsky is a must for anyone who cares about cinematography as almost every shot is a sublime picture. Perhaps it's all overseen but I am in wonder why this isn't included in IMDB's Top 250 where as there is so many overrated Oscarcrap in it as well.