Battleship Potemkin Reviews

Left of the middle

I was interested in this film as it continually crops up in top 100 lists. The film is about an uprising in Russia during the first world war that begins on the Battleship Potemkin. It is impossible to distance the film from the label 'propoganda' as it depicts the brave workers struggle against the evil officers in a simplistic fashion. However, two things recommend the film. First, the photography is excellent capturing the mood of the uprising well. Second, the film is a record of an important event in Russian history, which had far reaching consequences for Russian politics. Overall I would say it is an interesting film rather than an enjoyable film, more like a documentary than a piece of entertainment.

Yes - it really is a classic!

After all the plaudits this film has received over the decades, I was prepared to be disappointed. Instead I was astonished that such a stunning, intelligent, sumptuous and moving film could have been made so early-on in cinematic history. Not a scene is wasted as the revolution is allegorised through a story of injustice and cruelty that prompts heroism, brotherhood, determination and finally, triumph. Riefenstahl aside, has propaganda (apparently commissioned by Lenin) ever been done better? I can?t believe there are some on here who found it boring. Watch it again and pay attention this time!

Iconic but watchable

It's hard to know how to give a rating to an iconic film like this. Clearly, in its time, it was revolutionary, and you cannot help but admire its inventiveness. You get little moments, such as silhouettes of men climbing up the side of a ship, or an aerial shot of crowds of men rushing across the ship's deck, that are works of art in their own right.

Although the revolutionary zeal expressed now seems at best corny, and at worst downright wrong-headed, this film still packs a dramatic punch. In particular, seeing the famous Odessa steps sequence in the context of the whole film is really quite something. The Battleship Potemkin is not without its faults but it's a film everyone should see at least once.

Revolutionary glory

This is truly a great film. Developed from a single page of a drama, it is awe inspiring in its cinematographic delivery and plot development.

When watching the film you have to keep remembering that it was made in 1927 - the logistics of producing some of the sequences are incredible (and have often been copied).

However, you need to watch this with a revolutionary zeal - the language would do Stalin proud, and the films climax is short of the historical failure of the 1905 revolution. However, this is still a well told film, and a good history lesson.

Well, what can you say about this film? It's one of classic films of all time, instrumental in using editing to achieve emotional dissonance. The technique of montage was also used by other Russian directors, and as a comparison I'd suggest watching Man with a Movie Camera.

where's the red flag?!

Given the trouble that Eisenstein went to, painting the red flag onto the original black and white films cels, I can't believe that the DVD doesn't reproduce this effect.

That said, this is still a great movie, and it is paced much fast than other Eisenstein films available on DVD and has a relatively good soundtrack.

Hard-going, but essential

If you're checking out this out, it's probably because you're a film buff who's interested in cinema as an art form and simply must see every classic film there is. I mean, nobody watches Eisenstein for ENTERTAINMENT, right?

Like all of his films that I've seen, this one drags on a bit but there are of course plenty of spectacular images to keep you interested. This is communist propogranda at it's most artistic -- especially in the case of that infamous image of the pram rolling precariously down the steps.

Visually this is probably my favourite Eisenstein film so far -- although I'd also recommend 'Alexander Nevsky' as a great one that doesn't usually appear on the critic's lists.

Excellent documetary, the Battleship Potemkin, the sailors mutiny against their oppressors. Ecitement and drama as they steam towards the fleet, not knowing if their comrades will join with them or not.

I'm not a film buff and generally, I wouldn't watch an ancient, silent movie like this. However, there is plenty of drama, it's a manageable length and (according to knowledgeable friends) it influenced a number of film techniques and subsequent classic scenes.

I know that movie buffs the world over will want to shoot me for saying this but I found this movie very boring! I know that it is supposed to be a classic and it was ground breaking in every way etc etc but I still found it dull. I did enjoy the famous 'steps' scene - interesting to see where so many other film makers have stolen the idea from.