Week 2 Films

Strike (1925) - Sergei M. Eisenstein

I’m not exactly sure what to make of this film. I have to admit I started feeling very restless and bored realizing that the entire hour and half would in fact be dealing with a non-narrative strike. But I was impressed that it was a true production and that this many people were involved in a non-mainstream film. It felt very loaded in terms of the visual mockery of the people in power. Their faces took on gruesome traits and the way that one of the men pops up the table with all the alcohol when they’re supposed to be considering the terms of the proletariat makes it clear how Eisenstein viewed this class as ridiculous.

 I also thought it was very effective to juxtapose the man juicing the orange with the police trampling the laborers. I felt the effect of the police more vividly because of that. I thought the most avant-garde element, as I understand it, was the shot where all the riff-raff pop out of the holes on the king’s land. It was interesting how the film devolved into total chaos, starting with these strange characters. Having the riot go on for so long at the end reflected the actual feeling of it being never-ending for the people.  I felt ignorantly surprised with the way that it ended. I guess I’m used to narrative films where, even when it’s a tragedy, there’s more of a denouement lead out.

Odessa Steps

This scene showcased horrors of authority even more so than Strike, particularly with Eisenstein’s decision to show the child being trampled. I like how he drew everything out, like with the pram falling down the steps, because he created tension in an artful way. I also appreciated how there was a never-ending stream of people coming down the steps; it felt like the steps themselves went on forever.