Battleship Potemkin (1925)

Eisenstein shooting Potemkin

Battleship Potemkin Pronounced “Potyomkin” Pronounced “Potyomkin” Planned as a part of a cycle of films about the Revolution (along with Strike and October) Planned as a part of a cycle of films about the Revolution (along with Strike and October) Tells about an episode of the 1905 revolt (suppressed) Tells about an episode of the 1905 revolt (suppressed) Myth-making, but relatively true to the historical events (not in details!) Myth-making, but relatively true to the historical events (not in details!)

Historical Events 11 days of mutiny on Potemkin 11 days of mutiny on Potemkin Hailed and supported by the population of Odessa Hailed and supported by the population of Odessa Unrest in the city suppressed by Imperial troops Unrest in the city suppressed by Imperial troops No support from other ships No support from other ships Ran out of food and fuel, fled to Romania Ran out of food and fuel, fled to Romania No significant political outcome No significant political outcome

Battleship Potemkin: structure Five parts (reels) introduced by intertitles, resemble five acts of tragedy: Reel One: Men and Maggots Rotten meat, doctor refuses to see the maggots, image of glasses Rotten meat, doctor refuses to see the maggots, image of glasses Reel Two: Drama on the Quarterdeck Refusal to eat soup – cornered on the deck, refusal to fire on comrades, mutiny, Vakulinchuk’s death Refusal to eat soup – cornered on the deck, refusal to fire on comrades, mutiny, Vakulinchuk’s death Reel Three: Appeal from the Dead Vakulinchuk’s body brought to Odessa, shrine, mourning, raising of red flag Vakulinchuk’s body brought to Odessa, shrine, mourning, raising of red flag Reel Four: The Odessa Steps Fraternization of sailors and townspeople. Sailboats bring food to ship. Soldiers massacre people on steps. Battleship fires on army headquarters. Fraternization of sailors and townspeople. Sailboats bring food to ship. Soldiers massacre people on steps. Battleship fires on army headquarters. Reel Five: Meeting the squadron Night of suspense, the engines of ship fired up. Ship passes triumphantly through squadron sent to suppress mutiny. Night of suspense, the engines of ship fired up. Ship passes triumphantly through squadron sent to suppress mutiny.

Eisenstein’s Cinema as rejection of established cinematic norms Realism Realism Actors Actors Sets Sets Static camera Static camera Long shots Long shots Statuesque human form: full shots Statuesque human form: full shots Eroticism Eroticism Fictional narrative Fictional narrative Focus on the individual Focus on the individual The Real The Real Real people Real people Filmed on location Filmed on location Mobile camera Mobile camera Short, staccato shots Short, staccato shots Grotesque deformed body: detail shots Grotesque deformed body: detail shots Brotherhood, motherhood Brotherhood, motherhood History as myth History as myth Focus on the masses Focus on the masses

Themes and motifs Brotherhood: Vakulinchuk’s cry “Brothers!” Brotherhood: Vakulinchuk’s cry “Brothers!” Religious motifs: slaughter of the innocent Religious motifs: slaughter of the innocent « Optimistic tragedy »: Individuals die, while the cause of revolution triumphs. « Optimistic tragedy »: Individuals die, while the cause of revolution triumphs. Machines and men Machines and men

Eisenstein’s films are didactic: they always channel an ideological message introduced here in the quotation from Lenin. Eisenstein’s films are didactic: they always channel an ideological message introduced here in the quotation from Lenin. There is no hero (well-rounded individual) in Strike and Potemkin : there are masses, classes, types; the hero will only appear in October: Lenin as the leader without whom the revolution cannot succeed. There is no hero (well-rounded individual) in Strike and Potemkin : there are masses, classes, types; the hero will only appear in October: Lenin as the leader without whom the revolution cannot succeed. Montage of attractions: juxtaposition of unrelated expressive images in a rapid succession (technique influenced by D.W.Griffith’s Intolerance, 1916). Montage of attractions: juxtaposition of unrelated expressive images in a rapid succession (technique influenced by D.W.Griffith’s Intolerance, 1916).

Montage and camera Creates metaphors of power (ex., lions) Creates metaphors of power (ex., lions) Innocence vs violence (ex., the face of the woman – the rows of soldiers with bayonets lowered) Innocence vs violence (ex., the face of the woman – the rows of soldiers with bayonets lowered) Soldiers as depersonalized graphic lines moving forward; citizens of Odessa as individuals (close- ups) Soldiers as depersonalized graphic lines moving forward; citizens of Odessa as individuals (close- ups) Difference in perspective: soldiers are in control, move downwards; victims’ perspective is from below Difference in perspective: soldiers are in control, move downwards; victims’ perspective is from below

Lens Theme Doctor refuses to see maggots Doctor refuses to see maggots Shattered lens of woman’s glasses on steps Shattered lens of woman’s glasses on steps Canvas over mutineers so that comrades with guns cannot see them Canvas over mutineers so that comrades with guns cannot see them Camera lens sees and records Camera lens sees and records Camera as inverted metaphor for the gun: cf. “the pen is mightier than the sword.” Camera as inverted metaphor for the gun: cf. “the pen is mightier than the sword.”

The Odessa Steps Sequence The Odessa Steps Sequence

The glorification of the machine… Battleship itself joins the revolution Battleship itself joins the revolution camera focuses on guns, machinery of engine room camera focuses on guns, machinery of engine room Soldiers advance like faceless automatons down the Odessa steps Soldiers advance like faceless automatons down the Odessa steps

Visual quotes…

Francisco Goya The Third of May 1808 (1814 )

Michelangelo’s Pietà

Edvard Munch: The Scream (1893)

Hand-painted flag