Ivan the Terrible

This was an interesting film to watch, mainly because of the time period it was shot. As we all know, World War II was at it's peak and I can only imagine how difficult it was for Sergei Eisenstein to find the materials and people necessary to create such a film. At first, I wasn't expecting very much from the sets or the actors given the circumstances, but to my surprise, Eisenstein found a way and created what seemed like a different world. What first caught my eye were the detailed sets and costumes used throughout the film. They really helped set the tone of the time period and the dramatic events that took place in part 1. 

Another technique that Eisenstein used with his actors was the way he directed them throughout the film. Their style of acting seemed was very exaggerated, yet it wasn't overpowering. I know that Eisenstein was a fan of kabuki theater, which is a very exaggerated form of acting in Japan. He must have been influenced by this to create a hybrid style of acting for this film. I enjoyed it very much. 

As for the plot of the film, I immediately recognized aspects of socialist realism incorporated from the beginning. The main one that jumped out was the fact that once Ivan was crowned tsar, his first decree was to unite the country's city-states to create a unified Russia. He also said that if any opposed, they would be taken by force. This is just an example of history repeating itself. Ivan the Terrible lived during the 1600s and is a predecessor to Stalin. Yet, they have similar ideologies. 

I don't believe that Ivan is a bad person for wanting to create a stronger, more unified Russia. I just feel like he went about it the wrong way. I do understand there is a ton of politics between Moscow and the other city-states. This is morally the right way too handle the situation, but I think Ivan wanted to use the faster route and take them by force so he could see his vision for the future of Russia come true while he was still in power.

Overall, I liked the film very much and I appreciate Eisentein's efforts in creating it. He was very fortunate to have such great actors and crew members at his disposal during such a hard time in history.