[sabotai]

Stachka (1925)
English: Strike


(The entire movie on google video, for anyone wanting to watch it)

Directed By: Sergei M. Eisenstein
Starring: Grigori Aleksandrov, Aleksandr Antonov, Yudif Glizer
Length: 82 min
Genre: Drama / Propaganda
Based On: Original Screenplay by Grigori Aleksandrov, Sergei M Eisnstein, Ilya Kravchuvsky, Valeryan Pletnyov

A soviet propanda film set during the rule of the Czars. The story is about a factory strike that occurs after the rich owners of the factory bring in spies to look over the workers. One worker gets falsely accused of stealing, and hangs himself on the grounds. That is the last straw for the workers, and they strike. Revolt would probably be a better for for it.

During the beginning, the workers and their families are happy about the strike. They have grown tired of the repressive owners and the terrible work conditions. Time drags on, however, and the owners simply reject every offer made by the workers who are trying to negotiate down some of the owners unreasonable demands.

Familes starve and are broken apart. The rich owners, however, stay rich. There is one scene that shows four of the very fat owners sitting around a table, indulging themselves on very expensive food and drink.

The owners grow tired of the strike and the military is aclled in. The striking workers are slaughtered. During this scene, Eisenstein also showed footage of cattle being slaughtered, pretty much throwing that metophor in your face.

I thought the movie was quite good, even if it was pretty absurd, but seeing how it was a propaganda film, of course it was absurd. This was Eisenstein's second film, and it showed he was a visionary in terms of cinematography.

Entertainment Rating: 7/10
Historical Rating: 8/10