Wolff rating:
Plot summary: Uprising on a Russian battleship in 1904 contributes to the Soviet cause.
Biased, pithy comments: I didn't rate this movie because there's pretty much nothing to compare it to. With Shostakovich's gripping score and Eisenstein's landmark camerawork, this is a movie that is hard to look away from, even as it is part of a movie-viewing tradition that is far outside the bounds of the last few decades of Hollywood (my area of familiarity). The patriotism and obvious manipulation (the brotherhood of the workers, the Tsarist oppressors, the unpunished slaughter of the innocents) reminded me of a few Nazi films I have seen, but the Nazis spent much less time on the cinematography, generally, and in this way ``Potemkin'' is a really interesting movie to watch outside of the (ancient) politics. So, whether for film-school or for fun, this is a truly *different* viewing experience. Not for casual viewing, though.
Other Notes: Silent. Russian in Russian.
How many times I have seen it: x1
Starring: Grigori Alexandrov, Alexander Antonov, Vladmir Barsky, Sergei M. Eisenstien (he's the weird-looking chaplain).
Directed by: Sergei M. Eisenstein