FilmIndia (1948)

March, 1948 FILM INDIA I THE SOVIET LOSS The Soviet film industry has lost a great movie ■stalwart and craftsman in the death of Sergei EisenEtein, the renowned Russian director and producer ■who prssed away at the age of 50. Beginning his career behind the stage, Eisenstein first broke into news by producing the first Russian Workers' Theatre and joined the movies in 1924 after associating himself with several outstanding successes of the Soviet Theatre. Like the majority of his compatriots, Eisenstein tras a highly sensitive and sentimental artiste who had a lion's share in building up the Russian film industry, shaping the progressive trends of recent soviet films and interpreting the nation's ideology in the screen during peace and war. In the year 1925 Serge Eisenstein became known n the world of Motion Picture art by his film "Battleship Potemkin". The narrative of events on this jattleship was depicted with an extraordinary artistic clearness and convincingly told. This film was xhibited in n any countries with gread success Even newspapers hostile to the main conception of the ilm wrote admiring articles about it. In the years if the present war this film was re-assembled in LJ. S. A., partly made sound and released to the Unerican sereen. Although about twenty years passed since the •elease of this film it still remains interesting for the ;enerol public because it belongs to those few Moion Picture productions which do not die, films squally interesting not only to expert. and connoisieurs but also to the general public. This film is ;poken of in many pxticles on history of world art. Acting in a capacity of motion picture director Eisenstein endeavoured to create his own indepenlent style in directing films. He endeavoured to ;ho\v on the screen people in the throes of revolution. The masses of the nation and special groups were liven in his film> the leading parts. Such were his ilm "Strike ". "Battleship Potemkin". "October". He was elected member of the Hollywood Acalemy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in 1930 lesponsible for introducing many a novel and in;enious innovation in film technique, he published in 943 "The Film Sense", an exhaustive and penetratng defence of his screen method inculcating his amous theory that a film director must impart on he screen nothing less than what a painter or a poet Iocs in picture and poems. The popularity of this book could be gauged roni the fact that it proved to be of immense inspiation and authoritative guidance to film directors ind artistes not only in Russia but in all film proiucing centres the world over. Eisenstein's '"Thunder Over Mexico ", depicting he Mexican nation's history in celluloid, earned him he greatest acclaim and is still regarded e.s one of he towering achievements in Soviet film history. Out of the talkie pictures produced by Eisensein, film "Alexander Nevsky" is one of the best known. This film depicts a brilliant Russian commander of the thirteenth century who routed the army of the Livonian knights. A new film directed by Eisenstein "Ivan the Terrible" is dedicated to one of the most remarkable Russian czars of the sixteenth century. With the na.me of this czar are connected a good many legends and folk-lore. Many literary works were written describing the court intrigues during the reign of the Czar Ivan; his struggle with external enemies; his romantic ventures etc. Czar Ivan represents a very brilliant human personality. In the scenario written by Eisenstein, the genius of the Czar, his dealings with foreign governments, his firmness in struggle with his foes and his desire to establish and strengthen the Russian empire are well reflected. In the role of Czar Ivan Eisenstein filmed a prominent Soviet cinema actor Nicholas Cherkasoff, who became known after playing the part of professor Tin iryazev in the film "'Deputy of the Baltic", the part of Maxim Gorki in the film "Lenin in 1918"' and others. 0 Undoubtedly the film "Ivan the Terrible" will be one of the more brilliant productions in the art of Motion Pictures. In his death the Reds have lost their greatest seasoned craftsman, a prolific thinker and visionary whose many tpialities and international personality were a valuable asset to their film industry and whose contribution to the screen will have a pride of place in motion picture history. Calm and dignified even in moments of grief. Kamini Kaushal plays the charming heroine in "Aag", R. K. Films' maiden presentation, produced and directed by Raj Kapoor. J7