'' is a
Film directed by
Sergei Eisenstein and
Dmitry Vasiliev , made by
Mosfilm and released in
1938 , during the
Stalin Era , with
Nikolai Cherkasov in the title role.
The
Screenplay is based on the
13th Century conflict between the
Teutonic Knights and the
Russian People of
Novgorod . The film follows the knights as they invade
Pskov and massacre its population.
Alexander Nevsky then rallies the people of Novgorod and at a battle on the surface of the frozen
Lake Peipus the outnumbered Novgorodians defeat the Germanic invaders. Setting this historical defeat of
Germans by Russians to film was a not so subtle prophecy that history was about to repeat itself.
The film was requested of Eisenstein directly by Stalin who wanted a film that would warn the Soviet people of German aggression. The film contains many elements that reflect the then current global political situation. The helmets worn by the Teutonic soldiers look much like larger German soldier helmets from the period.
Swastika s are also to be found decorating many of the Teutons. The film also shows Nevsky making peace with his old enemies the
Mongol s in order to face the knights, hinting at the necessity of making peace with the western powers to deal with Nazi Germany.
Unfortunately the film was released moments before Stalin agreed to the
Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact creating a Nazi-Soviet alliance. The film was suppressed and not shown in theaters. This changed dramatically in
1941 after the German attack on the Soviet Union and Stalin ordered the film to be shown in every Soviet cinema.
Eisenstein, still regarded as one of history's greatest film makers, used all his abilities to produce another acclaimed picture. The film is far more western than any of his previous works, it tells one story with a single narrative arc and focuses on one main character. The special effects and cinematography were some of the most advanced ever. The film is the first of Eisenstein's to use sound. The
Alexander Nevsky Film Score is
Composed by
Sergei Prokofiev , who later reworked the score into the
Alexander Nevsky Concert Cantata . Eisenstein developed dramatic new methods of mixing music and visuals. The entire film culminates in the half hour battle scene set to Prokofiev's pounding score, a scene that has been the model for most epic battle scenes to have come since.
See: Ulrich Wuenschel, Sergej Prokofjews Filmmusik zu Sergej Eisensteins ALEXANDER NEWSKI, 2005 (in German)
