Earth
"Alexander Dovzhenko's ode to the beginning of collectivization in the Ukraine is a riot of delirious imagery of swaying wheat fields, ripening fruits, and stampeding horses. The arrival of a tractor is greeted with joy by the peasants who begin to imagine new lives for themselves, but surviving landowners try to assassinate the inspiring young head of the party's village committee. His death, though, only makes the viallagers stronger in their resolve; in a mind boggling finale, Dovzhenko brings together themes of birth, harvest, progress and solidarity as the dead man is reunited with the land he loved so well."-Richard Pena, 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die
Workers of the world...you have nothing to lose but your tractors...but if you lose your tractors, you lose your means of production...and if you lose your means of production, you lose your livelihood and if you lose your means of livelihood...you may lose your life. This is collectivism at it's most inspirational, comrades. I first saw this movie thirty years ago and it is a powerful silent piece regardless of your political point of view.-Comrade Cox, 1001: A Film Odyssey
Chess Fever
After all the heavy films of the Soviet silent era, I decided to end the with a comedy called Chess Fever. This is a funny short film about a man whose addiction to chess is causing all sorts of problems between him and his fiance. Many of the gags are well done and it speaks comically to the Russian obsession during this period (and still today) with the game. It even features a supporting role for the then current World Chess Champion Jose Raul Capablanca!-Comrade Cox, 1001: A Film Odyssey
Until next time, comrades!
Never saw anybody this happy for a tractor. They are really very very excited about getting one.
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