Ivan the Terrible - Pt. 2 (1959)

Sergei Eisenstein's saga of Czar Ivan IV continues with the struggle for power and the use of secret police, a controversial segment that caused the film to be banned by Stalin in 1946 (the film was not released until 1958). The predominantly black-and-white film features a banquet dance sequence in color. Obviously the two parts must be viewed as a whole to be fully appreciated. Many film historians consider this period in Eisenstein's career less interesting than his silent period because of a sentimental return to archaic forms (characteristic of Soviet society in the '30s and '40s). Perhaps it was just part of his maturity. --Bill Desowitz Amazon.com

Ivan the Terrible Part 2

This is the last, and least significant of the three movies in the boxed set, "Eisenstein the Sound Years". Not a bad conclusion to "Ivan the Terrible Part I", but pretty much meaningless without it.

The other two discs in this set, "Alexander Nevsky" and "Ivan the Terrible Part I" are excellent examples of art in the service of propaganda. Eisenstein and Prokofiev team up to portray evil and self sacrifice in a way obviously intended to inspire the Russian people for the conflict they were about to have with Germany.

Those movies will blow you away! November 25, 2007

Stalin's Favorite Role Model

Despite having been produced over 60 years ago, IVAN THE TERRIBLE remains one of the most bizarre and compelling movies ever made. It is filmed in an ultra-expressionist style, despite the fact that expressionism had long passed its heyday in the 1920's and early 30's. Nonetheless, the style fits this almost gothic film perfectly. Religious and other symbols of power and authority are exaggerated, transformed into grotesques. The powerless peasantry, mired in the darkest ignorance, is presented as a frightening presence of menace, ever lurking in the background, waiting to be harnessed by the next tyrant. Ivan himself is depicted as an elongated, Nosferatu-type character with a moral compass so convoluted as to be nonexistent. The mixing of "song & dance numbers" under the most monstrous circumstances toward the end of Part II only enhances the mesmerizing quality of the film. It is said that Stalin attempted to pressure the director to make this masterpiece more "Stalinist friendly," but that the filmmaker courageously refused. Unfortunately almost all other films made during the Stalinist Era reflect the justifiably maligned, dreary style called "socialist realism."

Nosferatu - Special Edition
German Horror Classics (Nosferatu (1922) / The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari / Waxworks / The Golem)

October 3, 2006

The final combat against the boyars!

This landamrk film keeps of course the acidity of his bitter significance around the brutal conflict, aroused by inner rivalries between Ivan and the Boyars who were directly involved with the assasination of his parents.

A monumental masterpiece that must be seen by all those who love the cinema. July 7, 2006

Not for everyone

Right off the bat, it needs to be said that this is the older DVD version, not the new remastered Criterion Collection version. There are no extras in this DVD version by Image. The subtitles are black and white, and are difficult to read against the black-and-white film sequences. The excellent score by Prokofiev is tinny. The soundtrack was recorded in PCM, essentially a WAV file, which will not play on many older DVD players. The transition between the black and white sequences and the color sequences is not as smooth as it could be. The difference between the Image version and the Criterion version is one of quality and content, and price. The Criterion version comes as part of a boxed set, which is pricey if you already own Alexander Nevsky and/or Ivan Part I. If you don't already own Alexander Nevsky and/or Ivan I, the Criterion version is the way to go. If you do own it, then you have to decide whether to purchase the Image version and spend less money, or to replicate part of your film library with the 3 disk set from Criterion.

As to the virtues of this Eisenstein compared to other Eisenstein films or all other films, the pacing will be too slow and the posed acting will be too melodramatic for most American audiences raised on modern action flicks. Film lovers will get more out of it, however, because most of them will have the background to appreciate the preservation of the silent film acting style with all its posing, stance, pregnant pauses and charactured good guy/bad guy visual "leitmotifs." The historical background of the film will be missed by your average modern western audience, who would probably fail to sort the propagandizing of Soviet filmmaking from the dramatic touches and historical details. Overall, this is worthy film to watch because of its historical value, insight into the Soviet "social realism" school, hand-in-glove Prokofiev score and brilliant cinematography. The set-up for the final murder and the murder scene itself are great cinema, achieving the pacing and suspense that seem lacking in the first half of the film. Even though you know what is going to happen, the resolution is still satisfying and surprising. If anything, see this film for that. My three stars are really to rate this DVD version because of its tinny and grainy quality and hard-to-read subtitles. Better to spend you money to get the Criterion boxed set instead, even if you do end up replicating one or more Eisenstein's which you may already own. February 15, 2004

Worth at least renting

If you are interested in the history, check this movie out. The subs aren't exactly great, but it lets you know what's going on. June 19, 2000

More reviews at Amazon.com ...