Multimedia Collection
October
VHS
104 minutes
PN1997 .O281 1988
One of the most extraordinary aspects of Eisenstein's work is his genius for recreating major historical events to suit the dramatic requirements of the cinema. Nowhere is this more evident than in his recreation of the events leading up to the Russian Revolution in October. The fact that most footage used in documentary films showing the storming of the Winter Palace are not from newsreels, but lifted from Eisenstein's October, is a testament to how successful Eisenstein was in carrying out his commission from the Soviet government to commemorate the triumph of the October 1917 revolution.
Ironically, Eisenstein's original version of October was heavily censored by Stalin: when it was released in the United States as Ten Days That Shook The World, it was considerably shorter, with many of Eisenstein's montage sequences deleted.
Fortunately, in 1967 a full restoration was made by Eisenstein's associate Grigori Alexandrov for the 50th anniversary of the Russian Revolution. The missing sequences, a music score composed by Dmitri Shostakovich and a sound effects track were added.
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