#its like when you watch battleship potemkin you know where the focus is and why the focus is and why odessa step sequence is so subversive

[yingdu-lover]

who could have thought lu guang's original ☠️ feud was with his own mother-in-law and not the hot head trio (which he probably caused himself)

like imagine this conversation between lu guang and shao yuanyuan

shao : why did you go back in the past and mess up things?!

guang : and who was the one who caused her own son's death?!

shao : ...

guang : ಠ⁠益⁠ಠ

shao : I would return to him after saving my husband-

guang : well, your husband is husband and my husband is not husband?!

(☠️ really wanted to use "twada kutta tommy sada kutta kutta?" here)

[startwithus]

Battleship Potemkin

by Irra Bulalacao

Battleship Potemkin is a Soviet silent film directed by Sergei Einstein during 1925. There is no one actor or actress that this film focused all throughout the film. The protagonists are the crew or staff of Potemkin. Although there is this one characater named ‘Vakulinchuk’ who happened to be the inspiration of the crew of the Potemkin, but all throughout the film, the narrative evolves around the journey and struggle of the crew in the Potemkin. They are the focus of this film and how they will make their revolution successful. The film is divided into five acts which for me, really helped a lot in making the movie easier to understand since by giving the title of each act, you could know the focus of the next following scenes.

If I will be comparing it to the other silent films that I have watched, it has distinct characteristics especially when it comes to editing like how each of the scenes were organized. With that, let’s talk about some of its elements. First is its plot. When it comes to its plot, it reflects the Russian ideologies especially the communist ideology of Russian people. They believe that what’s yours is also theirs and what’s theirs is also yours. Communism is beyond democracy that everybody is equal. Communism in a sense is trying to eradicate the social class within the society which results in social revolution just like what is shown in the film. The plot is very political since you can see the gap between the working class like the crew of the Potemkin and the officers. That is also the reason why I enjoyed the film because the attack of the narrative is very political. The intention of the film for me is to inform and encourage. All throughout the film, there are so many scenes that proletariats show unity and to make their mutiny successful.

When it comes to its actors and actresses, I am not sure if all the actors in the film are famous in Russia since I did not feel that they are actors. They are very natural when it comes to acting. Especially the scene where they complained about the rotten meat and the scene where there is this officer spoke about killing all the Jews. I have seen some films depicting the life of activists and when I saw the movie, I felt that they are just like activists who are fighting for their rights. And they all have equal exposure during the film.

The direction of the film for me is very good. Since the film is divided into five parts, it made me understand the film easily. Also, the three-act rule is present. There is a build-up when it comes to exposing the conflict of the film. The start of the film introduce the setting and the characters. And slowly, giving some insights of what the problem in the film is. For me, the length of the film is enough to tell the story. For me it’s not slow nor fast pace since the film was able to show each of the scenes clearly. Although the motive of the film is very straightforward since right after the first act, you would know that they will make a revolution so at somehow, I assumed right away that there will be series of revolution attempts from the crew of Potemkin.

When it comes to its cinematography, soviet film has also distinct characteristics compare to the others. I really like the build-up shots wherein the cinematographer will focus on a particular thing that adds up to the mood of the scene. They know how to play the camera angles as well. The cinematographers are focusing on some of the objects and by that, you could easily know what’s going on. There is this scene wherein one crew of Potemkin is running away from the officer, and he stepped on the piano and some other things. Instead of showing the whole character while he is running but then the cinematographer chose to focus the camera on the feet of the character. And by that, it still shows that the character is in a hurry without showing its full body while running. The angles of each of the scenes have an objective because it may add up on the mood of the film. For most of the scenes, for me, they are like montage because there are scenes that shows where the setting is. The film is using these montages as transition as well.

About its production design, the characters look is like real proletariats. And even their clothing as well. Each of the settings in the film are believable even the ship and how the crew in the ship work. They made it believable as possible. While the editing is also good as well. Since there is somehow like a montage in the film, and the film used it as a transition, it made the editing smooth. There are no cringey feeling because there is no sudden change of setting because there is transition that will slowly direct you to the next scene. This is also one distinct characteristics of this film that I really like. Also, the intertitles are enough for the viewers to understand the film. There are lots of intertitles in this film, so I think it adds up to the reason why it is very easy to understand.

In conclusion, the film ‘Battleship Potemkin’ and its elements worked together in giving its message clearly. Its elements were able to give the viewers the strong impression towards the film since it is very political as well. I really enjoy this film because there are lots of semantics used and it created implied messages towards the viewers. For me, since I am fond of watching films that are very political, I think the film is successful in giving a strong message to the viewers. Even we are not a communist society, as a viewer, you will somehow feel and sympathized the working class or the proletariats since we are all aware that there is gap between social class. People who have the power or in control in resources, the capitalists, they are more likely the people who will oppress the proletariats. Indeed, this film depicts not only the differences and gaps in social class but it also depicts how powerful mass is especially when they work together to get that one goal they all want to achieve.