Two Films by Sergei Eisenstein: October / Alexander Nevsky

To mark the 10th anniversary of the 1917 Soviet Revolution, co-directors Grigori Aleksandrov and Sergei Eisenstein crafted the silent docudrama "October" (1927) that blended historical re-enactments and Eisenstein’s trademark montage sequences to chronicle the Bolsheviks’ rise to power and the promise of the proletariat state. Based on the book by American author John Reed. Then, Eisenstein’s lavish spectacle "Alexander Nevsky" (1938)--one of the classics of Soviet cinema--recounts the invasion of Russia by the Teutonic Knights in the 13th century. Nikolai Cherkasov stars as the title hero, with music by Sergei Prokofiev. 3 1/2 hrs. on two discs. Standard; Soundtracks: music score, Russian; Subtitles: English. Silent with music score/In Russian with English subtitles.