How a Soviet propaganda film reminded me what I need in a movie

As I settled down in my dorm room with my Bell Tower gyro bowl and clicked play on my computer, my expectations were low. I was about to watch Sergei Eisenstein's “Alexander Nevsky,” a 1938 Soviet propaganda film about a 13th-century Russian prince who defeated the German Teutonic knights, preventing them from invading the kingdom of Rus. This movie was not my first choice of entertainment that afternoon, but rather part of a homework assignment for the Havighurst Colloquium.

I’m not particularly interested in the Middle Ages, and I don’t like battle stories, so I expected this to be an interesting piece of propaganda and nothing more. But in the midst of the movie, I caught myself rooting for the Russians, hating the invading Germans and becoming genuinely upset when it looked like one of the protagonists was going to die.

Moreover, I didn’t check my phone a single time during the movie. Usually, when I watch a movie, I end up doing one of three things: getting distracted by my phone, working on a crochet project or falling asleep. “Nevsky” was the first movie I had paid complete attention to in several years. I couldn’t help but ask myself: Why did I like this movie so much? After some self-reflection and soul searching, I think I have my answer.

First of all, “Nevsky” was original. It was revolutionary for its time — no other Soviet filmmaker would have dared to make a medieval prince into a modern proletarian hero. But this new perspective on the story was refreshing to me.

We’re all aware of the plethora of sequels and remakes that are plaguing theater screens today. IMDB lists 431 “sequels, remakes, reboots, prequels, [and] spin-offs” made or announced in the last seven years. I have been craving something fresh, and this movie from the 1930s was exactly what I was looking for.

“Nevsky” is also easy to follow. I can appreciate a symbolic movie rife with deeper meaning and societal critiques, but if the movie doesn’t also have an entertaining, easy-to-understand plot, I get bored fast.

This doesn’t mean the movie has to be simple — I enjoyed “Fight Club,” which is known for its twist reveal and thought-provoking plot, because it is easy to follow from scene to scene. The characters’ motivations are clear, and I understand why each scene is happening.

When watching newly released movies, I often find myself wondering: What is the point of this scene? Or worse, what was the point of that movie? “Nevsky” doesn’t fall into that trap — every scene moves the plot forward in some way, and it has a satisfying ending.

I have never taken a film studies class, so I’m aware my critiques might be simple, or that I might be missing the deeper meaning behind certain movies. However, from a layman’s perspective, I think movies should be entertaining, not just artistic. “Nevsky” was created with the proletariat in mind; it was meant to be consumed and enjoyed by the common man. I am included in that audience, and I enjoyed it immensely.

Rating: 9.5/10

sullivei@miamioh.edu