PEORIA -- A sophisticated audience, an incredible pianist and a classic film combined on April 17 to make for a very amusing afternoon.
The film, Battleship Potemkin, created by Sergei Eisenstein in 1925 (!) has been remastered for DVD, and was screened at the Apollo Theater by the Reel to Real: Focus on Film group.
It's a gripping movie -- a look into the past, with scenes from Odessa in Russia and early ships, and the people, now all dead, of the early Soviet Union.
The sentiments of this silent, Soviet propaganda film are strangely contemporary. In 1905, revolution is in the air, so a military ship's crew, fed up with rotten meat, mutinys and tosses the officers into the sea.
They sail to Odessa where the townspeople celebrate their success. But then the authorities attack. (Think Libya! and Egypt!) The success of the downtrodden depends on whether the military stays loyal to the Czar or joins their brothers in the ranks.
The battle scenes are tame by modern standards but during the discussion following the film, those knowledgeable about this ground breaking movie said violence of this type had never been seen before on the big screen. The film was censored in some places -- not for the politics but for the violence.
There are interesting symbolic elements in the film. Religion makes a sly appearance. An orthodox priest on the ship is called a "sorcerer" and his appearance indicates he is a mad man. In Odessa someone urges that "Jews" be attacked, but the cry is ignored.
Scenes and techniques from the film have been duplicated in later films -- including a memorable scene where a mother with a baby in a carriage is trampled by advancing troops, and carriage careens down steep steps. Thus are the innocent destroyed by military violence.
Class distinctions appear, and a piano in an officer's quarters is destroyed, symbolizing what can happen to culture during a revolution.
But a piano added much to the afternoon. John Orfe, concert pianist and Peoria Symphony Orchesta composer-in-residence, accompanied the film with selections from Russian composers. His was a fantastically successful effort, with the music matching the action on the screen -- for over an hour. Brilliant!
Afterward PSO music director George Steliuto led an interesting panel discussion with several knowledgeable people, but the audience which filled the theater added even more information on the historical events the film was based on, its connection to later films and politics.
Steliuto said that a DVD will be released soon with the original score that accompanied the silent film.
Peoria Journal Star critic Gary Panetta adds even more information, including the Nazi connection in this PJ Star blog.
June restaurant contributed interesting appetizers for an after-the-film social.
Let's hope more of these interesting events will be organized soon.
-- Elaine Hopkins
I wish I lived closer to Peoria! What a fun way to go to the show.
Posted by: Paul | April 21, 2011 at 05:06 AM