How memory plays tricks on us. I first saw "Alexander Nevsky" when a student at the University of Kansas, around 1960. Forty-some years later I find myself watching it again on DVD and almost unable to believe what my eyes are seeing: one of the most amateurish films I've ever viewed, and with by far the worst subtitles I've had to bear with--it's hard to believe these subtitles were produced, according to the message at the beginning of the film, in 1982.
But even without subtitles this film would fall flat, in my judgment. I admire someone with generous enough a spirit to be able to enjoy the film for its visual aspect, as at least one commenter did. I'm just not able to share that enthusiasm. I dearly wish I could, for I found both "Battleship Potemkin" and (especially) "Ivan the Terrible: Part I" to be excellent--of their type. Sorry, but for me "Alexander Nevsky" is just not excellent by any standard. I wonder what Prokofiev thought of it. His music is superb, but needs to be heard on its own, not in the context of this embarrassingly bad film.
But even without subtitles this film would fall flat, in my judgment. I admire someone with generous enough a spirit to be able to enjoy the film for its visual aspect, as at least one commenter did. I'm just not able to share that enthusiasm. I dearly wish I could, for I found both "Battleship Potemkin" and (especially) "Ivan the Terrible: Part I" to be excellent--of their type. Sorry, but for me "Alexander Nevsky" is just not excellent by any standard. I wonder what Prokofiev thought of it. His music is superb, but needs to be heard on its own, not in the context of this embarrassingly bad film.