PK
Pravda, Mikhail Koltsov
Hailed *Strike* as "the first revolutionary creation of our cinema," highlighting its pioneering spirit and ideological significance.
Workers in a factory in pre-revolutionary Russia go on strike and are met by violent suppression.
Directed bySergei Eisenstein
Critical Consensus
7.6
IMDb
7.4
TMDB
Upon its initial release, *Strike* garnered praise from critics despite confusing some audiences with its eccentric style, leading to limited international distribution. The film was later reappraised in the 1950s and 60s, gaining recognition as an accessible and influential work.
The Cast
Trivia
After two days of test shoots, the board decided to remove Sergei Eisenstein from the project, a significant production hurdle for his directorial debut.
The film is best known for a sequence where the violent suppression of the strike is cross-cut with footage of cattle being slaughtered, utilizing animal metaphors throughout.
Strike has an average shot length of 2.5 seconds, which is less than half that of a typical Hollywood film, showcasing Eisenstein's rapid editing style.
Originating as one entry out of a proposed seven-part series titled "Towards Dictatorship of the Proletariat", "Strike" was a joint collaboration between the Proletcult Theatre and Goskino.
Francis Ford Coppola revives and quotes the film's slaughtering of the cow metaphor at the end of Apocalypse Now (1979), showcasing its lasting cultural influence.
Reviews
0 reviews
Avg: 0.0 / 5
Critics
A
Authorities
Expressed criticism regarding the film's eccentricity and the intricate connection between its ideological content and artistic form.
IM
Ivor Montagu
Noted its unique combination of realism and "fantastic clowning," praising the film for its abundant experimental methods and "overpowering quantity" of creative elements.
LZ
Les Temps modernes, Christian Zimmer
Described the film poetically as "a memory of future fusillades," implying a powerful, prophetic, and impactful message.
Audience
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Tags
#police brutality#strike#street riots#uprising#russian politics#silent film#oppression#labor strike#labor union#riot police#worker's rights#animal slaughter#russian kommunism#soviet union history#human rights protest#human dignity#soviet politics#death squads#mass slaughter#labour movement#general strike#political movement#communist movement#labor negotiation#political violence#child killed by police
