Ivan the Terrible: part 2 [DVD]

This film is the second part of a trilogy that was not completed. Although filmed shortly after Part One in 1946, the film was suppressed and was not released until 1958. It is also the last film Eisenstein made. In the trilogy Eisenstein planned to show the inner struggle of the first Czar of Russia and founder of the Russian state, in his effort to consolidate the unity of the realm against its enemies at home - the boyars or feudal noblemen - and neighbouring powers. Part Two takes up the story of Ivan the Terrible (Nikolai Cherkasov) upon his return to Moscow from Alexandrov. The complex story is full of intrigue, high level political in-fighting, family resentment and suspicion, and assassination plot, executions and murder in the cathedral. Two reels of the original were filmed in colour. The banquet scene towards the end of the film was Eisenstein’s first use of colour stock. In Russian with English subtitles. Cast includes Serafima Birman, Pavel Kadochnikov, Mikhail Zharov, Vsevolod Pudovkin. Original music by Sergei Prokofiev and cinematography by Andrei Moskvin, Eduard Tisse.