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Sergei M. Eisenstein

The father of the film montage, director and film theorist Sergei Eisenstein achieved the perfect blend of avant-garde artistry with state-minded propaganda in becoming a master filmmaker. Eisenstein was first and foremost a dedicated Communist who saw the advantages of using art to propel political ideas soon after the Russian Revolution in 1917. Using a variety of forms, from circuses to Kabuki theater, he directed a few short films before launching his first seminal work, "Strike" (1924), which depicted in almost manipulative fashion, a 1903 strike of factory workers. With his very first film, Eisenstein invented the film montage, where he used rapid editing between two divergent images in order to maximize shock value. Following the success of "Strike," he directed one of the greatest propaganda films ever made, "Battleship Potemkin" (1925), which contained the iconic "Odessa Steps" sequence. His subsequent films, "October" (1928) and "The General Line" (1929), were condemned by party leaders, leading to a tour of Europe and Hollywood. Upon his return, Eisenstein faced a drastically changed political landscape, but triumphed with the surprisingly straightforward "Alexander Nevsky" (1938) and the highly-regarded "Ivan the Terrible, Part I" (1944). But with "Ivan the Terrible, Part II" (1946), Eisenstein faced harsh censorship once again, only to soon die of a heart attack before completing "Part III." Despite his relatively small output, Eisenstein lived on as one of cinema's chief architects whose influence transcended national and political boundaries.