Release Date: 1958
The subject of Ivan the Terrible was a heavy one to take on, because it fit with Stalin's idea of a strong and powerful leader. Eisenstein approached the project in a playful way. As he prepared the film he was thinking more about Walt Disney than anything else. He was thinking deeply about Walt Disney, and Disney was a major influence on Ivan the Terrible. The shadows are the main influence of Disney that can be seen in Ivan the Terrible. The film almost looks animated in some places.
Eisenstein signed the deal for Ivan the Terrible in January, and the Germans invaded in June, and a couple of months later the entire Russian film industry was moved East. Both parts of Ivan were shot in a remote far Eastern outpost. The entire team lived as a community and were relatively isolated from the rest of the Soviet Union.
The fate of the film was very ironic. Part I was finished, welcome, and awarded the Stalin Prize. Part II was delivered for approval and was told that it was impossible to release it. When he heard the news, he had a heart attack and collapsed. His film had been refused. He spent the remaining four years of his life wondering what to do. He had a secret meeting with Stalin, late at night in the Kremlin. They sat around discussing how to make Part II releasable. Stalin objected to the neurotic figure of Ivan. He had become withdrawn. Eisentstein wanted to make it a three part film, taking us to the end of Ivan's life, in which he becomes a tragic, power hungry leader. Stalin would definitely not have been keen on that.
No comments:
Post a Comment