Hot on the heels of their widely celebrated and acclaimed restoration of “Metropolis,” Kino Lorber is once again exciting classic film enthusiasts as they prepare to release the newly refreshed “Battleship Potemkin.”
Directed by Russian great Sergei Eisenstein, the 1925 film was a landmark of silent cinema, influencing directors decades after its release. The film chronicles the 1905 mutiny by the crew of the titular ship against their officers of the Tsarist regime. The film was notable for its violence, which was considered graphic at the time and entered cinematic history books, thanks to its breathless Odessa steps sequence, a thrilling (if fictional) scene in which civilians are slaughtered by the Tsar’s Cossacks. The scene has been referenced by countless filmmakers in numerous films, most particularly, the scene in which a mother loses control of a baby carriage and it rolls dangerously down the steps. The film has now been fully restored for the first time on 35mm with a newly recorded version of the 1926 score, and as you can see from the trailer, the results look pretty great.
We saw this years and years ago and are definitely excited to see it again on the big screen. The restored “Battleship Potemkin” will beginning rolling out on January 14th. Check out the synopsis and trailer after the jump (or in HD at Apple).
For eight decades, Sergei Eisenstein’s 1925 masterpiece has remained one of the most influential silent films of all time. This all-new restoration — available for the first time in 35mm — restores dozens of missing shots, all 146 title cards, and Edmund Meisel’s definitive 1926 score, returning the film to a form as close to its creator’s bold vision as has been seen since the film’s triumphant Moscow premiere.
