Ivan the Terrible: The Film CompanionEisenstein’s last film is a haunting, strange and complex work, quite unlike any other. Commissioned personally by Stalin in 1941, the project placed Eisenstein in the paradoxical situation of having to glorify Stalinist tyranny without sacrificing his own artistic and personal integrity - or his life. Joan Neuberger's vivid account and analysis of 'Ivan the Terrible' shows how, in almost impossible circumstances, he managed to create a film of cinematic innovation, intellectual depth _and_ political critique. |
