← Back to results
The General Line
Старое и новое
1929 125 min Soviet Union 18+
★7.5
Drama
Director: Grigoriy Aleksandrov, Sergei Eisenstein
Trailers
EN
EN
EN
EN
EN
EN
EN
EN
EN
EN
EN
EN
Description
Also known as The Old and the New, The General Line illustrates Lenin’s stated imperative that the nation move from agrarian to industrial culture in an epic ode to farm-collectivization progress.
Starring
Marfa Lapkina
Actor
M. Ivanin
Actor
Konstantin Vasilyev
Actor
Awards
1 win
Key opinion
Eisenstein's 'The Old and the New' stands as a dense, visually pioneering work that functions simultaneously as a tool of Soviet ideological propaganda and a sophisticated study in avant-garde montage. While the film's narrative centers on collectivization and technological progress, critics emphasize its artistic complexity, highlighting its bold symbolism, erotic undercurrents, and meticulous visual construction.
| Cinematography | Tisse’s cinematography utilizes dynamic angles and meticulous framing to transform the rural landscape into a rich visual experience. | |
| Editing | The film employs innovative, rhythmic montage techniques to keep the narrative engaging despite a lack of traditional plot structure. | |
| Acting | Eisenstein relies on non-professional actors to deliver vivid, raw, and un-stylized portraits of rural life that heighten the film's naturalism. | |
| Theme | The film is heavily saturated with complex symbolic imagery and surreal motifs that demand active, intellectual engagement from the viewer. | |
| Screenplay | The screenplay acts as a direct vehicle for Soviet state goals, prioritizing Marxist propaganda and the promotion of collectivization over narrative coherence. |