Sergei Eisenstein (1898-1948), the renowned Soviet director, remains one of the greatest filmmakers of all time. His dialectical approach to editing, developed in the 1920s, stands as one of the most influential counterpoints to American cinematic practice, and his masterpiece Potemkin continues to appear on many lists of the best films of all time.

EISENSTEIN: THE MASTER'S HOUSE offers a biographical look at this visionary artist. Structured as a series of chapters, or "houses," each portraying a particular time and place in his life, the film vividly recreates the Zeitgeist which fostered Eisenstein's genius. The Riga of his youth, the St. Petersburg of his teens, and the Moscow of his artistic coming of age are all captured through extensive rare documentary footage, photographs, films by other filmmakers and of course, Eisenstein's own filmic creations.

The Revolution initially encouraged avant-garde experimentation in the arts. After studying under the revolutionary theatre director Meyerhold, Eisenstein plunged into film.

Still, Eisenstein's international reputation remained strong, and Paramount invited him to Hollywood, but none of the projects he proposed were accepted. With money from Upton Sinclair, he shot material for Que Viva Mexico, but the film was never completed. He died in 1948 while shooting Ivan the Terrible Part III, the first part of which had been praised by Soviet authorities, the second part of which had been banned.

"Highly Recommended! Recounts in broad outline the life and works of perhaps the most influential, the most seminal filmmaker in the history of cinema. A truly indespensable work!"—Educational Media Reviews Online

"Recommended!"—Library Journal

"Like the unrestrained dreams of its subject, as well as his ambitious films this detailed, often humorous biography of Eisenstein is fascinating. Anyone interested in film history, the Russian Revolution, or the rise of Modernism will be delighted by it."—Ballast Quarterly Review