Eisenstein: The Sound Years - Alexander Nevsky / Ivan The Terrible, Pts. 1 & 2 (Russian) (Full Frame, Special Edition)

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This trio of rousing action epics from director Sergei Eisenstein reveals a deeply unsettling portrait of the Soviet Union under Stalin. "Alexander Nevsky" (1938, 108 min.) - Eisenstein drew on history, Russian folk narratives and techniques of Walt Disney to create this epic tale of Alexander Nevsky's tactical brilliance. Widely imitated, the Battle on the Ice scene remains one of the most famous audio-visual experiments in film history, perfectly blending action with the rousing score of Sergei Prokofiev. "Ivan the Terrible, Part 1 and 2" (1945, 99 min. and 1958, 85 min.) - Eisenstein filmed two parts of his planned trilogy on the troubled 16th century Tsar who united Russia. Visually stunning and powerfully acted, "Ivan the Terrible" charts the rise to power and descent into madness of, essentially, a dictator. Though pleased with the first installment, Stalin detested the portrait in the second film - with its summary executions and secret police - and promptly banned it.

Russian Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono with New English subtitle translations; "Alexander Nevsky" - Audio essay by Eisenstein scholar David Bordwell; Multimedia essay on the Eisenstein-Prokofiev collaboration; A reconstruction of the unfinished film "Bezhin Meadow" with photos and documents from the set; Sketches and storyboards; "Ivan the Terrible Parts 1 and 2" - Rare color sequence; Multimedia essay on Eisenstein's visual vocabulary and on the history of the films, Audio Commentary, Behind The Scenes Footage, Photo Gallery.