简介：TsartoLenin,firstreleasedin1937,ranksamongthetwentiethcenturysgreatestfilmdocumentaries.ItpresentsanextraordinarycinematicaccountoftheRussianRevolutionfromthemassuprisingwhichoverthrewthecenturies-oldTsaristregimeinFebruary1917,totheBolshevik-ledinsurrectioneightmonthslaterthatestablishedthefirstsocialistworkersstate,andthefinalvictoryin1921ofthenewSovietregimeovercounter-revolutionaryforcesafterathree-year-longcivilwar. BasedonarchivalfootageassembledovermorethanadecadebythelegendaryHermanAxelbank(1900-1979),TsartoLeninprovidesanunparalleledfilmrecordofarevolutionarymovement,embracingmillions,whichshooktheworldandchangedthecourseofhistory. ThenarrationbyMaxEastman(1883-1969),thepioneerAmericanradical,conveyswithemotionandhumanitythedramaandpathosoftherevolution.Hailedbyfilmcriticsasamasterpieceuponitspremier,TsartoLeninarousedfierceoppositionfromthosewhofearedtheconsequencesofitstruthfulportrayalofevents.First,theStalinistorganizationswhichcouldnotabidethedocumentarysdepictionoftheleadingroleplayedbyLeonTrotskyintherevolutionandcivilwarthreatenedaboycottoftheatersthatshowedthefilm.Later,duringtheMcCarthyiteeraandtheColdWar,publicshowingsofTsartoLeninwereallbutimpossible. Seventy-fiveyearsafteritspremier,theimportanceofTsartoLeninremainsundiminished.Indeed,thefreshwaveofhistoricalfalsificationprovokedbythedissolutionoftheSovietUnionin1991lendstothisfilmexceptionalrelevance.Inanewperiodofglobalcapitalistcrisis,TsartoLeninbearswitnesstoamomentinhistorywhensocialistidealsinspiredthegreatestrevolutionarymovementinworldhistory.…