Question 1

Why was Alexander Nevsky initially rejected as 'too anti-German' before becoming a Soviet propaganda tool?

Accepted Answer

Joseph Stalin wanted it as propaganda against German aggression, but it was initially rejected as 'too anti-German' due to the 1939 Soviet-German non-aggression pact. After Germany invaded in 1941, Stalin demanded it be shown in every theater as a rallying cry.

Question 2

What inspired the famous battle on the ice sequence in Alexander Nevsky?

Accepted Answer

Director Sergei Eisenstein was inspired by the climax of D.W. Griffith's 1920 film Way Down East, which features a chase over melting ice heading toward a waterfall.

Question 3

What happened to Sergei Prokofiev's score for Alexander Nevsky after the film's release?

Accepted Answer

Prokofiev re-worked his film score into the cantata 'Aleksandr Nevskiy'. In 1995, the music was re-recorded for VHS and laserdisc releases due to poor quality in the original, though dialogue remained unchanged.

Question 4

How do historical accounts differ about the battle depicted in Alexander Nevsky?

Accepted Answer

German chronicles say 300 Teutonic knights fought, while Old Russian accounts give 2000. The difference may be because German counts excluded servants and foot soldiers. Historians still debate the exact battle location.

Question 5

What recognition did Alexander Nevsky receive from the National Board of Review?

Accepted Answer

The film received an award from the National Board of Review in 1939.

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Alexander Nevsky

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