Well, it's time again for me to name a movie that I recommend in the BKT Book and Movie Club! I always find this to be so much fun. My first choice this month is a classic that is sometimes overshadowed by "The Battleship Potemkin", Sergei Eisenstein's most famous film. Still, it was quite successful. It's called "Alexander Nevsky". This has long been one of my all-time favorite films not only because of Sergei Prokofiev's great score( I still study it to this day), but it is also based upon a true story. Prince Alexander defeated the Swedes in 1240 after a decisive battle near the Neva River (hence his moniker "Nevsky") when he was only 19 years old. One year later, he defeated the invading German army. Eisenstein's depiction of the famous Battle on the Ice is astonishing; cloaks and helmets plummeting to an icy doom, Nevsky sheathing his sword with great pride after the final Knight on the Ice sinks far below. Prokofiev's score is a warm companion to the visuals. I always liked how the German helmets in the film denoted a sense of malice; now we are talking about a pre-George Lucas era before Darth Vader: the film was made in 1938 under Stalin's watchful eye. He even rushed it into theaters because he knew that it could be great propoganda against the Nazis. Unfortunately, because of this impulsive leader, the soundtrack quality was staggeringly horrible (I rented this version from the library and I could not that the orchestra was rendered to a whimper). Now, of course, there exists a version that reconstructed the score according to the needs of the film and one can now hear the highs and lows of this wonderful music. I admit that in my first CD, Castle of Dreams, I was inspired by the choral power from Prokofiev's score and put it in a song (the Russian maestro even made a cantata or concert version of his movie music). Wait a second..you can actually hear my song I wrote in the website! (I had almost forgotten). This Russian Choral presence is prevalent in "The Wanderer's Tale" (Just check the MUSIC section here). Anyway, Nevsky is still considered a Russian hero today so rent this movie; it's well worth it! BKT