Eisenstein’s “October” with the London Symphony Orchestra

A screening of Eisenstein’s “October” with live accompaniment by the London Symphony Orchestra. 

26th October 2017 is the 100th anniversary of the Bolshevik Revolution – one of the most important events in 20th-century history, and one whose far-reaching consequences are still being felt to this day. On that date, the Kino Klassika Foundation presents a screening of Sergei Eisenstein’s 1927 cinematic masterpiece, October: Ten Days that Shook the World. This is one of the most iconic films of the 20th century, and is screened with live accompaniment by the London Symphony Orchestra conducted by European Filmharmonie’s Frank Strobel.

Eisenstein’s October is an epic recreation of the events that led to the storming of the Winter Palace in October 1917. On the basis of the success of Battleship Potemkin, the film was commissioned by the Soviet government to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the Revolution The film occupies a unique place in Eisenstein’s work:  its powerful, highly personal and controversial propogandist images led to widespread banning, with the first screenings in Britain only in 1935. This is an extraordinary opportunity for London audiences to see a newly restored version of the film screened at the Berlin Film Festival in 2012, alongside Edmund Meisel’s original 1928 score played live by the London Symphony Orchestra.