Steps of Odessa

Odessa experiences a rapid growth during the 19th century from the arrival of thousands of immigrants. This caused an expansion in the economy in turn motivating the industrialization drive of the 1890’s and stimulating the development of manufacturing. People were seeking better lives and that created a challenge for the local authorities. There were housing problems, feeding problems, and educational/job concerns which left the municipal authorities hard pressed to accommodate the new population. Just as many regions of Russia, Odessa was becoming very diverse in its religious, national, cultural and social backgrounds. “It took the political crisis of the autocracy in 1905 to stimulate large-scale unrest in Odessa, but the stage for revolution had already been set by pressing social and economic problems.” (Weinberg p.2)

The revolution is said to have started on January 9, 1905, a day better known as Bloody Sunday. Government troops opened fire on several thousand men, women, and children who had marched to petition for better living. Tsar Nicholas II wouldn’t have it. The news of this traveled through the empire and it was clear that the masses were preparing for an uprising.

On June 13, 1905 Cossacks shot several workers from metalworking and machine construction factories who had been on strike since May. The following day, the workers went on strike and began to attack the authorities. That night the Potemkin arrived and the workers seized their strike with their employers and the government. On the 15 of June, thousands of Odessans flooded the dock to await the battleship and join the sailors who had taken over the boat. Later that day the harbor became a rioting place, warehouses were being burned and there was also looting. The military cordoned off the harbor and set fire to the large crowd. Well over 1,000 people were murdered from either the soldiers or the fire. (Cooperman URL)

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Sergei Eisenstein was a pioneer to the industry. In the steps of Odessa sequence and throughout the film he uses a unique style of montage. He used a style known as “kino fist” which is meant to attack the viewer’s senses with symbolic metaphors with a rhythmic editing style. The fact that the film was silent, the scoring amplified the affect and intensified the sequence. “Sergei Eisenstein’s revolutionary sophomore feature has so long stood as a textbook example of montage editing that many have forgotten what an invigorating cinematic experience he created.” (Sean Axmaker URL 2) A good example of the influence which his technique has are the numerous cuts in the Odessa Steps from all different angles and with different composition in all the frames. The contour of the steps themselves can create tension in the audience and tied in with the montage technique and the dramatic music, it clearly provokes a very emotional climax. Although his