Watch October: Ten Days That Shook the World

October: Ten Days That Shook the World is a 1927 Soviet silent film directed by Sergei Eisenstein and Grigori Aleksandrov. The movie is based on John Reed's book of the same name, which recounts the events of the 1917 Russian Revolution. October was produced to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the revolution itself and premiered in Moscow on November 7, 1927, one day after the actual anniversary.

The film portrays the October Revolution as a popular uprising organized by the Bolshevik Party, led by Vladimir Lenin and other revolutionaries, against the provisional government of Alexander Kerensky. October opens with a prologue that establishes the social conditions and political tensions of Russia in 1917. Then, the movie follows the Bolsheviks' preparations for the revolution, including their secret meetings and confrontations with the ruling classes, such as the bourgeoisie and the military.

The climax of the movie is, of course, the storming of the Winter Palace, the former residence of the tsar and symbolic seat of power, by the Red Guards and the masses of workers and soldiers who supported the Bolshevik cause. This sequence is perhaps the most famous and influential part of the film, as it demonstrates Eisenstein's innovative use of montage editing, which combines disconnected images and settings to create a dynamic and emotional narrative.

The film also features several memorable characters and scenes, including the workers' strike, the Bolsheviks' propaganda efforts, the arrests and executions of counter-revolutionaries, and the final triumph of the revolutionary forces. Boris Livanov plays Lenin, who appears in several sequences delivering speeches and organizing the Red Army. Nikolay Popov portrays Kerensky, the provisional government leader who faces both external threats from Germany and internal opposition from the Bolsheviks. Vasili Nikandrov plays Alexander Fyodorovich Kerensky, the fictionalized version of the real-life Alexander Kerensky, a moderate socialist who fails to prevent the Bolsheviks' rise to power.

Overall, October: Ten Days That Shook the World is a landmark film in the history of cinema and a fundamental masterpiece of the Soviet silent era. Eisenstein's dynamic visuals and rhythmic editing techniques, combined with the revolutionary content and ideology of the story, have influenced generations of filmmakers and artists worldwide. The film's impact on the Soviet society and culture of the time was also significant, as it contributed to the creation of a new visual and symbolic language of politics and history. October remains a must-watch for anyone interested in the history of Russia, film, and modernity.

October: Ten Days That Shook the World is a 1928 drama with a runtime of 1 hour and 44 minutes. It has received mostly positive reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 7.4.