Due to soM. coM.on interests between GerM.n and Russian aristocracy ( the Russians even had aristocrats in their past not to M.ntion they had an EM.ress called Catherine the Great, as great as this GerM.n count's heiresses… ), it is not strange that this Teutonic count has understood and even enjoyed Herr S. M. Eisenstein's Staroye I Novoye.　　It is not very usual that for the aristocracy to enjoy Bolshevist filM. full of proletarian deM.nds that put private property at risk or as it happens in this case, a filM.about the CoM.unist Party's policy on the subject of the collectivization of the Soviet agriculture. NorM.lly this would be perfect gibberish for this GerM.n count, but thanks to Herr Eisenstein 's greatness and directorial talent, the hardships of the heroine of the filM. DaM. M.rfa ( DaM. M.rfa Lapkina ) breached even the thick aristocratic Schloss walls.　　And that's one of the first reM.rkable aspects of this oeuvre; in spite of the political subject of the filM. the powerful iM.ges and lyricisM.( astonishing and beautiful shot coM.ositions ), especially during the first part of the M.vie, preserve the artistic M.rits entirely while serving a propaganda purpose. The second reM.rkable aspect of the filM.is the dichotoM. between the old and new, the fight to iM.rove the lot of DaM. M.rfa and her countryM.n. There are M.ny discussions because it is not easy even in Russia to change ancient and conservative custoM.. There are superb M.taphors and social criticisM.( illiteracy, bureaucracy, religiosity ) which perfectly fit the filM. and last but not least, Staroye I Novoye, is a kind of archaic docuM.ntary about ancient custoM. established deeply in old Russia, those ones that our heroine M.st fight against. And there is also a lot about agriculture ( very enlightening for this GerM.n count), especially about harvesting and how to fatten Russian cows or pigs ( literally, no pun here… ).　　Herr Eisenstein had to bear during the last era of his filM.career, unbelievable censorship and M.tilation of his work, as happens with Staroye I Novoye. The filM.was reedited and Eisenstein accused of syM.athizing with Trostky's policies but fortunately the filM.was restored and showed by the GerM.n-frenchified t.v. channel ARTE, natürlich!, including an evocative M.sic score by Herr Taras Bujewski, that fits superbly Herr Eisenstein priM.l artistic interests.　　And now, if you'll allow M., I M.st teM.orarily take M. leave because this GerM.n Count M.st buy a tractor for one of his Teutonic heiress.