The Internationale (Documentary/Song)

 

Picture: C     Sound: C+     Extras: C     Documentary: C+

 

 

Peter Miller’s The Internationale (2000) might best be subtitled everything you ever wanted to know about the oldest, most famously galvanizing Communist Workers song ever written but did not know to ask about as the song written in 1870 in French by Eugene Pottier and went on to be come the international socialists anthem.  This brief look at the song shows who it helped the movement internationally until the Soviet Union hijacked it and the rest is past history.

 

As the program runs along, you see how the song transmutes and endures, though as the 1960s arrive and the real revolutionary music of Rock and The Beatles arrive, it seems somehow doomed much like Communism and much of Socialism itself.  However, it was the theme of work workers during The Industrial Age and whether it can be upgraded again in some new form will be interesting to see as the Information Age marches on.  Of course, George Orwell’s classic book Animal Farm mocks this song for good reason, though some of those here meant it as a sincere expression of solidarity to fight and rally against what they saw as exploitation.  It only succeeded at the time because they were at least partly right.

 

The 1.33 X 1 image is soft and comprised of footage going back to the early film era.  The Dolby Digital 2.0 is barely stereo, adequate for the interviews and variations of the song.  Extras include a brief history of the song, text lyrics, director bio and the short Toscanini: Hymn Of A Nation.  Overall, this is good reference and historical material for the record, but this is not for everyone.  Good for what it is though, even if it finally becomes a relic of a failed civilization.  We’ll see.

 

 

-   Nicholas Sheffo