Dovzhenko: War Trilogy

There can't be many film-makers who have had the honour of having a film studio named after them. The Dovzhenko Film Studios in Kyiv, so named after the director's death in 1956, are an indication of the high regard held for both the man and his work in Ukraine, a country whose turbulent social, political and cultural shift from pastoral to industrialized nation is the focus of his War Trilogy, now re-released as a three disc set by Mr. Bongo Films.

The only downside to the release is the complete absence of any extra features, a shame as these silent era classics are crying out to be accompanied by in depth examinations from film academics and cultural historians. I am sure that some metaphorical, symbolic and allegorical moments relating to the history of Ukraine will go over the heads of the average viewer as they did mine.