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The Battleship Potemkin This early film by Soviet filmmaker Sergei Eisenstein tells the story of seamen on the Battleship Potemkin who, during the Russian Revolution, rise up with their Russian brothers and sisters against the tyranny and oppression of Czarist Russia. Eisenstein has long been considered one of the worlds greatest filmmakers, and this early work shows exactly why - montage scenes that set the standard for decades to come, haunting scenes of the slaughter of civilians in protest on the steps of the City of Odessa, beautiful cinematography that went unmatched for years!! The Battleship Potemkin has been declared the greatest film ever made. Other reviews dismiss one of its most important features saying "viewers should overlook obvious Marxist overtones", but this is perhaps what has made it one of the most timeless films to ever have been created. Eisenstein does a superb job of interweaving Marxist ideology into each and every scene of the film. Eisenstein deals with such subjects as unity against oppression, the bitter divisive tactics of the ruling class, racism and other forms of discrimination. An absolute must see!!! Check your local alternative video store.1925 B/W NR S Sergei Eisenstein

Breaking Away A poignant story of the coming of age a group of working class teenagers in India. Features Dennis Quaid. Sons of stone "cutters" the teens struggle with their identity and class distinctions between themselves and local college students. Amidst the backdrop of a beautiful Indiana countryside the characters prepare for a bike race against the local college students. Breaking Away contains panoramic shots of the amazing geography in Indiana. This film also portrays the struggle that American working class youth face as they begin to understand the mechanics of class. Best original screenplay for 1979. Available in the drama section of any video store. 1979 PG Peter Yates

Norma Rae Sally Field plays a southern textile worker who begins to understand the necessity of unionization. A union organizer from the north helps her along her journey. Norma Rae becomes a local champion of labor organizing. Based on a true story. Sally Field won an Oscar for her portrayal.Also features Beau Bridges. Avaiable in most video stores. 1979 PG Martin Ritt

Roger and Me Michael Moore's first film. An indictingly funny "documentary" about Moore's attempts to meet and discuss with General Motors president Roger Smith the poverty and despair of Flint Michigan after GM closed down its plants there. One of the highest grossing non-fiction films ever released, we see through Moore's scathing wit the devastation that global capitalism wreaks upon the people. You will find yourself laughing at the absurdity of situations such as evictions at Christmas time and the soon-to-be Miss America attempting to address the impact of GM's decision to close their plants in Flint. But don't laugh too long because if you are like me, you will realize that you grew up in a town just like Flint. One of the most anti-corporate films ever made. Available at corporate video stores everywhere!!! 1989 R Michael Moore

Salt of the Earth This is a working class classic!! Salt of the Earth was filmed in New Mexico in the 1950's. During the McCarthy era it was blacklisted and was unavailable in the United States for thirty years. This film features many members of the New Mexico Communist Party and chronicles the struggle of Hispanic miners as they stand up for better wages, better working conditions, and better living conditions. Salt of the Earth is a wonderful expose of the power of a unified front against corporate greed and institutional racism. This one you can even find at Blockbuster!1954 B/W NR Herbert Biberman

The Way We Were If you are in the mood for a sappy romance with a little bit of politics this is the way to go! Barbara Streisand and Robert Redford fall in love. Streisand plays a member of the Young Communist League. They eventually marry and move to Hollywood where Redford becomes a screenwriter and Streisand becomes a victim of anti-communist McCarthy hysteria and is blacklisted. This movie was filmed in this reviewers hometown of Schenectady, NY, just down the street from his house!! You will probably find it in the romance section of any video store. 1973 PG Sydney Pollack

Metropolis Fritz Lang's silent masterpiece of a futuristic Art Deco city populated and run by millions of workers who live and work below ground in the "worker's city". Though extremely outnumbered, a small elite ruling class lives above ground in elegance and granduour. The elite keep the masses of workers enslaved to the "machines". The beautiful Maria becomes the trusted leader of the workers but John Fredersen, the wealthy ruler of Metropolis, has a surprise for them!!! This film is a must see!! It is at once engaging and visually enthralling. Lang creates an opulent Art Deco city landscape that rivals the most futuristic films of the 1980's and 90's. Some amazing predictions for the future - video phones, robots that can replace workers on the assembly line, high speed trains, identity transferrence - great stuff for 1926!!! Although the overall message of the film leans towards the cooperation of working class and capitalist class, Lang does a great job of showing the power of the massses and the reliance of the capitalist class on violence, infiltration of people's movements, and oppression. It is important to note that the theme of collaboration may have more to do with the fact that this film was produced in Germany around the time of the rise of the Nazi Party - an extremely anti-worker party - than with Lang's own ideology. In later years some of Lang's films took an anti-fascist theme. This is an overall masterpiece, available at any video store. 1926 B/W NR S Fritz Lang

Texas Trail: First Hand in Bush Land Filmed, directed, produced, and distributed by "Changing America" - a pro-workingclass, pro-socialist cable access news show) this voter education documentary shows the real story behind George W. Bush and his anti-people policies. In the style of documentary filmmaker Michael Moore, we follow the "Texas Trail" - a series of interviews with real working people, labor leaders, community organizers, and elected representatives from Texas as they reveal to us the truth about the policies and actions of G.W. Bush. This is the truth the corporately controlled mass media did not want you to see!!! This half hour video was shown throughout the country before the 2000 elections in union halls, dorm rooms, libraries, homes, and classrooms. Even though right wing justices on the Supreme Court of the United States saw fit to deliver to George W. Bush an undemocratic victory as president (over 43,000 votes were never counted in Florida, and Gore won the popular vote by over 500,000 votes) this film rings true as ever. In fact, a viewing will lend some concrete explanations as to why the "velvet coup" occurred. You won't finding this in the video store. Order a copy from Changing America - 212-924-904 / 235 W. 23rd St. NY, NY, 10011 / FAX: 212-924-9096 2000 NR Changing America