Storm Over Asia

V.I. Pudovkin - 1928
Compared to your average work, this is a piece of the Soviet montage aesthetic. It frequently uses still, quite close shots, in fast excahnge, to convey its ideas. There is much evocation of place, here, largely the steppes. In many ways it reminded me of the great 'Earth', with these wide open spaces.
And like 'Earth', it is not exactly like one expects of the montage school. The takes are a bit longer, and here they are often not canted. There isn't much glorification of the human figure; even the capitalist is bad because we are told so, rather than from any paricular framing choise. There are some very long shots, and not short takes, of the steppes, along with just medium or full body stuff. The story, while not psychological, does have a main character, who conflicts with events (those he is buffeted aroumd rather than initially dcisive).
The end really is remaraklbe; incredibly quick cuts and effects, no sense of realistic space, powerful and stirring. There are some pretty noutceable effects throughout, either using gauzes or distorting angles, al combined with the classic Soviet lights from two sides approach. Half the film one might expect.