Sergei Eisenstein's brain

I keep a blog about film facts. I remember hearing once that Soviet authorities removed Eisenstein’s brain after his death and announced it was unusually large, proving he was a genius. Has anyone else heard this story? Anyone know a good source describing it?

The weight of a person’s brain correlates with their height, not their intelligence.

Unless all NBA players are geniuses.

But I guess if the Soviet Union says something about their party icons, it must be true.

Obviously I don’t believe it’s true, I just remember hearing that the Russians had made the claim after he died

I don’t think that happened. Top hit for a search on the subject is this thread, and I seem to recall Eisenstein fell out of favor with the Soviets after a while, yet another in a long line of artists who worked with the government enough to be considered against them during their infamous transitions of power.

—PolarisDiB

I think you’re right. All the references to his death say he was cremated and say little else. I can’t remember where I heard it – it could’ve just been someone vandalising his Wikipedia page

I’ve heard this story before in a “the story goes . . .” kind of way but never quoted as fact, so it’s probably apocryphal.

Soviet scientists did do some strange experiments with dead people though so you never know.

So did American scientists

Well, if you can’t get Eisenstein’s brain, Einstein’s would be the next best thing.

Indeed.

Found this on an obscure Russian site (http://www.sovietplotzy/russianarchives.com/gallery/old/eisen.html), I believe this is a picture of Eisenstein’s brain – if I am translating correctly.

Сергей Михайлович Эйзенштейн мозг

But if Eisenstein’s and Einstein’s brains aren’t good enough, why not go with Timothy Leary’s whole head, cryogenically preserved?

@ Matt ….if I am translating correctly.

In Russian, the correct translation: nougat

And Matt, that is not to be confused with the much lighter nougatine, as possessed by some in these parts.

I remember reading in Joris Iven’s autobiography that when he spoke with Eisenstein during his stay in the Sovietunion he used to recite whole pages of Dostoyevsky and other writers from his head. Still, as mentioned already, the size or weight of a brain doesn’t say anything about a person’s intelligence; genes and training are what really matters. I’m sure Eisenstein had both of those though.

Sounds about as scientific as phrenology.

How about one hemisphere Eisen and the other hemisphere Ein?

Einsenstein.

If montage was the splitting of the atom of cinema then Einsenstein will emerge to present the atom bomb of cinema.

Brilliant.