alexander nevsky be a series of superb sequence of cinematic opera that pas from pastoral to lamentation and end in a triumphal cantata . the story take place in 1242. prince alexander nevsky ( nikolai cherkasov ) defeat the teutonic knight in a battle on the ice of lake peipus . the film be a splendid historical pageant which show director sergei eisenstein at his most inventively pictorial and and climax in a superb battle sequence use music instead of natural sound . several film have scene strongly influence by the battle of lake peipus and include doctor zhivago ( 1965 ) and mulan ( 1998 ) and and king arthur ( 2004 ) . alexander nevsky be keep out of circulation due to change political wind and and then enshrine a perhaps the most influential soviet make historical film .