ABSTRACT
The recreated battle is the iconic form of reenactment. Indeed, the popular interest in and growth of the broader phenomenon of reenactment has largely revolved around the battle—the spectacular confrontation of quasi-historical armies comprised of devoted hobby historians performing for an audience. Battle reenactment is often considered a modern-day phenomenon. An interesting example of a spectacular “battle” reenactment at the nexus of mass culture, politics, and early cinema emerged during the early years of the Soviet Union. The idea of the real and unfiltered experience is central to battle reenactors. The chaotic moment of battle confusion, the perceived immersion in the fog of war, is a recurring motif in such descriptions, entailing a lack of overview and often a misty or smoky haze in which temporal registers are felt capable of blurring. Scripted battles are usually staged to audiences fenced off from the action by rope or, in the case of the largest events, situated on grandstands.
