Using titles to indicate various "houses" ("Mama's House," "Teacher's House," "Glass House," "Valhalla," "The Cathedral"), the filmmakers trace the labyrinthine trajectory of Eisenstein's life and work by examining its historical context -- a method Eisenstein himself employed. With rare archival footage (including one documentary on filmmaking with hilarious outtakes), still images, animated storyboard drawings, and clips from directors Eisenstein particularly admired, as well as his masterworks Ivan the Terrible, Strike, and The Battleship Potemkin, the resulting montage is at once a tender tribute and a harrowing newsreel. The most remarkable thing about The Master's House, indeed, is that nothing of the sort has been attempted before now. Its release marks the 100th anniversary of Eisenstein's birth, the 50th anniversary of his death. The film shows how, passionate to the end, despairing under Stalin's tyranny, he literally worked himself into his grave.