Sergei Eisenstein
Through five editing techniques, Sergei Eisenstein in his 1929 article, "Methods of Montage," addresses the cinematic possibilities that can be used by filmmakers to influence the viewer. He believes that montage is the most powerful cinematic device and that through careful study and usage it can appeal to the many layers of the human brain, penetrate the subconscious, and stimulate psycho-physiological responses. To Eisenstein, montage can control a wide range of human functions from simple voluntary movements such as swaying to complex ideological beliefs and convictions. In his 1928 film October, his five editing techniques are used diversely to create tension, conflict, and physiological and intellectual overtones throughout the film. This paper draws on Eisenstein's article, "Methods of Montage," from his 1929 book, Film Form, and provides detailed examples from Eisenstein's 1928 film, October, to provide evidence of his revolutionary and controversial ideas of psycho-physiologically stimulating montage. Eisenstein's first and most easily understandable form of montage is metric montage. Metric montage is obtained by shortening the lengths of sequential shots in a series and joining them together according to their durati
This event was humorous to Eisenstein and only confirms his beliefs that cinematic montage has the capability to influence the cortical functions of the human brain. In this sequence Eisenstein not only critiques Christianity by comparing it with primitive idols and icons but targets an intellectual appeal with a strong point about the provisional government of 1917. Several extreme long shots of the crowd are shown and then, almost in a thaumatropic manner, two shots-- one of a machine gun, and one of the face of the gunner-- are shown. On many occasions the smoke becomes the dominant, as with the closer shot of Lenin's campfire, and other times it lingers in the background as the subordinate of a scene. The inter-title, "Lenin was already working underground;"3. Tonal montage, according to Eisenstein, represents a level of editing above the previous two. "In conclusion, numerous examples demonstrate that Eisenstein's montage techniques are targeted at the viewer's psychology and physiology. Although overtonal montage may be more difficult to grasp than other types of montage, aside from the smoke in scenes with Bolsheviks, another overtonal motif in October follows in the discussion below. October opens with seven different shots of a statue of a czar. Often associated with thoughts of tranquility, collected state of minds, and serenity, the white smoke may give the audience similar thoughts of the Bolsheviks. Although subordinate in both these images, the smoke helps add a tonal emotive force behind these scenes. As a protesting assembly of Bolsheviks gathers, a soldier fires upon the Bolsheviks. First of all, Eisenstein was a supporter a communism and the 1917 revolutions. As Eisenstein states, "Tension is obtained by the effect of mechanical acceleration by shortening the pieces [of a sequence.
Common topics in this essay:
October Morning,
October Eisenstein,
Montage Eisenstein,
Czar Eisenstein,
October Bolsheviks,
Film Form,
Methods Montage,
Bolsheviks Eisenstein,
God Country,
Potemkin Eisenstein,
metric montage,
rhythmic montage,
overtonal montage,
metric rhythmic montage,
intellectual montage,
series shots,
eisenstein explains,
metric rhythmic,
sequence eisenstein,
minutes october,
minutes film,
article methods montage,
slowly rising smoke,
eisenstein metric montage,
montage overtonal montage,
|
Acceptance Essays
