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The Theory of Montage:

Montage is a film editing technique developed in the Soviet Union in the 1920s as a propaganda tool. It involves juxtaposing short shots to imply a relationship between them and derive new meanings. Sergei Eisenstein was a pioneer who believed montage should provoke intellectual thought in viewers. Directors like Pudovkin used montage to imply narrative through contrasting shots rather than actors' behavior. Montage aims to impact viewers intellectually and emotionally through conflicts created between visual elements and a new implied meaning. It remains influential for modern filmmakers in constructing meaning through intentional shot sequencing.

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CINEMA OF THE SOVIET UNION “Montage” Sergei Eisenstein Film Theory and Criticism III Tshwane University of Technology Presented by: Greg du Tertre - (B-Tech) 26 July 2011
What is/has Montage become to us as modern filmmakers and viewers? Hollywood - “Montage Sequence” French - “Assembly” SOVIET FILMMAKING IN THE 1920’s! “ Creative Editing”
Soviet Union: the trailer Downfall of Tsar Nicholas II : 1917 Rise of Valdimir Lenin - 1920’s Propaganda tool to enforce new ideologies? Medium that could not only reach viewers but convince viewers Soviet government - 1) Censorship 2) Funding = Short Propaganda films
Forefathers directors use of editing Mr Lev Kuleshov Vsevold Pudovkin Dziga Vertov USA: - DW GRIFFITH (Narrative Power) Cross cutting Close Shots Flash Backs Dissolves Montage is what will conduct a viewer to reach a certain conclusion: As viewer infer meaning based on context. “ Saw themselves as propagandists and teachers rather then conventional entertainers”
Pudovkin : ‘Film Technique - 1929’ “ Pudvokin held that if a film NARRATIVE was to be kept continually effective, each shot must make a new and specific point…” Smiling actor + Revolver + Terrified actor = Cowardly/scared Terrified actor + Revolver + smiling actor = heroic JUXTAPOSITION “ Film art begins from the moment when the director begins to combine and join together the various pieces of film. By joining them in various combinations in different orders, he obtains differing results.” Griffith = narrative through behavior and movement of actors Pudovkin = narrative through juxtaposition Different Dramatic intentions (Clip)
Eisenstein Student of Kuleshov BREAK AWAY “ The story merely provides a convenient structure upon which to build an explosion of ideas” CONFLICT - visual signs (Syntax) Extent the power of the film medium beyond narrative
Eisenstein believed that the director’s function was to evolve series of shot conflicts to express an idea through which a new meaning arose 2 uninflected juxtaposed shots should collide to provoke a conscience third thought in the mind of the viewer. Child + mouth = Scream A mouth + bird = sing ‘ Intellectual’ Montage
“ The Dialectic Approach to Film Form - 1949…” Metric - Length of film determines criteria (Every Second) Rhythmic - Content in frame determines length Tonal - emotional tone of piece (Dutch tilt) Over Tonal - Conflict between principle tone. Intellectual - Content juxtaposed on intellectual level Proper film continuity should proceed by a series of shock.
SOVIET CONTEMPORARY Based on concept of 1) accumulative impact shot juxtaposition of a series of images Shot A contrasted with 2) Shot A+B+C to X, B, illuminates and explains implies transition A(Pud) achieves a new A - X greater meaning (Eis) Purpose: 3) Impact, Intellectual, Emotional 3) Facts, flow, flashback (Clip)
Mavericks Link in: Hitchcock: “ What I am concerned with is the manner of telling the story and how you put your scenes together, and in consequence create an emotion in an audience. That’s what I mean by pure film. The way you put it together to create emotion. Let me give you an example… 1) Close up of a man and we cut to what he sees. what now? A women nursing a baby. Back to face reaction man smiles. Now what is he? A gentleman. Take away the middle piece and substitute a girl in a bikini. Now he is a dirty old man. That’s what I mean by the purity of montage and control of film.” - 1970
Directors today David Mamet: Succession of images juxtaposed so that the contrast between these images moves the story forward. The way people tell stories: Uninflected images: Lion and the buck Work of the director is constructing the shot list Camera, Actor, Meaning
Advert 2011 advert Montage discuss
Filmography Battle Ship Potemkin (1925) Oktober (1927) Ivan The Terrible Part 1 and 2 ( 1944,1945) Things Change (1988)
Bibliography A Dialectic Approach to Film Form - 1949 Hayward, S. (2006) Cinema studies, the key concepts. 3 rd ed. Routledge Dancyger,K (2006) The Path to Great Directors. Focal Press Eisenstein, S (1951) Film Form. Dobson Eisenstein, s (1974) From dickens, Griffith and the film today Pudovkin. V (1929) Film Technique. Newnes