COM 320—History of the Moving Image Soviet Montage Movement 1917-1933.

COM 320—History of the Moving COM 320—History of the Moving ImageImage

Soviet Montage Movement Soviet Montage Movement 1917-19331917-1933

Defining CharacteristicsDefining Characteristics

• ““Montage. . . as a Montage. . . as a collisioncollision of of elements. . . Imitated the Marxist elements. . . Imitated the Marxist concept of the dialectic. . . concept of the dialectic. . . ‘intellectual cinema’ attempts not to ‘intellectual cinema’ attempts not to tell a story but to convey abstract tell a story but to convey abstract ideas, as a political tract might”ideas, as a political tract might”

Form & Style: Form & Style: Editing Most ImportantEditing Most Important

• Narrative structure—social forcesNarrative structure—social forces


• Narrative structure—social forcesNarrative structure—social forces• Large number of shotsLarge number of shots


• Narrative structure—social forcesNarrative structure—social forces• Large number of shotsLarge number of shots• ““Kuleshov effect” of juxtaposed shotsKuleshov effect” of juxtaposed shots

Kuleshov Effect—Kuleshov Effect—Possible sequencesPossible sequences

Essential Kuleshov Manipulation

Condition 1

Condition 2

Condition 3

Condition 4

Condition 5


• Narrative structure—social forcesNarrative structure—social forces• Large number of shotsLarge number of shots• ““Kuleshov effect” of juxtaposed shotsKuleshov effect” of juxtaposed shots• Maximization of dynamic tension Maximization of dynamic tension

through two opposing editing through two opposing editing techniquestechniques– (1) overlapping editing(1) overlapping editing

Overlapping EditingOverlapping Editing

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

1 2 3 4

Angle A


1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

1 2 3 4 4 5 6 7 8

Angle A Angle B


1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

1 2 3 4 4 5 6 7 8 7 8 9

Angle A Angle B Angle C


• Mission Impossible 2Mission Impossible 2, John Woo, , John Woo, 2000:2000:



through two opposing editing through two opposing editing techniquestechniques– (1) overlapping editing(1) overlapping editing– (2) elliptical (i.e., jump cut) editing(2) elliptical (i.e., jump cut) editing

Elliptical (Jump Cut) Elliptical (Jump Cut) EditingEditing

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

1 2 3 4 7 8 9

Angle A



through two opposing editing through two opposing editing techniquestechniques– (1) overlapping editing(1) overlapping editing– (2) elliptical (i.e., jump cut) editing(2) elliptical (i.e., jump cut) editing

• Non-diegetic insertsNon-diegetic inserts

Non-diegetic Inserts--Non-diegetic Inserts--ExamplesExamples

• Strike Strike (slaughtered cow)(slaughtered cow)• Fight ClubFight Club (peaceful forest, flames) (peaceful forest, flames)• A Clockwork OrangeA Clockwork Orange (explosions, (explosions,

hanging, vampire fangs)hanging, vampire fangs)

Non-diegetic Inserts--Non-diegetic Inserts--ExamplesExamples

• Naked Gun 2-1/2 Naked Gun 2-1/2 – 12 inserts during sex scene:12 inserts during sex scene:

• A flower openingA flower opening• Raising of a pillar in ancient EgyptRaising of a pillar in ancient Egypt• Rocket blasting offRocket blasting off• Man putting a hot dog in a bunMan putting a hot dog in a bun• Man being shot out of a cannon at a circusMan being shot out of a cannon at a circus• Train going through a tunnelTrain going through a tunnel• Oil rigs moving up and downOil rigs moving up and down• A roller coaster going upside downA roller coaster going upside down• A submarine firing a torpedoA submarine firing a torpedo• A levy breakingA levy breaking• FireworksFireworks• A basketball being dunkedA basketball being dunked

BackgroundBackground

• In a commercial film contextIn a commercial film context• Artistically, derived from Constructivism, Artistically, derived from Constructivism,

viewing artwork as machine; montage; no viewing artwork as machine; montage; no elite artelite art

• However, commercial success was secondary However, commercial success was secondary to serving the national interest; a to serving the national interest; a national national cinemacinema

• The development of a national cinema—the The development of a national cinema—the State Film School in 1919, under the control State Film School in 1919, under the control of the Narkompros (People’s Commissariat of of the Narkompros (People’s Commissariat of Education)Education)

See Handout--Flowchart See Handout--Flowchart of of

Soviet Montage Soviet Montage InfluencesInfluences

Other Film Types in that Nation at that Time

• Very few domestic alternatives• Surprising importance of imports

(e.g., Thief of Bagdad ran for years)

Importance of Movement

• Although Battleship Potemkim was seen around the world, its main impact was later, and certainly limited to style/technique—the content was not widely imitated.

Important Practitioners

• Lev Kuleshov (1899-1970) & his workshop


• Sergei Eisenstein (1898-1948) (Battleship Potemkin, Strike)


• Vsevolod Pudovkin (1893-1953) (Mother)


• Dziga Vertov (1896-1954) (The Man with the Movie Camera)


• Lev Kuleshov & his workshop• Sergei Eisenstein (Battleship Potemkin,

Strike)• Vsevolod Pudovkin (Mother)• Dziga Vertov (The Man with the Movie

Camera)• Note that Kuleshov, Eisenstein, and

Vertov were all film writers and teachers (i.e., scholars) as well as filmmakers.

The Death of the Movement

• Soviet Montage called “formalism,” too complex for the mass (Stalin)

• 1929 five-year plan called for centralization of film, control taken away from the Narkompros (Stalin again)

Current Influences and Applications?

• Editing!!– See handout on Origins of Editing

Styles and Techniques

• end

COM 320—History of the Moving Image Soviet Montage Movement 1917-1933.

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Transcript of COM 320—History of the Moving Image Soviet Montage Movement 1917-1933.