Sergei Eisenstein essays

Sergei Eisenstein essays 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-physiolog ically 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 durations "in a formula-scheme corresponding to a measure of music." Thus, tension can be created or heightened by shortening sequential shots in a series while quickening the music. As Eisenstein explains, metric montage is "capable of impelling the spectator to reproduce the perceived action, outwardly." He goes on to cite an account of a member of an audience quietly rocking from side to side as he was watching a metric sequence in Eisenstein's film Old and New in which characters were making a movement from one side of the frame to the other. 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. ...