Sergei Eisenstein

A detailed Summary of 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

6. A closer shot of the cooking fire;

In his article "Methods of Montage," Eisenstein stresses the importance of a regular metric tempo for the success of this technique, noting that a sequence consisting of complex rhythmic montages and an irregular metrical beat will lead to montage failure leading only to a "confused impression...in the lay spectator." Although Eisenstein claims to use simple primitive beats such as three-quarter-time, march-time, or waltz-time, in many instances in October he cuts the shots too quickly and leaves the spectator struggling to grasp the images just flashed on the screen. Fifteen minutes into the film, several upper class women beat a Bolshevik with canes and umbrellas. Perplexing editing hinders Eisenstein's intended technique of creating tension and even chaos through rhythmic and metric montage in this sequence. Montage failure, as described by Eisenstein, may be found in several instances throughout October, leading to spectator confusion rather than the intended creation of sustained tension. Aside from a few instances of confusion, Eisenstein does create many redeeming scenes, full of montage at its best, that attribute to the overall tone of the film.

Rhythmic montage, Eisenstein's second form of editing montage, focuses not on the time between shot changes but key movements within the frame. The rhythmic elements may involve objects in motion or "movement of the spectator's eyes directed along lines of some immobile object." Through this type of cinematic movement, rhythmic anxiety is produced within a piece. Eisenstein explains that it is possible to create a cinematic piece that contains completely identical rhythmic and metric measures. He goes on to explain that tension can be created through rhythmic montage by including intense material within an "easily distinguished tempo." Thus, while using a simple metric tempo and adding accelerating and vehement movement within a series of shots, the tension created by rhythmic montage can surpass that of metric montage whose sole basis of creating tension is acceleration in tempo.

5. A campsite with a small cooking fire smoking, the lake visible in the completely clouded background and the slowly rising smoke from the fire the only movement;

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Approximate Word count = 2596
Approximate Pages = 10 (250 words per page double spaced)

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