Issues in Film Studies 1B Week Four Seminar

Soviet Montage Seminar Structure Overview of Soviet Montage Central Figures in the Montage Movement Student Presentation Follow-up Discussion Strike (1925) and Montage techniques

Seminar Structure

Overview of Soviet Montage

Central Figures in the Montage Movement

Student Presentation

Follow-up Discussion

Strike (1925) and Montage techniques

Soviet Montage An experimental film movement in post-Revolutionary Russia from 1925 to 1933 Related to the Constructivist movement, which tried to fuse art and politics in the USSR Focused on how montage could be used to create emotional and intellectual effects Only a small number of films made in Soviet Russia were part of the Montage movement

An experimental film movement in post-Revolutionary Russia from 1925 to 1933

Related to the Constructivist movement, which tried to fuse art and politics in the USSR

Focused on how montage could be used to create emotional and intellectual effects

Only a small number of films made in Soviet Russia were part of the Montage movement

Why study Soviet Montage? The films are significant experiments in film form and aesthetics The films develop our understanding of the relationship between form and ideology Several of the Montage filmmakers were also influential film theorists The techniques that were developed are now widely used in a range of films

The films are significant experiments in film form and aesthetics

The films develop our understanding of the relationship between form and ideology

Several of the Montage filmmakers were also influential film theorists

The techniques that were developed are now widely used in a range of films

Central Figures in the Movement Lev Kuleshov (1899-1970) Theorist, teacher, mildly experimental filmmaker Dziga Vertov (1896-1954) Theorist, documentary maker Sergei Eisenstein (1898-1948) Theorist, experimental/intellectual filmmaker Vsevolod Pudovkin (1893-1953) Government-approved experimental filmmaker

Lev Kuleshov (1899-1970)

Theorist, teacher, mildly experimental filmmaker

Dziga Vertov (1896-1954)

Theorist, documentary maker

Sergei Eisenstein (1898-1948)

Theorist, experimental/intellectual filmmaker

Vsevolod Pudovkin (1893-1953)

Government-approved experimental filmmaker

Student Presentation

Strike (1925)

Soviet Montage Techniques Narratives/characters influenced by Marxism Realistic mise-en-scène/location shooting Unusual framing of subjects Rapid, rhythmic editing creates juxtapositions Kuleshov Effect Overlapping Editing Elliptical Cutting Nondiegetic Inserts Graphic Contrasts

Narratives/characters influenced by Marxism

Realistic mise-en-scène/location shooting

Unusual framing of subjects

Rapid, rhythmic editing creates juxtapositions

Kuleshov Effect

Overlapping Editing

Elliptical Cutting

Nondiegetic Inserts

Graphic Contrasts

Soviet Montage Do you think that Eisenstein’s use of emotive techniques is justified? Do you think his films can be classed as ‘Soviet propaganda’? Do you think that Eisenstein’s style of filmmaking and writing is ‘formalist’ or ‘elitist’? Was it an effective/accessible way of communicating with the Russian masses?

Do you think that Eisenstein’s use of emotive techniques is justified?

Do you think his films can be classed as ‘Soviet propaganda’?

Do you think that Eisenstein’s style of filmmaking and writing is ‘formalist’ or ‘elitist’?

Was it an effective/accessible way of communicating with the Russian masses?

In what ways is Un Chien Andalou (1929) a quintessential surrealist film? What characteristics of the movement does it have? How can we interpret its seemingly illogical narrative? Can you interpret (in the way you would a dream) any sense from it? Surrealism Questions

In what ways is Un Chien Andalou (1929) a quintessential surrealist film? What characteristics of the movement does it have?

How can we interpret its seemingly illogical narrative? Can you interpret (in the way you would a dream) any sense from it?