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Soviet Montage, 1925-1933. Lecture 16. Sergei Eisenstein:. “In the realm of art this dialectic principle of dynamics is embodied in Conflict as the fundamental principle for the existence of every art work and every art-form.”.
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Soviet Montage, 1925-1933 Lecture 16
Sergei Eisenstein: “In the realm of art this dialectic principle of dynamics is embodied in Conflict as the fundamental principle for the existence of every art work and every art-form.”
How does Eisenstein arrive at the idea of the centrality of CONFLICT to film?
Dialectics Thesis 1 + Anti-Thesis 1 = Synthesis 1 Synthesis 1 (Thesis 2) + Anti-thesis 2 = Synthesis 2 … Eisenstein: “Being—as a constant evolution from the interaction of two contradictory opposites.” (A Dialectical Approach 45)
October (Eisenstein, 1927)Five Acts • Act 1 • 5 day February Revolution in St. Petersburg • Alexander III statue brought down • Act 2 • July days: street fighting between Anarchists and Left Bolsheviks and Provisional Government forces (Bridge sequence) • Kerensky in the Winter Palace • General Kornilov attacks • Kornilov’s soldiers switch to the Bolshevik side
October (Eisenstein, 1927)Five Acts • Act 3 • Lenin argues for insurrection • Bolsheviks plan insurrection • Act 4 • Bolsheviks prepare the insurrection • Kerensky leaves the Winter Palace • Women’s Battalion of Death defend the palace • Second Soviet Congress (Oct. 25) • Act 5 • Bolsheviks prevail against Mensheviks at Second Soviet Congress • Red Guards take the Winter Palace
October (1927): Dialectics of narrative
Dialectics of Form: Eisenstein: “The shot and montage are the basic elements of cinema” “The shot appears as the cell of montage.” (organic metaphor) “So, montage is conflict.” THEN: There must be conflict in the shot as well.
Conflict within the shot • 1) Shot (enframed image)— • Graphic conflict • Conflict of planes • Conflict of volume • Light conflict • Spatial conflict • Conflict between matter and viewpoint (ex: canted and other camera angles) • Conflict between matter and its spatial nature (ex: optical distortion) • Conflict between an event and its temporal nature (ex: slow motion, fast motion, stop-motion) • Conflict between optical complex and different sphere (ex: conflict between image and sound)