anyone know any film history sites?

Nique Zoolio

Nique Zoolio

Dear IndieTalkers,

I wonder if any of you know any film history websites that will include info on Russian Montage Theory - as I am going to be doing that for my dissertation next year!!! (excitement face).


Thanks
 
Interesting. I've only seen clips from Eisenstien's films and I don't know his work that well. I might try to find find some to borrow.

Have you thought about comparing his montage technique to the cutting techniques of Leni Refrensthal, particularly in "Olympiad?"
 
clive said:
Have you thought about comparing his montage technique to the cutting techniques of Leni Refrensthal, particularly in "Olympiad?"
Click to expand...

Funnily enough, that was my first idea to my doctor. I wanted to compare cutting technqiues from Soviet, Nazi and contemporary Hong Kong cinema and relate it to politics. Sadly, I am only allowed to study Russian culture - so am restricted somewhat. I'll probably compare to Vertov. Got to say Olympiad is amazing stuff. I am always attracted to anything about that period of German history, but it was that and Soviet cinema that first got me thinking about how the camera is not a neutral creation in any way. And their writings - so passionate - right up there with Walter Gropius of the Bauhaus for sheer desire. Fantastic stuff. (god, art can be so sexy)
Thanks for the idea.
 
Last edited:
Nique,

How about V. I Pudovkin? He believed the foundation of film art was editing. As far as I know he is the most prolific employer of 'plastic material' to convey human emotion and sensibilities. I think his cutting technique would be applicable.
 
How about V. I Pudovkin
Click to expand...

Bird, could you stick down some film titles by Pudovkin that you think showed his/her technique? Again, I'm not familiar with the work, but it sounds fascinating. TA ;)
 
I think Pudovkin's most famous works were Mother and Earth. Excellent idea Bird - I'll give him a real look into. Its the theory behind the images that I can use. Its a history dissertation and sadly the university is not very open when it comes to formats of evidence I can use. Eg - I cannot do my dissertation involving clips, I can only do it via documents - so the theory and stills is where I will go. If you (or anyone) wouldn't mind going into some detail about the Soviet montage theory (I recall that Pudovkin and Eisenstein had some difference over their theories for montage I think) - that'd be very helpful for me. :yes:
 
Last edited:
Hey Clive,

Along with Nique's references, how about, 'The End of St. Petersburg' (1927), 'Storm over Asia' (1928), and 'Mechanics of the Brain' (1926).

Nique,
Also, another pertinent Soviet Montagist (who I've completely forgotten about as I've never seen his work, but remember reading about his workshop) was Lev Kuleshov. Pudovkin said about Kuleshov...'we make films, Kuleshov made cinema'. Some films: 'Adventures of Mr. West in the Land of the Bolsheviks' (1924), 'Death Ray' (1925-Sci-fi). The Kuleshov Collective was formed in 1919 at the State Film School (later VGIK). The students experimented cutting with the limited resources they had, film at hand and sequences from feature films from the West (including Griffith's 'Intolerance').
 
Nique,

There is a book called 'A Short History of the Movies' by Gerald Mast which has a nice section of stills illustrating Eisenstein's and Pudovkin's cutting/montage techniques. Another book called 'Film: A montage of Theories' complied by Richard Dyer ManCann has a few papers by Soviet Filmmakers which I think would help.

I think Pudovkin approached montage as a poet, montage as metaphor..building a film through disparate images yet ones which harmonized as a whole. He would cut a piece of 'plastic material' in response to a person's emotive /physical state...water flowing from a jug as someone dies. Eisenstein saw montage as a 'collision of ideas' a real concrete interpretation. In the same scenario, he would cut to the actual horror. I know this is an oversimplification, but I think the 'sentimental' choices made in montage has much to do with the personality of the artist.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top