Battleship Potemkin (1925)
An all time classic from Sergei Eisenstein that depicts the mutiny of a battleship by Russian soldiers who are rebelling against the tyranny of the Tsarist regime. Eisenstein is famous for creating “montage” which is cutting different scenes together to create a new conclusion; montage is an idea that arises from the collision of independent shots wherein each sequential element is perceived not next to the other, but on top of the other. A+B=C.
The video above is the famous Odessa Steps Sequence. The scene depicting a massacre of innocent civilians was used as a propaganda tool to denounce the tyranny of the Tsar. This event never acutually happened; however, after seeing the film many people believe it was a real event. Look at the quick cuts and editing in this sequence… they are perfect and demonstrate the power of montage.
2 years ago