Battleship Potemkin By Sergei Eisenstein Film Studies Essay

battleship Potemkin By Sergei Eisenstein Film Studies EssayBattleship Potemkin (1925) is a typical illustration of a fool that led to go a sign for revolution. One tin loafer reason out how this particular impart attempted to form a wise moving picture, and finished critic bothy aspect at the delineations theme/ideology, narrative structure, photographic fillmaking techniques and editing ( montage), with paying close tending to the Communist ideology, Imagism, Marxism, Futurism, the Hegelian theory, and Mexi provide figure out i stooge justify that Eisenstein founded the start to this spick-and-span cinema.Imagine a cinema which is non rule by the dollar a cinema industry where matchlesss man discharge is non filled at other hatfuls expense which is not for the pockets of dickens or three people, precisely for the heads and he humanistic discipline of 150 million people Suddenly a new cinema arises. (Sergei Eisenstein, 1926) It was without a doubt a moment for specifically Sergei Eisenstein creating a bench mark in cinema history, a substance of promotion to become a Bolshevik (a communist) and of course a new overall experience that began for cinema screening audiences in the mid-twenties that was not dominated by the dollar but reached into the hearts of the audience. The recent Bolshevik state saw film as a full of life tool in the revolutionary struggle, and immediately set about reconstructing the film industry. (Annette Kuhn, 1991 3) Thus, in reconstructing the film industry, a new cinema was formed.The society looked hindquarters on the 1905 Russian Revolution ushering an era of much change in not hardly the society structure but in the arts field. It was what any sensation could understand it as a chance to shed or so new light, to bring something new to the shelves, to be creative, to rebel on the past and roughly of all to become new. This was necessarily a chance for Eisenstein, with all his influence from past Di rectors and with the success of Eisensteins Strike (1925), to become an historical figure and affair model to future films and directors.Battleship Potemkin was inevitably cookd in order to hold the abortive Revolution (Annette Kuhn, 1991 3) Eisenstein then, with which we clearly uplift in this film, fed run into the Potemkin rebellion as the central fiction for the Revolution. The propaganda is seen to be Marxist propaganda for it scarcely being a socio-political view that surrounds a political ideology (Avineri, 1968 6) of the Russian revolution. We rear end alike see the films techniques through Imagism Images apply to progress to a new image (Avineri, 1968 8) and finally Cubism Putting together several perspectives into one frame which creates one overall message. (Avineri, 1968 14)New cinema potful excessively be seen through how Russian film- strivers found themselves in an industry nigh completely devoid of native traditions. (Kargonl Reisz, 1954 6) Thus, these film makers had a) nothing that they had to follow, stick to and beam on with and b) had a big opportunity to incorporate a new cinema. One could only imagine that there directors thus became propagandists and teachers to the society and had a task to use film medium as a means of instructing the masses in the Russian Revolution and to train a immature generation of film-makers to fulfill a task (Karel Reisz, 1954 7) Thus, this opened doors for filmmakers much(prenominal) as Eisenstein to set about imageing new ways to express ideas in order to communicate the Russian Revolution, and secondly, to develop a theory of filmmaking that could be seen as a benchmark in cinema history.Instead of only taking a look into the historical affirmground of this film (the Revolution) one end also see the influence that Eisensetiens background had on the advance together of this film, and the new cinema aspects and techniques. Eisenstein went to Mexico where he went to help his friend film t he country. The whole country was montage-editing theoretically speaking the way we see cede to death is all but a continuous cycle. (Marilyn Fabe, 2004 48) Inevitably this could be apparent anywhere in the world, but we back end see a link with the goddesses and catholic saints that clearly relates to Mexico. Thus, one can argue that this is a metaphor for Mexico seen to Eisenstein as well as an influence.Typage is a term used to describe that characters in this film were chosen based on their type, quite an than their star reputation. Not only does this contradict with Classic Hollywoods star structure, but it fed off on to Italian Neo reality, as one can see in Bicycle Thieves. (1948) Typage is purely to enhance realism and make the audience feel like they can relate as such characters are common, every day, people. This technique also influences the perceptional response (stimuli) and fitting from the audience, who are ideally the critiques of all means of art. The effec t that Typage has on this film, is that it not only takes power and sentiment away from the political education as much as possible but correlates the message more to the action, kinda than to the individual actor matter and power.It is clear that if one takes new cinema into perspective, and correlates it with new-found means of filmmaking montage editing was evidentially the new foundation of film art. on that point is no art without conflict, Sergei Eisenstein (1926) once wrote and thus we see that he merely created conflict by the juxtaposition of shots, which created an underlying symbolic meaning that can be seen through realism, compressing of time and audience engagement and is inevitably more important than the mise-en-scene. Thus becoming new to the screens as mise-en-scene can be argued as the most important aspect to past film directors.For someone who doesnt understand montage, it is simply briefly understood as the irate of shots and then bringing them back tog ether. We can see that through all the recognizeting and putting back of shots, it produces one overall idea which ties in with the story line. Lev Kuleshov (1970) explains this best when he correlates images of his facial expressions cut to a adult female playing with a baby, and then the same facial expression cut to a woman in her bikini. It immediately changes the idea behind the shot.The descent of shots can either be seen as similar, or contrary, can be seen as opposite. This is where conflict comes into play and forms a message. For example, when two men project from either sides of the screen with guns or swords in hand, the juxtaposition creates significance by signifying conflict between the two men, but also signifies that they bequeath unite. montage also enhances proceeding. Early films that would go on for hours on end would pulling out the movement to tell a story. However, the jump-cutting still creates a known-movement without the characters actually followi ng through the whole entire movement. Ideally the editing takes note in the removal of the body, and the audience is shown the introduction and conclusion of the movement. Thus, we can play what the body entailed for it to have gotten to the conclusion. Reference to this can be seen in Odessa stairs scene analysis to follow.When looking back at the earliest films, some of them hours and hours long, we can understand when watching this film that not only did editing enhance the viewing experience of the audience, but it cut down shots that exact not be shown. Thus, resulting in a film only 80 minutes long with over 1000 shots, compared to the regular 90minute film with fractional the amount of shots. (Marilyn Fabe, 2004 48) However, it was not only about enhancing the viewing experience, but was also about a tool for education and propaganda, thus creating a in good order narrative structure.With reference back to the Juxtaposition conflict between shots was not only about using shots up against each other that were so different, yet flowed, but an underlying meaning also channeled to this new cinema. As what I can begin to understand it as a conflict of innocence vs. military group as one can see when the adolescent child is trampled by the laborers and when the mother brings attention to the soldiers. Throughout this film, innocence and violence become so apparent and inevitably enhances the political and loving statement of the Russian Revolution.This movement feeds off into repetition, rhythm, and subject field. When shots are repeated often it can either bring a story together or it can take a story back to that time (as we see in many films today that jump cut to the future, or likewise to the past) and it can enhance fear or contrary, bring a calm strain to the audience. The rhythm aspect of montage is ideally a series of shots that create the rhythm and movement motion, which can be used to add suspicion or to compress time. Juxtaposition of shots with intended detail added inevitably creates the content as we can see in Lev Kuleshovs (date) example above. This feeds off to the metaphor of the film, which in this case is the Russian Revolution.Battleship Potemkin is centered around fiver sub-themes. These can be seen through Men and Maggots Drama on the Quarterdeck An appeal from the Dead The Odessa Steps collision the Squadron. (webpages.csus.edu/abuckman/POTEMKIN.htm 26/04/2011) The above sub-themes can be seen to in many wayscorrespond with the historical reminiscence of the Russian Revolution position in order to execute the revolution metaphor. This is seen as the plot outline.In men and Maggots, this scene cleverly shows the political and social condition which enhances the realism in this film and introduces the environment of which the story will be told. We are shown the uniforms, the battleship and the cleaning of the ship with boiling soup this can be seen as a metaphor for how they are slowly but cer tainly arriving at boiling point. hither we are also shown The Hegelian theory.The Hegelian theory is a theory that plays a huge role in Battleship Potemkin. It inevitably means that this film holds a utilitarian conclude as well as an artistic purpose. (webpages.csus.edu/abuckman/POTEMKIN.htm 26/04/2011) Thus, meaning that this is propaganda on side art. This is used by Eisenstein mainly to affect the viewers, and actually create meaning and effect in their own personal subjective social and political views. Eisenstein used a psyhco-psychical approach which ideally re-moulds the reflexes of humans and gives them a new perspective on the revolution, leading them in a preferred direction (webpages.csus.edu/abuckman/POTEMKIN.htm 26/04/2011)and can personally be seen as manipulative way.Inevitabely, one can then see through this film, that he enhances a physiological consciousness as his film illustrates happenings and actions instead of just word-painting emotions. -Which refers b ack to Typage. This is effectively confronted in the Odessa Steps sequence which will be analyzed below. However, in Men With Maggots, we are shown the contrast of faces of offices in conflict with the crew. As what follows from the effect of this theory is the two contrasting forces slowdown to create a third meaning, thus a third force. This goes back to the example of the two men entering either sides of the frame, and of course, the Lev Kuleshov theory.As we can see in Drama on the Quarterdeck, a subjective-camera is used to add sentiment, and create more realism. We can thus, fully feel and understand the emotion behind the bodies hanging the terror and disgust. In this scene, I also find the cross-cut very interesting in meaning as it shows a corporation and linkage between the place of prayer and the rulers. This can illustrates power, or likewise, Eisenstein is portrait a meaning behind belief of the rulers. In the next scene, compendium from the Dead the one thing th at stuck out was the close-up. The close-up of the clenched fist which becomes bigger as the camera sweeps in on it, and as we are shown a fist that slowly clenches as the masses finally make a finding to revolt. It brings about power in the frame and emotion. Close-ups used in this film suck sentiment out to the audience, and are cleverly used on rare occasion to enhance the effect even more.The Odessa Steps is probably the most iconic scene in this film, and effectively portrays such editing to an audience who have never experienced such before. This scene uses montage to build tension singular moments of fear and terror that finally discharge a violent emotional response from the audience. In this scene one can also clearly see how typage comes into play, and how it enhances the motional response as this scene portrays the force of the action rather than the individual roles of the men and woman. Here we are also shown the laborers scrambling down the steps from a high go sho ts not only showering the meaning behind power, but shows the action on a whole and not from one main characters perspective, as we would see in Classic Hollywood. Here we are also shown conflict forces with the disturbed rush of masses coming down the steps in analogy to the soldiers.If we look at the Odessa Steps in far more detail, we can start to understand how this scene was the turning point in not only Eisensteins career, in history, but also in the film. We are shown close-ups of the laborers facial expressions in relation and in conflict to long shots of the scene as a whole the action of what is actually happening. The rhythm is also increase tremendously, which increases the intensity and emotions of the scene. Lastly, a turnaround of downward movement cleverly portrays the crowds movement in conflict, to the emotions of the woman crying with the baby. And finally, in the last act Meeting the Squadron we are illustrated by suspense. The shots are slow in rhythm, howev er, there is a sense of strong unity.In conclusion, one can justifiably argue that Battleship Potemkin attempted to form a new cinema through Eisenstein using the Russian Revolution as a metaphorical benchmark for fresh, innovative ideas that were seen through mainly montage editing, as well as propaganda. As Eisenstein (date) said, We tried to take the historical events just as they were and not to interfere in any shape, manner or form, with the process as it was actually taking place to still bring reality to the screens to portray a real event.