Soviet Cinema and the Cinema of Sergei Eisenstein (09/10/10)

Eisenstein inspecting film strip.

The University of Warwick Open Studies Certificate: ‘Introduction to Film and Cinema Studies’; Term 1 “1895-1950: The Birth and Development of Narrative Film"; Week 3 (09/10/10)

Power of the Image, Influence of Griffiths and Expressionism: Introduction to Sergei Eisenstein

I was late by 30 minutes for this week’s lesson because there were no trains to Acocks Green, so I had to get the bus from the centre of Birmingham.

This week consisted of a two hour illustrated lecture given by Julia Larden, on Sergei Eisenstein. She discussed both his innovative aesthetic style and its relationship with D.W Griffith and German Expressionism.  This was done through the analysis of key sequences with in mind the expressive, not just descriptive, role of both the mise-en-scène and editing. The discussion mainly centred around the concept of montage.  Cinematic texts studied were Battleship Potemkin (Sergei Eisenstein, USSR, 1925) and October (Sergei Eisenstein, USSR, 1928).

After biographical information concerning Eisenstein’s life, we considered the historical context surrounding his work and applied to the aesthetic style exhibited. Are discussion mainly focused on editing, through montage, being the stylistic element that is central to the creation of meaning. 

I took notes of the session myself, and have received an attachment of the handout online. As the lesson is brief it is important to further reading in your own time.  Julia suggested some general texts: David Bordwell’s The Cinema of Eisenstein (Routledge, 2005) and Richard Taylor’s analyses of Battleship Potemkin (Taurus, 2001) and October (BFI, 2002). Julia also suggested the film script of The Battleship Potemkin (Faber, 1988).

I really enjoyed doing this research, as I have previously studied Soviet Montage Cinema, in a slightly broader sense, during A2 Film Studies (WJEC). In the module ‘Soviet Montage and Hollywood: FM 4’ we looked at the historical context surrounding this film movement. Through the close textual analysis of Battleship Potemkin (Sergei Eisenstein, Goskino, USSR, 1925) and The End of St. Petersburg (Vsevolod Pudovkin, Mezhrabpom-Rus, USSR, 1927) stylistic elements that would be considered a feature of Soviet cinema of the 1920’s. This was mainly done through the comparison of Eisenstein’s and Pudovkin’s different perspectives and the creation of meaning through film form.

I treated this week as not only an opportunity to develop my understanding of early Soviet cinema and the work of Eisenstein but as a reminder to sustain my interest in the subject area. Hopefully, when I attend university I will be able, if not through a taught program, to continue my research into Eisenstein and Soviet cinema.

Further research to be conducted concerning Sergei Eisenstein: 

• Jacques Aumont, Montage Eisenstein, 1987

• Ronald Bergan, Eisenstein: a life in conflict, 1997

• James Goodwin, Eisenstein: cinema and history, 1993

• Herbert Marshall (ed.), ‘The Battleship Potemkin’, 1978

• David Mayer, Eisenstein Potemkin, 1972.

• Jean Mitry, S.M.Eisenstein, 1978

• Marie Seton, Sergei Eisenstein: a biography, 1978.

• Ian Christie & Richard Taylor, Eisenstein rediscovered, 1993.

• Williams Powell, Richard Taylor (ed.) Writings, 1934-1947 (Sergei Eisenstein: Selected Works Vol. 3), 1996.

• Richard Taylor (ed.), Beyond the Stars: The Memoirs of Sergei Eisenstein (Sergei Eisenstein: Selected Works Vol. 4), 1996.

Further research to be conducted in regards to Soviet Cinema:

• Documenatry and the ‘Kino-Eye’ (Man With A Movie Camera (Vertov,1929)) and popular cinema (e.g. The Girl with the Hatbox (Boris Barnet, 1927) and the work of Grigori Aleksandrov).

• Yuri Tsivian, ‘New Notes on Russian Film Culture Between 1908 and 1919’, in The Silent Cinema Reader, pp.339-348.

• Denise Youngblood, Movies for the Masses (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1992).

• Richard Taylor, “Russia: The Historical Background” and “Russia: The Needs of Revolution” in Taylor, Film Propaganda: Soviet Russia and Nazi Germany, (London: I. B. Tauris), 1998.

• Dziga Vertov, “Kino-Eye” (1926), “The Man With a Movie Camera (1928), “From Kino-Eye to Radio Eye” (1929) in Annette Michelson (ed.) Kino-Eye: The Writings of Dziga Vertov, trans. Kevin O’Brien (Berkeley & Los Angeles: University of California Press, 1984).

• Vance Kepley Jr., “The Origins of Soviet Cinema: A Study in Industry Development” in Richard Taylor & Ian Christie (eds), Inside the Film Factory: New Approaches to Russian and Soviet Cinema (London: Routledge, 1991).

• Jay Leyda, Kino: A History of the Russian and Soviet Film (London: George Allen & Unwin, 1960).

• Vlada Petric, Constructivism in Film – A Cinematic Analysis: The Man With the Movie Camera (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1993).

• Graham Roberts, The Man With the Movie Camera (London: I.B. Tauris, 2001).

• The theoretical work of Lev Kuleshov and Vsevolod Pudovkin. I also understand that the director Mikhail Romm wrote in some length about film; It is difficult to locate, if there are any, translations.  

• The influence of the All-Union State Institute of Cinematography on the consistency of aesthetic film style in the Soviet Union.

• The aesthetics of Socialist Realist Cinema.

• The work of Aleksandr Ptushko.

• The significance of animation.

The Odessa steps, Battleship Potemkin (1925)

Bibliography

Bordwell, David., Thompson, Kristin. 2006. Film Art: An Introduction. 8th ed. New York: McGraw-Hill Higher Education. pp. 453-456.

Bordwell, David., Thompson, Kristin. 2009. Film History: An Introduction. 3rd ed. New York: McGraw-Hill Higher Education. pp. 105-127.

Casey Benyahia, Sarah. Gaffney, Freddie and White, .John., 2009. A2 Film Studies: The Essential Introduction. 2nd ed. Abingdon: Routledge. pp.162-183.

Coleclough, S. (2009). Soviet Montage and Hollywood, FM4. [Lecture notes] Soviet Montage. A2 Film Studies. Stafford College, Media Studies Department, Room T24, September.

Corrigan, Timothy., White, Patricia. 2009. The Film Experience. 2^nd ed. London: Palgrave Macmillian.

Eisenstein, Sergei. 1946. Film Sense. London: Faber.

Eisenstein, Sergei. 1949. Film Form. Florida: Mercourt.

Eisenstein, Sergei. 1988. Writings, 1922-34 (Selected Works, Volume 1). London: BFI.  

Michael, Glenny and Richard Taylor (Eds.). 1991. Sergei Eisenstein: Towards a Theory of Montage (Selected Works Vol. 2). London: British Film Institute.

Gillespie, David (2000) Early Soviet Cinema: Innovation, Ideology and Propoganda. Short Cuts. London: Wallflower Press.

Hayward, Susan. (1996) Cinema Studies: The Key Concepts. Abingdon: Routledge. pp. 361-369.

Joyce, Mark. 2007. ‘The Soviet Montage Cinema of the 1920s’. In: J. Nelmes, ed. Introduction to Film Studies. Abingdon: Routledge, pp. 365-397.

Kenez, Peter. 2001. Cinema and Soviet Society: From the Revolution to the Death of Stalin. New York: I.B Tauris.

Kuhn, Annette.  2008. ‘Soviet Cinema’. In: P. Cook, ed. The Cinema Book. London: BFI Publishing, pp. 244-247.

Larden, J. (2010). Sergei Eisenstein: Images and Types, [Lecture]. Introduction to Film and Cinema Studies. The University of Warwick. Open Studies Certificate. Stone Hall Adult Education Centre, 1083 Warwick Road, Acocks Green, Birmingham,9th October.

Leyda, Jay. 1960. Kino: History of Russian and Soviet Film. New York: George Allen & Unwin.

Nilsen, Vladimir. 1972. The Cinema as a Graphic Art. New York: Hill & Wang.

Nizhny, Vladimir. 1979. Lessons with Eisenstein. New York: Da Capo Press.

Wollen, Peter. 1969. ‘Eisenstein’s Aesthetics’. In: Signs and Meanings in the Cinema.1997.London: BFI.

Add volume 2 montage and cinema of e (bordwell)

Filmography

Battleship Potemkin (Sergei Eisenstein, Goskino, USSR, 1925)
The End of St. Petersburg (Vsevolod Pudovkin, Mezhrabpom-Rus, USSR, 1927)
October (Sergei Eisenstein, Sovkino, USSR, 1928)
¡Que Viva Mexico! - Da zdravstvuyet Meksika! (Sergei Eisenstein, Mosfilm, USSR, 1979)
Storm Over Asia (Vsevolod Pudovkin, Mezhrabpomfilm, USA, 1928)
Strike (Sergei Eisenstein, Goskino, USSR, 1925)

Image Sources:
‘Eisenstein inspecting film strip' [online] Available at: < http://www.listal.com/viewimage/381221> [Accessed 04 November 2010]

‘The Odessa Steps, Battleship Potemkin (1925)’ [online] Available at: < http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/filmblog/2008/feb/01/battleshippotemkinmakesusstrong> [Accessed 04 November 2010]