1. Soviet Montage, 1925-1933 Lecture 15

2. Outline of Soviet History February Revolution (1917) Forced the abdication of Tsar Nicholas II Provisional Government headed by Alexander Kerensky Little support for Kerensky due to Russia’s ongoing involvement in WWI April: Vladimir Lenin returns from exile August: failed coup by General Kornilov to restore the monarchy October Revolution (1917) – Bolsheviks take power with the help of military units that switch sides Civil War (b/t Reds and Whites) – Whites supported by foreign interventionist troops (France, Britain, USA) Lenin dies 1924 Stalin becomes General Secretary of the Communist Party 1929: Leon Trotsky forced out of the Party and exiled

3. Soviet Film, 1918-1933 Three phases – A. 1918-1920—War Communism (Civil War)— LOW PRODUCTION Industry was not nationalized at first Pre-revolution filmmakers mostly left or died State Regulatory body emerged: Narkompros (People’s Commissariat of Education) – Under Anatoli Lunacharsky Lack of equipment and hoarding by private companies of film stock High production of agitki (short propaganda films) and newsreels Agit-vehicles 1919: industry finally nationalized 1919: Narkompros established the state film school – Lev Kuleshov was on the faculty

4. K ULESHOV E FFECT : M OZHUKHIN EXPERIMENT (H ITCHCOCK ON B IKINIS : HTTP :// WWW. YOUTUBE. COM / WA TCH ? V = H CAE0 T 6K W JY ) HTTP :// WWW. YOUTUBE. COM / WA TCH ? V = H CAE0 T 6K W JY

5. K ULESHOV E FFECT : T HE C REATED S URFACE OF THE E ARTH EXPERIMENT

6. Soviet Film, 1918-1933 Three phases – B. 1921-1924—New Economic Policy Reintroduction of private ownership Film stock reappears Lenin: “Of all the arts, for us the cinema is the most important.” 1922 Rapallo Treaty: trade with Germany – U.S.S.R. could buy equipment on credit – 99% of films distributed in Soviet distribution were foreign – This revenue proved crucial for the development of a national film industry National production gets its start

7. Soviet Film, 1918-1933 Three phases – C. 1925-1933—The Montage Movement Sovkino, state company takes over – Tasks » Open urban theaters » Make film viewing possible in the countryside through the purchase of portable projectors » Produce films that embodied communist ideals Pressure to reduce imported films Incentive to export films Potemkin (Sergei Eisenstein, 1925) was the first Soviet Montage film that was popular abroad (in Germany)

8. W HAT ARE THE STYLISTIC AND NARRATIVE FEATURES OF EXPRESSIONIST FILM VS. S OVIET M ONTAGE ? Soviet Montage 1.*Innovates in the area of editing Fast editing Rhythmic editing Overlapping editing Elliptical editing Non-diegetic inserts Jump cuts Graphic contrasts 2.Mise-en-scene/pro-filmic: Location/outdoor shooting Contrasting textures, shapes, volumes Multiple planes Lighting: No fill light Acting: typage, biomechanics, eccentricity 3. Area of camerawork (i.e. the enframed image): Refusal of conventional straight-on angle (High/low angles/canted) Decentered Low horizon line 4. Genre Historical; conflict-oriented; epics Expressionism 1.Editing Unobtrusive Continuity Shot/reverse shot Cross-cutting 2.*Innovates in the area of mise-en- scene (i.e. the pro-filmic) Sets: artificial not natural Costumes Props Acting lighting 3.Enframed image/camerawork Unobtrusive Stationary camera Eye-level Straight-on angle 4.Genre Fantasy, horror