Psychology was important to
Eisenstein in his
montages. One his goals in this
film appears to be to link images to create a meaning. Two
shots that are
completely unrelated can be put in succession to make a point. In some cases,
it is easy to miss the meaning of a particular set of shots. In other cases,
it's a little more obvious. Eisenstein seems to enjoy the use of
symbolism. In the beginning of the film, shots of the Potemkin's cannons seem to
represent power and authority. The dark shot of the priest on board shows
contempt and hatred from the authority figures toward the mass of people as a
whole. In the
Odessa steps sequence, there is a
cut from the horrible massacre
to a statue of a lion. This seems to represent the anger and power of
the soldiers who are mercilessly slaying their prey. The soldiers, who walk
perfectly in sync, are quite statue-like. The shots of only their boots,
rifles, and/or shadows seem to suggest that soldiers are inhuman. Their faces
are rarely shown. They are more of an advancing killing machine than a group of
people. Cuts between these soldiers and the fleeing civilians contrast the
innocent civilians between the violent soldiers. Also, the shots from a
civilian's
point of view are typically looking upward from below, while the
soldiers look down from above. This contrasts the power and control of the
soldiers to the fear and helplessness of the civilians. During the massacre,
there is a shot of a woman screaming followed by a cut to a baby carriage about
to roll down the steps. This is a simple, obvious example of Eisenstein's use of
psychology in his montages. These two unrelated images are linked together
through
juxtaposition. On the Potemkin, when the captain makes an order for
some of the sailors to be hanged, there are a series of shots of the reactions
of the sailors. This is followed by a shot of where they will be hanged. The
crewmembers look up and see their deaths. Their only choice left is
mutiny.
One of Eisenstien's methods of emphasizing the importance of a
scene is by lengthening the time frame in which an event occurs. This is seen
rarely in Hollywood today, which is why it can be confusing. With
closer observation, it is easier to see that expanding time can add suspense
and/or tension to a scene. Eisenstein uses this technique a handful of times in
Battleship Potemkin. The first example was previously mentioned. One of the
sailors on the Potemkin is washing dishes and becomes frustrated over the
crew's treatment and decides to smash a plate. This act is drawn out to add
emphasis to the scene. In this case, as well as many of the others, the filmed
act takes longer than the act itself. The scene is divided into 11 separate
shots(Mast, pg.170) which differ in terms of position and scope. The editing of
this shot is aggressive to match the anger of the sailor's act. Two examples
occur on the Odessa steps. Firstly, the entire Odessa steps sequence is drawn
out to an extreme. By drawing out this scene, it makes an already terrifying
scene more terrible. Since time was not an issue, Eistenstein was able to show
all of the horrible acts that occur on the steps, such as a boy being trampled
and a woman being shot in the eye. Time is once again drawn out in the steps
scene when a woman notices a baby carriage about to roll down the steps. There
are cuts from the mother who has just been shot to the baby carriage rolling
slightly, then away and back again. By drawing out this scene, a large a mount
of suspense is added. The anxiety created in watching the baby carriage roll
back and forth over a long period of time makes the final act of it rolling
down the steps almost a relief.
Although the themes of social revolution in Battleship Potemkin may not be as
relevant as they were 80 years ago, the depiction of oppression can be easily
understood today. Though the film can and should be appreciated for its narrative, what should be
genuinely celebrated is the film's use of editing, which enhances the
narrative. Instead of merely making a film for entertainment purposes,
Eistenstein created a piece of historical artwork.
The sequence and rhythm of each shot
is close to perfection for this time period. Eistenstein's ability to use
juxtaposition as a means of conveying a particular emotion must have been well
honed by the making of this film. In particular, the Odessa steps sequence
should be well known for its violently layered imagery which creates a truly
horrifying scene. Though Eisenstein's original intent was to create a
piece of propaganda, today the film is not remembered for this. Instead, it is
known as an editing masterpiece.
Sources:
Kwain, Bruce F. and Gerald Mast.A Short History of the Movies. Needham Heights: 2000