From these origins, we can outline the five basic types of montage. We even see its classical roots in Battleship Potemkin (1925) and recreated and homaged in The Untouchables (1987).īut, what is a montage, really? And what makes this film editing technique so emotive and useful? The best way to understand is to go back to its origins and explore the core basics of Soviet Montage Theory.
We see it in critically acclaimed art films like The Godfather and Citizen Kane.
Movie-lovers like us see it in cheesy hits from the 1980s and 1990s like Bloodsport and Dirty Dancing. In the vast history of film and video, there’s perhaps no cinematic or editing technique more recognizable or powerful than the montage. We discuss the core historical tenets of Soviet Montage Theory, then explore the main types of montage for your film and video projects.