Saving Private Ryan: Analysis of Continuity and Application of Eisenstein’s Theories of Montage
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Title: Saving Private Ryan: Analysis of Continuity and Application of Eisenstein’s Theories of Montage
- Introduction
The main objective of this report is to analyze the film “Saving Private Ryan”. This film was produced in 1998 in the genres of drama, war, as well as action. The film was directed by Steven Spielberg and edited by Michael Kahn. Michael Kahnis is an award-winning editor who has also edited several other films including Raiders of the Lost Ark, Jurassic Park, and Schindler’s List. In this report, a two-minute cutting of the film is selected and analyzed cut-by-cut. The selected clip is a two-minute clip of the soldiers immediately after the storm into Omaha Beach. This particular section is analyzed for visual and narrative continuity and in the context of the color, shape, size, motion direction, and in-frame position. Additionally, the application of Einstein’s theories of montage on this cutting is analyzed and the rhythmic, intellectual, over tonal, tonal, and metric theories identified and discussed with respect to the film.
- Visual and Narrative Continuity -- Cut by Cut Analysis
- Color
Color in the film has been desaturated in order to give the film a historical look. The images are devoid of color and appear with a blue tinge. Additionally, they are not as bright since the brightness level of the images has been reduced. This is very important for the viewers who do not prefer bright images when watching the film. Images also appear to be foggier and there is reduced contrast. The tones are rather flat and even though the color has been drained from the film, it lends the film credibility. This is because it makes it look like an old movie, which was actually enacted during the Second World War. Additionally, there is a gritty feeling to the images, which makes the color of the shots appear somewhat grainy. This effect on the color further makes the movie appear as an old film that was shot during the events it seeks to recapture and this again makes it more realistic. The tone, feel, and brightness level of the colors of the images is largely consistent throughout the selected clip and in the entire movie. In general, there is continuity in color and light for the most part. No examples suffice to illustrate the discontinuity of color either in the selected clip or in the entire “Saving Private Ryan” film.
- Direction of Motion
None of the images in the chosen clip is shown in slow motion. Additionally, none of the images is shot using a separate skyline perspective. All the shots therefore expose the probable point of view of each of the soldiers. This gives the viewer the feeling of being in the battlefield and makes the scenes realistic. The direction of motion as typified by the images in the movie renders them believable and makes the movie a realistic rendition of the actual events that took place in the battlefield. The angles of the cameras are set in a way that captures more blood. In addition, the frames are centered more evenly at times and this helps to bring out the horrific scenes more vividly hence amplifying the horrors of the war. However, a few discontinuities warrant mention here that are very significant to the viewers. At the end of the battle at the Omaha Beach, there is a pair of German soldiers surrendering and who are blasted in the stomach. The next cut however shows that one of the shot soldiers actually has a wound on the head and not the stomach. Colonel Bryce appears to have no left arm when he is first shown in the film but the “missing” left arm is fleetingly visible just before General Marshall reads Lincoln’s letter (Spielberg).
- Position in Frame
If there is, anything that has helped to bring out the oomph in the film is the in-frame position of the shots. The film convincingly appears as if the combatants themselves have shot it. The emphasis is on physical and not visual effects. There is a greater focus on the physical effects as compared to the visual effects. It is this greater focus that lends further authenticity to the images in the film. The in-frame position is affected by the capricious shooting styles deployed. The battle scenes are mostly captured using cameras that are held by hand and this helps to bring out the film as a documentary piece. However, the more orthodox Hollywood style is used when narrating dialogues. The interchange of shooting styles reinforces the film as a work of both history and fiction. One particular scene can be regarded as a discontinuity pertaining to the position in frame. This is where Upham shoots the German soldier at the conclusion of the film. The German soldier is heard collapsing but the body is not visible within the frame. This is the sole case of in-frame position that lacks continuity in the film (Spielberg).
- Size
Size is an important consideration with regard to the authenticity of the film. After storming Omaha Beach, a shot is taken from the hill where Tom and his men have gathered in order to genuflect on their conquest. This is significant because the hilltop provides a bird’s eye view of the beaches. The view from the hilltop also allows a broader view of the battle behind. This shot allows all the troops and ships in the water to be seen with amazing clarity and this enhances the overall feel of the scene besides fortifying the movie’s theme. The barricades that are located at the foreground together with the barrage balloons are also viewed with astounding clarity. This shot from the hill poignantly brings to mind the horrors of the war zone and lends an authenticity to the movie that is unshakeable.
- Shape
There are several discontinuities associated with the concept of shape in the film “Saving Private Ryan”. The attack by the soldiers on the machine nest gun took place on a smooth and even ground. However, the soldiers are seen running up a precipitous hill as they rush to assist Reiben manhandle the German captive. In addition, a scene shows Upham standing close to the church. When a soldier shouts at him, he hurries up and comes from the bridge. At the opening of the film when Miller leads his men to the beach, his helmet has the leather chinstrap located further away from the rim yet it is shown to be squat on the rim seconds later. Four days have already elapsed when Tom (Captain Miller) and his group reach the location where the shot gliders are. The bodies shown have however not decomposed as badly as one would expect them to have decomposed after four days. In the scene where Jackson dashes to the ditch to aim at the machine gunner, it is evidently obvious that he passes the wall. The subsequent shot however shows him inclined against the wall.
Overall, there are various narrative discontinuities, which reduce the authenticity of the film. For one, there is a change in the direction in which the bullets are pointing when the ammunition belt is handed over just prior to the last battle. Private Mellish takes off his combat vets two times just before the attack on the site of the radar. After the death of Wade, two German soldiers are shown lying dead in the foxhole. One of the dead soldiers however is seen to be still breathing.
- Application of Eisenstein’s Theories of Montage
Montage is an editing style where images are juxtaposed (Eisenstein: 42).The section below describes the use of Eisenstein’s Theories of Montage.
- Intellectual
Intellectual montage entails the use of shots that bring out logical sense when the clips are concatenated (Eisenstein: 42).The selected clip from the film vividly employs the use of intellectual montage. In the selected clip, Tom Hanks who acts as the leader of the Infantry Division deployed in the war is shown walking in the direction of a command post. He is going to report to an officer of a higher rank than he does. Initially, the shot of Tom is a long one but the camera then tracks down Tom before the image cuts to a close shot of Tom. Once the close shot is in focus, a series of images are then brought in quick succession. The close shot of Tom is shown immediately after each image. The images that are shown include those of a cup of coffee, a shaving person, and a sandwich.
At the same time, the image focuses on the eyes of Tom. The audience cannot fail to notice the wistful look on his eyes. The eyes depict a longing for the simple joys of life. It is a subtle technique that shows the viewers that even though Tom is a battle-hardened warrior, he is much as human as the audience are. Simultaneously, this feeling of humanness and the deduction that Tom has missed certain basic joys of life evokes emotions. This image, when taken together with a combination of the other juxtaposed images, subtly evokes emotion in the audience and is a good example of the use of intellectual montage in a film.
- Metric
Metric montage is used to evoke the most primordial and poignant of responses from the audience (Eisenstein: 42).Unlike the more subtle intellectual montage, metric montage is a less intricate method that arouses the most basic feelings of those watching. The juxtaposed images in the scene including a cup of coffee, a man shaving, and a sandwich are cut based on the total lengths of the cut pieces. The method in which the juxtaposed pieces are cut helps to bring out the effect of mechanical acceleration while conserving their primary proportions. Additionally, the cuts are arranged rhythmically with recurring phrases based on an already set rhythm. This is in line with Eisenstein’s assertion that cuts in a metric montage should be set musically with recurring phrases and based on a certain set rhythm (Eisenstein: 42). The scene described above fulfills these basic requirements. The close shot of Tom intervenes between the different juxtaposed images and resembles the recurrent phrase in music. The juxtaposed images are all used to make the shot of Tom have a particular length. Ultimately, this succeeds in bringing out a physiological reaction from the viewers without necessarily etching the image in the viewers mind. Additionally, the editing here is based on the frame count without due regard to the happenings in the shot.
- Rhythmic
In rhythmic montage, continuity forms the basis of the cutting and this ensures that there is logical flow from one edit to the other. Though the editing depends on time and frame count, there is also consideration on the happenings of the shot (Eisenstein, 1942).The Omaha beach scene in the film “Saving Private Ryan” provides a rich example of the use of rhythmic montage in film. The paradox of rhythmic montage is brought out in the chosen scene. It can be seen that there is conflict between the images. The meter of the montage is fixed on this particular scene with the insertion of images that have an obvious meaning such as sandwiches and coffee in between the image of a fully clad, fully armed, battle-hardened soldier at war. Stated differently, the conflict arises with the juxtaposition of the scenes of halcyon against scenes of disorder, chaos, and war. In addition, there is due regard to what is happening in the film. In other words, the juxtaposition of the images is deliberate and it seems to have been done at this particular time in order to project the desired feeling. This is important as it allows the conflict between the war zone and the everyday happenings of modern life to come to the fore and hence bring out the desired emotional feeling.
- Tonal
The demonstrative expressiveness of shots is used in tonal montage to evoke reactions from the audience. In tonal montage, the effect is attained not just by slicing the cut lengths or tinkering with its rhythmical features but also through poignant arousal of feelings (Eisenstein: 42). Several examples in the film “Saving Private Ryan” suffice to illustrate the use of tonal montage. In the selected cut, the use of the juxtaposed images referred to in the preceding sections (cup of coffee, sandwich, shaving person) is enough to elicit emotions from the viewers. The upshot here is that the images themselves, without considering their cut or rhythmic features, are enough in themselves to evoke this kind of emotional response. The images compel the audience to empathize with Tom (Captain Miller) who comes out as someone who has been thrown at the war front and leading a harsh life. The montage makes it look like Captain Miller has not been able to enjoy some of the simple things in life which other ordinary mortals take for granted and this provokes emotions from the audience hence the effectiveness of the tonal montage.
- Overtonal
Overtonal montage is the concatenation of tonal, rhythmic, and metric montage to evoke a feeling from the audience. This rapid succession of images juxtaposed between the close shot of a battle-hardened Tom as he walks to the command post is meant to create the basic emotional affect on the viewers. The tonal, rhythmic, and metric montages described in the preceding sections when combined elicit the subtle feeling from the audience that is characteristic of overtonal montage. Specifically, the imagery of the wistful eye of Tom as he saunters to meet his superior together with the juxtaposed images of described not only bring out the intellectual montage but also by their very simplicity and ability to evoke feelings from the audience also demonstrate the metric and tonal montages. Together, with the contextual placement of the images to demonstrate rhythmic montage, the overtonal montage takes shape.
- CONCLUSION
This paper evaluated a scene in the movie “Saving Private Ryan”. It looked at the visual and narrative continuity of the scene with particular attention to the color, direction of motion, position in frame, size, and shape. These are significant in the film in order to make it enjoyable by all the viewers who prefer to watch it during their leisure time. The paper also looked at the use of Eisenstein’s theories of montage as applied to the chosen scene. Concerning the visual and narrative continuity, it was observed that whereas the film has several discontinuities pertaining to direction of motion, position in frame, shape, and size, there are no glaring discontinuities with regard to color. The color has been dulled and desaturated and this enhances the authenticity of the film. It was observed that there is a liberal use of intellectual, tonal, metric, rhythmic, over tonal and tonal montages in the particular scene.