A comparative case study of Guy Ritchie’s Snatch (2000), Rob Marshall’s Memoirs of a Geisha (2005) and Doug Liman’s Edge Of Tomorrow (2014).
“The essence of cinema is editing. It’s the combination of what can be extraordinary images of people during emotional moments, or images in a general sense, put together in a kind of alchemy. A number of images put together a certain way become something quite above and beyond what any of them are individually.” (Francis Ford Coppola, 1994)
One of the most revered filmmakers of the past century, Francis Ford Coppola spoke about editing as the ‘essence of cinema’ in an interview with The Academy of Achievement in 1994. A more accurate term for the combination of images in a certain order would be ‘montage,’ as described first by Soviet filmmaker Sergei Eisenstein in 1923. As rightly stated by Lamos Ignoramous (no date), “(Eisenstein) argued that an editing of two shots has the ability to create meaning beyond the sum of the individual shots.” Montage is a filmmaking technique that involves the artful combination of images, sounds, and sequences to convey a specific narrative or thematic message. It has been utilized by filmmakers for decades as a powerful tool for storytelling, allowing them to create emotional impact, emphasize important moments, and propel the narrative forward. This essay aims to explore the role of montage in storytelling and its ability to portray the filmmaker’s vision. This will be illustrated through a comparative case study of scenes from three films: Memoirs of a Geisha, Edge of Tomorrow, and Snatch. Through this analysis, we will examine how montage techniques shape the narrative structure, character development, and temporal shifts in each film while also enhancing the viewer’s engagement, ultimately shedding light on the unique ways in which filmmakers employ this technique to convey their artistic visions.
Going back to the history of montage, to revolutionary Soviet filmmakers, it was synonymous with editing and meant the juxtaposition and manipulation of shots. For the Soviets, it was an extension of Marxist philosophy and the Hegelian dialectic. Gael Chandler mentions in his book ‘Cut by Cut : Editing Your Film or Video’ (2004) that Hegel’s philosophy of how human thought advances — thesis, antithesis, synthesis — translates into montage as setup, conflict, and resolution or more simply as boy meets girl, boy loses girl, boy gets girl (2004, p.150 ). To the French filmmakers, however, Montage had a different meeting. Montage, in fact, is the French word for ‘assembling’ or editing (2004, p.150). The 1950s New Wave theoreticians and filmmakers of French cinema rejected Eisenstein’s montage theories for their own theories of “realism,” which exposed the director’s manipulations by using jump cuts. Today, Montage is the film editing technique that consists of creating a series of different shots, put together in succession. According to Chandler (2004, p.150) “Montage has come to be defined as a sequence of images used to convey facts, feelings, or thoughts that functions as a transition in time, knowledge, or place. It is a way to succinctly deliver or sum up a lot of information and can be used to inform, entice, advance the plot, and/or amuse”.
The Soviet filmmaker Lev Kuleshov went as far as calling a montage the foundation of cinema. “We became convinced that the fundamental source of the film’s impact on the viewer – a source present only in cinema – was not simply to show the content of certain shots, but the organisation of those shots among themselves” (Kuleshov, 2018). This can be elucidated better by explaining the ‘Kuleshov Effect’. Described by Kuleshov by the means of an editing experiment and elucidated upon by an article by WikiMili (2023), “it is a psychological phenomenon by which viewers derive more meaning from the interaction of two sequential shots than from a single shot in isolation”. In this aspect, it can be said that by creating a montage, the filmmaker has successfully changed the entire narrative, completely independent of the performance of the actors and cinematography. Below is a picture that describes the effect. His experiment consisted of cutting back and forth between a man and three different things to see what emotions could be created with each distinct cut:
The Kuleshov Effect (Image Courtesy: StudioBinder)
In the first row, man plus soup shows hunger. In the second, the man looking at the deceased child shows sadness. And in the last row, the man looking at the woman shows lust. Note that the third shot of the man in all the three sequences is the same. His expression is rather neutral, but it is the arrangement of the shots that gives it meaning. In the book Reflexões de um Cineasta by José Fonseca e Costa, (2020), Eisenstein quotes, “It is montage that produces the sense of the three-dimensional in the cinema. How plastically flat are the representations of men, objects, settings and landscape shot in one piece, from one angle. And how they come to life all of a sudden, how they become rounded and acquire volume, how they become spatial as soon as you begin juxtaposing in montage their individual aspects shot from different angles”. Gestalt psychology is another theory that highlights that the whole of anything is greater than its parts. Gestalt psychology dictates that organisms perceive entire patterns or configurations, not just individual components. Jean Kaluza (2023) reiterates on this notion, stating, “Rather than looking at each piece as an individual unit, they form meaningful relationships between the pieces to see the big picture more quickly and efficiently”.
Montage allows filmmakers to compress time and condense a series of events into a concise sequence. This technique is particularly useful for portraying the passage of time, character development, or the progression of a story. Through montage, filmmakers can transition seamlessly between different time periods, providing necessary context and maintaining narrative flow. This method has been effectively used in Rob Marshall’s Memoirs Of A Geisha (2005) in the sequence showing the lead character Chiyo’s long awaited transformation into a geisha. This montage is essentially built of two sequences – It starts with Chiyo applying her makeup and getting ready for her debut as a geisha and simultaneously, we see a her formally train to be a geisha under the tutelage of the great geisha Mameha.
Memoirs of a Geisha (2005) (Image Courtesy: IMDB)
The sequence jumbles between the past few months of Chiyo’s arduous training and the result of that training in the present, as she gets ready. The scene is carried forward by a fast-paced traditional Japanese drums score, which helps keep the pace and helps patch the two timelines together. Information delivery is also key here. Before this sequence, the audience is in the dark about what a geisha actually is – since the beginning of the movie, the notion of a geisha was given in tiny bits by different characters, often muddled with their own imagination, stating that geisha are women who wore pretty kimonos and get to drink sake and sleep until late in the day. As Chiyo’s transformation montage starts, the audience gets the first insight into what a geisha actually is through Mameha’s poetic narration, coupled with Chiyo’s training shots such as her practicing dance, playing the shamisen and learning geisha etiquette. This interwoven with shots of her in the present putting on makeup and donning the geisha attire elevates the curiosity of the viewer to see what the final result of all the training is, to see if Chiyo will be able to finally fulfil her dream of becoming a geisha. The montage sequence ends with Chiyo’s makeup box closing, symbolically representing that her transformation is complete. It depicts the evolution of the character, allowing the audience to witness their journey.
Montage is also an effective tool for controlling the pace and rhythm of a film. Filmmakers can use rapid montage sequences to create a sense of urgency or excitement, while slow and contemplative montages can evoke a reflective mood. By carefully selecting and arranging shots, directors can manipulate the audience's emotions and guide their attention. This can be seen in Doug Liman’s Edge of Tomorrow (2014). The film is about the efforts of Major William Cage and Sergeant Rita Vrataski to save the Earth from an invading alien species. One the first day of the battle, Cage dies tragically, but not before absorbing the blood of an onlooking ‘alpha’ alien, waking up earlier on the same day and realising that the ‘alphas’ of the alien species have the ability to control time. By absorbing the alien’s blood right before dying, Cage inadvertently taps into the Alpha’s ability to control time and therefore resets the day each time he dies, getting closer to conquering the aliens with each time loop. The subsequent action of him going to battle, dying and waking up again and again is shown through a series of montages.
The first montage shows Cage waking up and trying to approach Vrataski while dying each time in a different manner. The result is a quirky, humorous and impactful narrative that summarises the events of the story while also reflecting the ordeal of the main character, who feels helpless as he is repeatedly thrusted into the ghastly world of dying at the hands of the aliens. The second montage comes half-way through the film, with Cage and Vrataski teamed up and Vrataski giving combat training to Cage. As the montage proceeds, the size of the cuts becomes shorter, reflecting Cage’s growing frustration and loss of control over his life. The cuts also become faster as his skills progress. This illusion of temporality is assisted through the complex sound editing, timing, and rhythm. In a story such as this, a montage might be the only way to deliver information in an effective manner. If one were to show the entire proceedings leading upto Cage’s death each time, the running time of the film would increase massively and the audience will lose interest.
Montage is also a tool for juxtaposing contrasting elements and enhancing conflict. By intercutting between different scenes or perspectives, filmmakers can create tension and highlight the contrasts between characters, themes, or storylines, intensifying the dramatic impact of the narrative. It can be essentially thought of as manipulating content, space and time to deliver the story that the filmmaker has envisioned. Like Jean-Luc Godard once said, ‘Every edit is a lie’. Given the power that a montage edit holds, it can be said that montage not just a tool for storytelling, but storytelling in itself.
The montages constructed by Guy Ritchie are perhaps some of the best executed and well-known in the film industry, often featuring intricate double plots that feature numerous ironic twists of chance and causality. In scientific terms, causality is the process by which one event, object or process affects the production of another event, object or process. The hence produced ‘effect’ is then the ‘cause’ of another effect, thus forking off infinite possibilities of outcomes into time and space. In the film Snatch (2000), this notion is heavily featured, especially in the car chase sequence in the second act.
Cousin Avi, Tony and Avi’s lackey, Rosebud are driving a car with Russian arms dealer Boris locked in the boot after retrieving a diamond from Boris. They are being closely pursued in another car by small-time thieves Sol, Vinny, and getaway driver Tyrone, who are looking to retrieve the diamond for themselves. Boxing promoters Turkish and Tommy, who are on their way to purchase a gun from Boris, are driving on the same stretch of road at the time. While being in a trivial argument, Tommy throws Turkish's carton of milk out of their car and it accidentally splashes over the windscreen of Tony’s car who is driving just behind Tommy. Tony’s windscreen gets blocked because of the spilled milk and he crashes his car. In the commotion of the wreck, Boris escapes from the trunk of Tony’s car, only to be accidentally hit by Tyrone's oncoming car. The hence constructed montage sequence shows the events in reverse, with Tyrone hitting Boris first, followed by Tommy throwing the milk carton, followed by Tony’s car crash.
Though the simultaneously cutting between clips of different cars at first might look confusing, since the sequence starts with Tyrone’s car hitting Boris without any explanation as how it came to be, it eventually makes sense as the montage ends and the events come around full circle, delivering this intricate plot with the right timing, humour, and effect. It shows that all the main characters of the film are stuck with one another and affect each other’s lives, whether they know it or not, and the audience takes the benefit of the situation’s generated humour. The sequence not only pushes the plot forward for all the characters simultaneously, but also adds depth to the intellect of the film. It forces the audience to think about multiple things at once and creates anticipation in the knowing that anything can happen. The Soviet film director Vsevolod Pudovkin mentions that this device of ‘crosscutting’ is aimed at suspense, “The whole aim of this method is to create in the spectator a maximum tension of excitement by the constant forcing of a question, such as, in this case: Will they be in time? –will they be in time” (Frierson, 2018. p.205). For a story such as this featuring causality, a montage is the perfect tool to narrate stories tactfully and simultaneously while also creating humour and setting the tone for the film.
As seen in the three case studies, each film demonstrates the unique ways in which montage is employed to portray the artist's vision. Memoirs of a Geisha utilizes montage to convey the protagonist's struggles and journey of self-discovery and transformation while highlighting beauty of the geisha world. Edge of Tomorrow employs montage to capture the cyclical nature of time and the protagonist's growth through repetition while Snatch utilizes fast-paced, cross-cut sequences to enhance the film's chaotic and interconnected narrative, reflecting its gritty and frenetic tone.
The comparative analysis of these films reveals both similarities and differences in the use of montage techniques. While each film showcases the director's distinct vision, the common thread lies in the effectiveness of montage as a storytelling tool. They share similarity in the manipulation of time and space, whether it is showing evolution over time in Memoirs of a Geisha, skipping the present in Edge Of Tomorrow, or showing different events taking place in overlapping timelines in Snatch.
In conclusion, montage is an invaluable tool that enables filmmakers to craft compelling narratives, develop complex characters, and explore profound themes. It plays a crucial role as a narrative device by controlling the pacing and rhythm of storytelling, condensing time, and creating temporal shifts. It allows filmmakers to juxtapose contrasting elements, intensifying the dramatic impact of the narrative. Its creative and strategic use contributes to the immersive and engaging cinematic experience, underscoring the importance of montage in shaping the landscape of filmmaking and capturing the essence of the artist's vision.
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