The influence of Montage Theory in Le Quattro Volte

          

           Le Quattro Volte (2010) is pure cinema. Since the birth of the motion picture the art form has continued to evolve to include or collaborate with other art forms and various crafts. Cinema is considered a visual storytelling medium but as the medium progressed and sound synchronization emerged literature (dialogue) became more influential in filmmaking. Modern day films often employ both literary and cinematic storytelling techniques. Le Quattro Volte (2010) is a film that is much more cinematic then literary.

                    When you strip all the elements that make up a film to its simplest most basic components you are left with a medium that is visual storytelling. The camera (its placement or movements) and everything within the frame often can be as informative as any exposition and many times more efficient and less clunky. Soviet filmmakers and film theorists like Kuleshov and Eisenstein considered montage an essential component of filmmaking.

          Le Quattro Volte (2010) does not employ montage in the strictest definition of the word but it does make great use of the ideas and principle of montage theory. Montage is an editing technique where shots (often times short in length) and or images are arranged together to convey a narrative or idea without using dialogue. Montage does not have to adhere to conventional editing techniques like continuity editing. Often times a musical score or soundtrack will accompany a montage. Besides conveying narrative, ideas, or themes a montage can be used to compress time like when a film depicts an athlete training or a prisoner preparing his escape.

          Le Quattro Volte (2010) is a narrative consisting of four chapters or

sequences. Each sequence depicts the life cycle. Despite not using any dialogue not only is the message and themes of each sequence clear so is the narrative of each chapter. Dialogue is not necessary in a film as evident by silent cinema. However unlike many silent films Le Quattro Volte (2010) does not even utilize title cards. This choice pushes the film further away from literary storytelling mediums like theater and grounds it more in visual or cinematic storytelling. All films are cinematic by definition put some emphasize the cinematic qualities more than others. For example a film with a stationary camera depicting two characters in a two shot talking is not as cinematic as a car chase or an extreme close up juxtaposed by a long shot.

          The more cinematic a film the more applicable montage theory becomes. “Separate shots of cinema film constitute cinematic material.” Is how Lev Kuleshov defined cinematic. The more a film is using images, editing, and everything within the frame as opposed to dialogue to communicate a narrative the more film theories regarding montage from the early years of Soviet cinema come to bear.

          Le Quattro Volte (2010) is dense with Catholic symbolism. We are literally observing a shepherd and his flock. This language is often used when describing

Christian congregations.  The ashes the shepherd drinks with water represents the blood of Christ drank at Holy Communion. Coal is the life blood of the community it heats homes and cooks food. By consuming ashes (very similar to the ashes made during the production of the coal later on in the film) he is engaging in communion. Instead of drinking Jesus’ blood he is consuming the ashes (the life blood of the community). All of this is communicated by the carful arrangement of shots and imagery displaying the strengths of montage theory when it is employed in modern day filmmaking.

                    A scene following the goat herder’s funeral depicting the birth of a baby goat is a strong of visual storytelling in Le Quattro Volte (2010). The scene opens with a fade in of a two shot capturing the birth of a goat. The viewer latterly sees the kid emerge from the mother goat. The prolonged black slug following the interment in a mausoleum of the deceased goat herder followed by a fade into the birth of a goat is jarring but also evident of montage theory in action. With no dialogue these three shots edited together make it very clear this narrative examining the life cycle and the connections living beings share. The birth scene forces the viewer to experience both the beauty and struggle of new life.

          The elements of cinematic visual storytelling in the birth scene do not end there. The camera is placed low to shoot the goats straight on. This is not typical since most four legged mammals are close to the ground cameras typically shoot them from a high angle similar to the perspective a pet owner would have looking down at their doggie or kitty. This use of visual grammar communicates to the audience these animals are not just set dressing they are principle characters in the narrative. We should not look down on them but rather look them in the eye and connect with them.

          During the course of the scene shots that have the kid more prominent the frame then the mother or in some cases kid is only principle in the frame. This communicates that baby goat not the mother is the protagonist we will follow in this chapter. Again this is using the visual grammar of film to communicate information to the audience. Communicating narrative to the audience in this manner as opposed to exposition is another example of montage theory DNA that can be found in Le Quattro Volte (2010).

          Filmmaking is a collaborative art form that can use a myriad of tools to communicate a narrative, idea, or emotion. The theory of the complete film seeks to examine all these elements like sound and color photography that come together to make something grander as a whole then the elements could be alone. However montage theory is the best film theory to utilize when we examine visual storytelling and the roots of cinematic grammar.

          Often times to best understand something it is necessary to strip it down to its most basic components. How could one understand a car best? You could watch a car drive down the street or even ride in one, but would this give you the best understanding of how it works? Many components come together to make a car but the most essential part of the car is the motor and the best way to understand how a motor works is to disassemble it and put it back together. Film is no different. It may have a myriad of components but the most essential element is visual storytelling. Le Quattro Volte (2010) is a modern film that strives to be a pure cinematic experience and that is why montage theory is the best tool for an academic examination of the film.

Bibliography

 

Arnheim, Rudolf. "The Complete Film." In Film As Art. University of California Press, 1957.

Kuleshov, Lev. Kuleshov on Film:. University of California Press, 1975.

Stam, Robert. "The Soviet Montage Theory ." In Film Theory: An Introduction, by Robert Stam. Malden: Blackwell Publishing , 2000.