Describe some of the stylistic conventions associated with the expressionist art movement. + examples of Constructivist art.
Constructivist art mainly focused on industrial production and realistic concepts. Constructivists art uses architectural designs, geometric forms and modest materials as science and building were prioritized over artistic expression. Constructivist art existed of forms that they could draw with practical instruments like compasses and rulers.
The rise of the Soviet Union- Explain how the political, social and economic upheaval created by the aftermath of both the Russian Revolution and WW1 affected the production and content of classic Soviet Constructivist Cinema?
At the time, film and cinema was used as propaganda in order to promote socialist views within the working class with most films portraying the struggles of the working class.
In 1917after the revolution, film makers found new ways to make people respond to a film or shot differently by assembling the shots together depending on what images came before and after such as the Kuleshov Effect.
After the revolution, film was used as a weapon in order to show class struggle and oppression of lower classes under a comunist regime. Film was then cut of by the Stalinist regime as higher classes were scared that film might cause a rise and awakening among the working class.
Constructivism begun as the art of a young Soviet Union after the revolution of 1917. The movement was conceived of out of a need for a new aesthetic language; one benefitting of a progressive new era in Soviet socialist history. Lenin encouraged propaganda through film, and this led to many works that involved anti-tsarist propaganda and empowerment of workers.
2. Describe some of the stylistic conventions associated with the expressionist art movement. Post some additional examples of Constructivist art.
Pure geometric forms, linearity, symmetry, repetition, simple, sans-serif fonts, the dominance of red and black, photomontage are all stylistic conventions of the ‘Soviet Constructivism Movement’
3. How does the Gerasimov Institute operate now?
The Gerasimov Institute is the oldest Film school in the world. Its present operations today consist of being one of the most influential film schools in Russia.
4. Three films identified by critics as classic Constructivist films
The New Babylon (1929)
The End of St. Petersburg (1927)
Strike (1925)
4.
Task 1: The context of Post-WW1 Russia.
The October Revolution of 1917 was the beginning of the USSR under Communism. Lenin encouraged propaganda through film, and this led to many works that involved anti-tsarist propaganda and empowerment of workers. As well, filmmakers had to think very carefully about the films they made due to the lack of film stock early on, which encouraged the Gerasimov Institute to reuse & cut together pre-shot film to create new films entirely.
Task 2: Stylistic Conventions of Soviet Constructivism art movement.
As evident from the two artworks above, the Soviet Fine art movement consisted of two major themes: Order & simplicity, as well as exaggerated iconography.
The Communist Government of the USSR sought to control the thoughts of their subjects through propaganda in the arts, a Russian flag-carrying soviet giant storming across the streets of St Petersburg, sent a message about victory to Russian subjects.
Task 3: The Gerasimov Institute’s present operations.
The Gerasimov Institute, or VGK, is the oldest Film school in the world. Its present operations today consist of being an influential film school in Russia.
Task 4: Examples of Soviet Constructivist Films.
S. Esienstein, ‘October: Ten days that shook the world’, (1928).
Eisenstein’s ‘October: Ten days that shook the world’ is an example of the movement’s propaganda, in its victorious portrayal of Lenin and the Communist Revolution in Russia in 1917.
D. Vertov, ‘Kino Eye’, (1924).
Once more, the propaganda of the Soviet State can be observed in Vertov’s ‘Kino Eye’. It represents the surveillance of the state, and instils this idea into viewers.
Task 5: Films that are influenced by visual style of Soviet Constructivism.
W. Anderson, ‘Isle of Dogs’, (2018).
Wes Anderson’s use of symmetry and bold but simplistic iconography reminds me of Soviet Constructivism- in ‘Isle of Dogs’ the techniques of symmetry and symbolism, as well as deep red and grey use of colours is very similar to the soviet fine art theme.
A. Hitchcock, ‘Psycho’, (1960).
The use of montage in Hitchcock’s ‘Psycho’ reminds me of Soviet Constructivism, as the pace of scenes and the viewer’s interpretation of the plot is influenced heavily by the montage technique Hitchcock uses, depending on the scene.
Task 6: 3 methods of montage in Film.
Metric Montage:
Metric Montage involves creates visual spacing within a scene by cutting to the next shot immediately after a sequence of frames, no matter the context.
An example can be found in ‘Battleship Potemkin’ by Sergei Eisenstein, (1925), where repeating patterns of chaos and people weeping cut back to the baby in the stroller rolling down the Odessa Steps.
Rhythmic Montage:
Rhythmic montage is the cutting of clips based on the action of image of a shot, with consideration of musical pacing.
An example can be found in ‘The Untouchables’ by Brian De Palma, (1987), where the ‘Odessa Steps’ scene is recreated inter-textually as shots line up with music.
Tonal Montage:
Tonal Montage is the practice of editing together two shots with a similar tone, but often different context.
An example of this can be found in ‘Whiplash’ by Damien Chazelle, (2015), where Andrew’s persistence and gradual downfall is implied through his vigorous drumming, obsession with music and physical illness: all portrayed through tonal montage, where shots cut between bloodied drumsticks, drumming and metronomes.
| STUDENT NAME | SESSION 1 | SESSION 2 | SESSION 3 |
| Iona | 17th April (A) | 1st May (A) | 5th May (B) |
| Mia | 24th April (A) | 27th April (A) | 2nd May (A) |
| Maria | 24TH April (B) | 27th April (B) | 2nd May (B) |
| George | 18th April (A) | 25th April (A) | 28th April (A) |
| Charlie | 19TH April (A) | 21st April (A) | 3RD April (A) |
| Tate | 19TH April (A) | 26th April (B) | 3RD April (B) |
| Poppy | 20th April (A) | 26th April (A) | 4th May (A) |
| Noah | 20th April (B) | 21 April (B) | 1st May (B) |
| Aaron | 17th April (B) | 18th April (B) | 28th April (B) |
| Ollie | 25th April (B) | 4th May (B) | 5th May (A) |
In the 1990’s, many filmmakers began to resent the industrialised direction much of the film industry was headed. Big-budget blockbusters designed to attract sales over artistry polluted the landscape, provoking Danish directors Lars Von Trier and Thomas Vinterberg to commence the Dogme 95 movement.
The movement attempted to reinstate realism into the film industry, with a strict manifesto being formulated which directors had to follow if they wished to release a film under the Dogme title. It attempted to rid filmmaking of the confinement mainstream films placed onto the art by outlawing things like excessive special effects and props which weren’t available to the director in the real world.
The ‘Vow of Chastity’ (The rules of the Dogme movement):
Korean New Wave refers to South Korean films from the 1980’s and 1990’s that focus on social issues and re-imagine genre film.
Park Kwang-su is the central voice, if not the progenitor, of the remarkable Korean New Wave of the late 1980’s and 1990’s.
South Korean cinema saw domestic box-office success exceeding that of Hollywood films in the late 1990’s largely due to screen quota laws that limited the public showing foreign films.
Some of the most famous directors of this generation include Park Kwang-su, Jang Sun-woo, Chung Ji-young and Lee Myung-se.
Films from the South Korean New Wave