Eisenstein’s editing

Choose one to write around 350-400 words

Option 1: Refer to a specific scene in Die Hard and name two aspects of film editing that director John McTiernan and editor John F. Link utilize to make the film intelligible as part of the action genre. How do these techniques refer back to the Soviet montage theorists in the previous lectures? How do they function in the scene that you’ve chosen to discuss—how do they further the film’s narrative or themes?

Option 2: Read the optional Slate article that relates Eisenstein’s editing to contemporary action sequences in Game of Thrones, Lord of the Rings, and others. Based on your own viewing, can you think of another action sequence that follows an Eisensteinian model? Fully explain your analysis and provide a link to any clips you discuss.

Option 3: The Hurt Locker’s perspective on war has been a subject of much debate--is it an anti-war film? Does it portray war as horrible but ultimately noble? Is it neutral on the subjects it’s taking on (i.e., war, violence, masculinity)? Is it trying to critique violence, but inadvertently celebrating it instead, due to the beauty of its images, the mastery of its audiovisual techniques, and the characterization of William James’ skill? Using a specific example from the film, make a case for your perspective on The Hurt Locker’s portrayal of war. You may refer to multiple aspects of the film, but your reading should be a close analysis of one particular scene.