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The History of Visual Communication in Cinema
by Shelby Stewart
Looking at the different applications of the history of visual communication in American and foreign cinema, one can see a direct link between the design principles of popular art movements of the time utilized by the filmmakers. Despite a difference in medium, the intended audience impact evoked from these principles still easily translate to the viewer.
Battleship Potemkin (1925) and Photomontage
When the 1925 silent film Battleship Potemkin released, it introduced a concept that would influence cinema through the present day. In the scene where the Odessans are murdered by imperial soldiers, Soviet director Sergei Eisenstein inaugurated the technique of montage in filmmaking. The scene cuts between shots of the soldiers walking down the steps, citizens being killed, a baby carriage falling down the stairs, and reaction shots of the survivors. While watching this scene, it is easy to see the influence of photomontage on Eisenstein's editing choices.
This juxtaposition of the different characters and their actions throughout this emotionally charged scene reflects the same emotions photomontage designers hoped to establish. Photomontage is “the technique of manipulating found photographic images to create jarring juxtapositions and chance associations”, first started by Dadaists in protest of the First World War. Photomontage was subsequently used by artists like Russian designer Aleksander Rodchenko, who used it “as a way of creating striking socially engaged imagery concerned with placement and movement of objects in space." It is clear Einstein intended to evoke photomontage in the transfer of the concept to cinema as Battleship Potemkin was propaganda commissioned by the Soviet government.
Whether viewing the film or the photomontages, the emotional response from the audience remains constant. Even through completely different mediums, the principle of montage still elicits the same feelings from the viewer. By evoking the idea of photomontage, Einstein easily propagated the messages asked of him by the Soviet government. A traditional, more linear edit of this scene would not have had as intense of an emotional impact as the montage edit. The choice to edit this scene in the way he did established Einstein and montages as intensely influential to cinema across the world.
Metropolis (1927) and Art Deco
In 1927, German filmmaker Fritz Lang released Metropolis, a silent science-fiction film which tells the story of a futuristic society where the classes are intensely divided. In an interview, Lang said the film "was born from my first sight of the skyscrapers in New York in October 1924." The aesthetic and message of the film appear heavily influenced by Art Deco.
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Metropolis (Fritz Lang, 1927)
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Looking at the poster alone, one can identify several key characteristics of Art Deco, including “vivid colors, bold geometric shapes, lavish ornamentation, and new materials” like metals. Due to the fact that the film takes place in a world which juxtaposes wealth with blue collar workers, it was inevitable that Metropolis would pull from Art Deco, whether it was intentional or not.
Lang's admission of finding inspiration for the film from the skyscrapers in New York City intrinsically ties the film's aesthetics to Art Deco. Architectural design was a huge factor in the movement and the architecture in the film directly reflects this. Looking at Fig. 3 above, we can see the influence in the "streamlining, zigzag, moderne, and decorate geometry" in the design of the buildings. Art Deco focused on emerging technology and materials, which Metropolis plays into with the futuristic production design and thematic elements.
The story of Metropolis is supported by the choice of the filmmaker and designers to evoke the Art Deco movement. By using the design principles of Art Deco, Lang was able to further the theme of wealth vs poverty and ornate vs plain. This builds the distinction between the two worlds in the audience's eyes, allowing them to gain a fuller understanding and appreciation for the nuances of the story.
Vertigo (1958) and Saul Bass
The opening titles from the 1958 film, Vertigo, feature a visually stunning sequence. Designed by the New York School’s Saul Bass, the titles reflect the film’s actual title and the condition in which its named after, vertigo. In the film, the main character develops the condition in the following scene, where he witnesses his police officer partner fall to his death while he dangles from a building himself. Bass' opening title design gives the audience a taste of what themes the movie will explore.
Vertigo
(Alfred Hitchcock, 1958)
© Saul Bass
Viewers might experience a dizzying sensation watching Bass’s titles, an effect that was not unintentional, as evidenced by Bass’s own words, “try to reach for a simple, visual phrase that tells you what the picture is all about and evokes the essence of the story." The swirling graphics elicit an intense reaction from the audience, especially those who viewed the film when it first came out, as these kinds of graphics were largely unprecedented. The opening titles of Vertigo are a prime example of this principle of Bass’s and the New York School.
Bass became known for his creative title sequences, having invented “a new type of kinetic typography” which he used in Vertigo and several other films. Apart of the New York school, which prioritized direct relaying of information using design, Bass utilized “simple pictographic images” to connect with the audience (see Fig. 6-9). Bass' design style did not overpower or overwhelm its viewer. Simplifying the elements on the page or screen allowed the viewer to get right to the message of the image. Too much noise and the audience spends too much time analyzing and not feeling the intended emotional response.
Final Thoughts
Through analyzing the ways in which filmmakers have drawn on the concepts and principles of major art and design movements throughout the history of visual communication, one develops a better understanding of, not only cinematic language and technique, but the far-reaching impacts of these movements. The influences of these films directly correlate to the artists and art movements of the time. Reflecting on how art transforms over time gives us a look into the society of the time, as art is a direct representation of what the world was like in any specific time period. The way in which the creators of Battleship Potemkin and Metropolis utilized principles of art movements of the era signal the societal pressures present at the time. Saul Bass' design fundamentals impacted the future of cinema more so than many actual filmmakers. Understanding how visual communication impacted cinema and continues to impact cinema is imperative to appreciate both mediums.
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