'Montage' in The Cinematographic Principle and the Ideogram

I found it interesting how Eisenstein used specific traits of Japanese culture (theater, language) to explain the multiple functions of cinematography which are completely absent from Japanese cinema. 'Montage' was the main element Eisenstein addressed which I found advantageous to my understanding of Potemkin as well as my understanding of the concept.

Though difficult to follow, I hope I perceived the article well enough to make my own sense of the word. Eisenstein explains, "The picture for water and the picture of an eye signifies "to weep"' the picture of an ear nearing the drawing of a dog = "to listen" (128). The list goes on and he explains, "It is exactly what we do in cinema, combining shots that are depictive , single in meaning, neutral in content - into intellectual contexts and series" (129).

When it comes down to it 'montage' is like an explosion of images rolling one shot after another which cannot be contained within one frame. Though having been described as a series of shots which function as "building blocks" with a steady rhythm, Eisenstein argues the complete opposite explaining, "montage is an idea that arises from the collision of independent shots - shots even opposite to one another: the dramatic principle" (140).

Thus looking back to the steps scene in Potemkin, it is easy to see how the viewer understands a shot of a woman with a pince-nez immediately followed by another shot of the same woman with a bleeding eye signifies that she was shot in the eye. Although the process of her getting shot in the eye was not shown, the sequence of the shots and the images contained within the shots construct this appearance.

Ultimately, when seen separate from each other the images are abstract forms and act more like pieces of information; however, when sequenced together it is very easy to construct emotion and nonexistent space.