The technique of montage has long been used in film.
Filmmakers rely on a range of tools to tell stories, establish rhythms, make thematic points and achieve other goals with their art. Among these film techniques is the montage, the juxtaposition of images.
Soviet History
According to a University of Chicago glossary, in the early history of film, the Soviets sometimes used montage to make ideological statements about issues such as government cruelty. They also used montage to give viewers a sense of fragmentation or disharmony.
Montage in American Films
In American films, montage has more often been used not to advance an ideology but to help narrate a story, showing what happened in different times and places.
Suspense
Montage can be used to build suspense. For instance, director Alfred Hitchcock used montage in the well-known shower scene from "Psycho," cutting quickly from images of the slashing knife to images of Janet Leigh screaming in the shower, and telling the story of the murder without showing it directly.
Passage of Time
Filmmakers sometimes use montage sequences to express the passage of time. For example, a filmmaker might use montage to reveal what a teenager did when her parents left the house for an hour.
Editing Techniques
In moving from one image to another in montages, filmmakers often use dissolves or multiple exposures.
