Sailors mutiny on battleship, sparking a rebellion crushed by a brutal massacre.

Sergei Eisenstein's silent film, Battleship Potemkin (1925) is a Soviet masterpiece that broke away from traditional storytelling technique using a revolutionary editing style known as montage.

Eisenstein believed that the way shots were juxtaposed could create a more powerful impact than the individual shots themselves. In Potemkin, rapid cuts and close-ups heighten emotions, building tension during the sailor's mutiny and amplifying the horror of the Odessa Steps massacre. This emphasis on editing as a storytelling tool in its own right was a major innovation in cinema.

Beyond montage, Potemkin experimented with shot composition. The famous "Odessa Steps" sequence utilizes contrasting angles and movement to create a sense of chaos and panic. Eisenstein also employed powerful symbolism, such as the lion statue that cuts to life, injecting a layer of metaphor into the narrative.

Battleship Potemkin's influence on film cannot be overstated. Its bold experimentation with editing and visual storytelling continues to inspire filmmakers today.