Spike Lee Editing

Vsevolod Pudovkin’s theory of editing helps to reinforce this relationship between the dialogue in a sequence and the cinematic techniques in a sequence. It provides another perspective on the way Spike Lee directed this sequence. Pudovkin’s theory of editing states that the editing of a sequence guides the audience to look at specific objects or guides the audience to reflect on a scene in a specific way. This theory focuses more on “psychological guidance” rather than the individual thought of the viewer. These ideas are helpful in understanding Spike Lee as a filmmaker and in understanding his films because he uses film to convey a message to his audience. In order for him to effectively get a message across to an audience, he needs

First, it starts out with a shot of Greer telling Nola that if she were to gain weight that he would leave her. Then it cuts to Nola and her reaction. Although her reaction is subtle, it tells the viewer that she is not happy with what Greer had just said to her. Next, it cuts back to Greer telling her that if she wasn’t as pretty as she was, he again wouldn’t be with her. Then again cuts to Nola but to her saying “don’t hurt yourself” and cuts to a two-shot of Nola in the background and Greer falling on to his

Each piece, at some point in the film or play, addresses the way women are portrayed and how both main characters defy the gender stereotype of their time. In Saint Joan, there are two instances where Joan defies traditional gender norms. The first is when she refuses to dress in women’s clothing. For example, there is a section in the play where the Inquisitor tells Joan to change out of what was considered men’s clothing. But Joan does not comply with his order and instead defends why she does not dress in the traditional women’s clothing, “If I dress as a solider they think of me as a solider”. Joan is defying the traditional dress of a woman during her time by dressing in men’s clothing. Secondly, Joan defied gender norms by becoming a solider when most women did not, “on the fact that communities cannot reproduce themselves without plenty of women” In both instances, Joan defied the traditional norms of a