SERGEI M EISENSTEIN

One can read the principle of “synchronism” (even on the everyday level) only
afterhavingunderstood,havingseen,afterhavingencounteredoccurrencesofasynchronism.
(Engels considers that the idea of equality is not primary, but [is understood] as
theresultoftheperceptionofthepresenceofinequality 15 ).
The “equality” of all sensory organs – is equally primarily poly-sensorial. We do
notseelightwithouttheabsenceoflight-darkness.
To be more precise: the stage of primary equality is, of course, factually evident,
butforthisreasonisnottakenintoaccount,foritisnotcontrastedwithinequality.
Andwhatismore:thepresenceofaphenomenoninbothitssynchronousandasynchronousform[isneeded].
It is interesting that in the conscious practice of cinematography, a-synchronism
ofsound(music)andimageispresentearlierthansynchronism.
The banquet of the Motion Pictures Engineering Society, New York, October
1930.
I’ve heard a story (from whom exactly?) about how the first rudimentary cinematographic
“synchronism” of music and image took place: in the form of a piano
andafilminthesilentera.
It turns out a whole chunk of film history was needed in order for someone to
consciously do such an obvious and, it would seem, self-evident thing as have a
pianoplayingtoafilm!
However,that’sexactlythecase!
Earlierthepianoplayedbetweenpicturesandbeforethem.
NB. I myself remember films without music and without titles, when a special
usher stood next to the screen, calling out explanations; I still remember, from
the age of eight, the phrase: “Die Damen werden aus dem Kaffee gehoben”* [in German:Theladiesarebeingsent
outofthecafé]...”
The film was a comedy about an uprising of women against their husbands.
“Suffragettes”wereapopulartopicatthetime.
Menwereturnedintohousekeepers.
Theydothecooking.Theyrockchildrenintheircradlesetc.
Womensmokeincafésandclubs.Theygointopoliticsetc.
Themenstartacounter-uprising.
216 sergei m. eisenstein