The movie montage can be a great storytelling device - the audience is shown the passage of time in a short few minutes so the film does not need to be four hours long! :-) Often the montage is to show a character's transformation, or simply to show how or why they've made a change in life. The montage is always set to a great song - partly to distract the viewer from the fast-moving time frame they're being hit with! ;-)
Unfortunately 80s films were saturated in montages, to the point where the whole device became pretty cheesy and it was seen to be an easy way out for the filmmakers. Still, I think the montage has a place in film - as long as it's used creatively!
As a child of the 80s I've got a bit of a soft spot for cheesy movie montages, so that explains why I chose this week's number 1 spot. As for number 2 and 3 - I've included them because they make me laugh... a lot! Enjoy.
3. Team America World Police: 'Montage' - every time I think about this scene I crack up. It's brilliantly funny! It's a movie montage making fun of movie montages. That's genius, right?! Listen to the lyrics - they show exactly why the typical "training montage" was so popular in film. The passage of time, the transformation from beginner to pro - it's all there.
2. Spider Man 2: 'Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head' - Peter Parker has decided to turn his back on the whole Spidey-thang and get back to real-life concerns. Like studying and fixing his bike. It's just your standard-issue passage of time montage, but I think this scene is hilarious! It pretty much sums up for me why I loved Tobey as Spider Man.
1. Dirty Dancing: 'Hungry Eyes' - this is a take on the training montage which has the added element of a developing romance. What's not to love? We get to see Johnny's fabulous teaching methods (not to mention Patrick's gloriously ripped back muscles!), and we see how talented (and sexy!) Baby is under all her girl-next-door charm. Baby goes from fumbler to dancer in a few short movie minutes. And a love affair is set in motion. It's the quintessential montage.
Unfortunately 80s films were saturated in montages, to the point where the whole device became pretty cheesy and it was seen to be an easy way out for the filmmakers. Still, I think the montage has a place in film - as long as it's used creatively!
As a child of the 80s I've got a bit of a soft spot for cheesy movie montages, so that explains why I chose this week's number 1 spot. As for number 2 and 3 - I've included them because they make me laugh... a lot! Enjoy.
3. Team America World Police: 'Montage' - every time I think about this scene I crack up. It's brilliantly funny! It's a movie montage making fun of movie montages. That's genius, right?! Listen to the lyrics - they show exactly why the typical "training montage" was so popular in film. The passage of time, the transformation from beginner to pro - it's all there.
2. Spider Man 2: 'Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head' - Peter Parker has decided to turn his back on the whole Spidey-thang and get back to real-life concerns. Like studying and fixing his bike. It's just your standard-issue passage of time montage, but I think this scene is hilarious! It pretty much sums up for me why I loved Tobey as Spider Man.
1. Dirty Dancing: 'Hungry Eyes' - this is a take on the training montage which has the added element of a developing romance. What's not to love? We get to see Johnny's fabulous teaching methods (not to mention Patrick's gloriously ripped back muscles!), and we see how talented (and sexy!) Baby is under all her girl-next-door charm. Baby goes from fumbler to dancer in a few short movie minutes. And a love affair is set in motion. It's the quintessential montage.
Ah the montage....you brought back some memories here. Montage was rather over used in the 80's the sad thing is I was ignorant of what I was watching then. Know better now that I have your blogs to read. Love the Tuesday blog! xx
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