Intellectual Montage

method of montage, most famously articulated by Sergei Eisenstein, that juxtaposes shots to generate abstract ideas and intellectual concepts in the viewer's mind. Unlike montage that serves narrative or rhythm, intellectual montage uses collision between seemingly unrelated images to provoke a conceptual conclusion. The meaning is not contained in the shots themselves, but is born from their dialectical conflict. It is the most explicit application of the Hegelian dialectic (thesis-antithesis-synthesis) to film, aiming to provoke intellectual conclusions rather than just emotional or narrative ones. This approach is often contrasted with the narrative-driven editing of D.W. Griffith, which prioritizes action continuity and dramatic flow over the generation of abstract ideas.