System of the Suture

theoretical concept describing how classical continuity editing 'stitches' the spectator into the film's narrative and ideological fabric. Through techniques like shot/reverse-shot, the edit renders the cinematic apparatus invisible, creating a seamless reality that absorbs the viewer and masks the film's constructed nature. Soviet montage filmmakers, in contrast, often sought to intentionally subvert or break this suture to make the audience aware of the film's political and formal arguments.