Book Review
In The Blink of an Eye:
a Perspective on Film Editing
by Walter Murch
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reviewed by
Paul Hirsch
Reading Walter Murch's "In the Blink of an Eye" is a bit like spending time with the man himself. One is regularly presented with observations that are completely original, unexpected and thought-provoking. In a unique blend of fact, philosophy and theory, the art of film editing is re-examined in a stimulating and poetic way.
When I was asked to review Walter's book, I felt it appropriate to reveal that I am happy to call myself a friend of his and, though there might seem to be some sort of conflict there, the opportunity to offer him a public bouquet was irresistible.
A nominee for Best Editing awards numerous times, and a recipient of the Oscar for Best Sound for 'Apocalypse Now,' Walter has, in this slim and eminently readable volume, carried on the tradition of the legendary film theorist Slavko Vorkapich, and articulated an analytical description of phenomena that many editors may have observed in a silent, intuitive way. With an introduction by Francis Coppola, in which he describes Walter as "constant, warm and reassuring", the book began as the transcript of a lecture delivered some years ago in Australia.
From zen-like general observations such as "Editing is not so much a putting together as a discovery of a path," to detailed observations such as whether a hat had left a mark on an actor's forehead, he engages the reader with consistently intelligent perceptivity: "What word expresses the concept of ironic anger tinged with melancholy?" and "The discovery early in the 20th century that cutting worked, and that films could be shot discontinuously was the cinematic equivalent of the discovery of flight."
His "perspective on film editing" makes reference to Ancient Egyptian painting, why bumblebees should not be able to fly, chimpanzees, DNA, and fetal development, all without sounding precious or arbitrary. He discusses internal psychological states and their relationship to blinking, and the blink as a cut in visual continuity. In offering new insights into familiar experiences, he elicits a reaction similar to that of Moliere's Bourgeois Gentilhomme, who is astonished to learn that he has been speaking in prose all his life.
The chapter on "Referred pain" should be required reading for all studio executives, in fact, anyone whose job it is to attend previews. His point is that "a pain in the elbow may come from a problem in the shoulder", and that "Audiences can only tell you where the pain is, not the source of the pain." A problem in the last reel may best be addressed by changing the beginning, for example. Another gem for studio executives: "The real issue is not just how fast you can go, but where are you going?"
In one of my favorite examples of Walter's wonderfully divergent mind, he offers the idea of calculating the rate of cuts per editor per day on 'Apocalypse Now' by multiplying the number of days worked by the number of editors (Walter, Richard Marks, Jerry Greenberg and Lisa Fruchtman all worked on it for different lengths of time) and then dividing that into the number of cuts in the final picture, and arriving at the astonishing figure of 1.47 cuts per day. His point in this admittedly extreme case being that when confronted with nearly 100:1 shooting ratio, editing is more than just "cutting out the bad bits."
Walter offers practical tips for editors, with an analytical breakdown of six criteria to be employed in making a cut, even suggesting how much weight to give to each. He also shares his preference for working standing up. He has worked for years with his Kem raised up so that he can work (and think) on his feet. To remind himself of the true size of the theatrical screen, he uses miniature, scale paper cut-outs of audience members on each side of his Kem screen.
There is a thoughtful post-script relating to the new computerized editing systems, in addition to some discussion of the technical aspects of sound and its synchronization with picture in them, but he regards the Lightworks and Avid with some suspicion. I believe that Walter's surprisingly reluctant embrace of the new tools is related to his love of film as only editors know it. It is only we who view film as an artifact, an object that we can cut, extend, write on, clean, repair torn perfs and so on. In this vein, Walter is the inventor of the N-Viso Splicer, which has gained wide usage in the industry, and permits editors to extend shots without the splices showing. Far from a knee-jerk Luddite rejection of digital technology, he calls for a preservation, in some form, of the qualities of three-dimensional real film.
Consistently stimulating and enjoyable in its historical, aesthetic and theoretical aspects, "In the Blink of an Eye" is must reading for film-lovers and professional editors alike, and all those interested in the magic produced in our minds when images are juxtaposed.
"In the Blink of an Eye: a Perspective on Film Editing" by Walter Murch,
is published by Silman-James Press and is priced at $12.95.
'Mission: Impossible' for Brian de Palma, starring Tom Cruise.
Reprinted from
The Motion Picture Editors Guild Newsletter
Vol. 17, No. 2 - March/April 1996
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