366 CHAPTER 8EDITING
1 23Graphic match cut in 2001: A Space Odyssey In the
opening scene of Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey
(1968; editor: Ray Lovejoy), in which an ape-man [3] rejoices
in his newfound weaponry, a bone, by tossing it into the air
[4], at which point it becomes technology of a far more
sophisticated kind [5]. This astonishing leap of space and
time introduces several of the movie’s principal themes: the
relativity of time, the interaction of inventiveness and
aggressiveness, and the desire of the human race to conquer
the unknown.
1 2Match-on-action cut Near the conclusion of John Ford’s
Stagecoach(1939; editors: Otho Lovering and Dorothy
Spencer), the Ringo Kid (John Wayne) intends to avenge the
murder of his father by the Plummer gang by shooting those
responsible for it: Luke Plummer and his two brothers. In an
attempt to avert what might not turn out the way Ringo
plans it, Doc Boone (Thomas Mitchell) enters a bar in
Lordsburg with the intention of persuading Luke Plummer to
give up his shotgun. There follows an excellent match-on-
action shot. In image [1], he points to a bottle of whiskey,
says “Can I have that?” and Luke slides it across the bar
toward him. In image [2], he catches the bottle and pours
himself a drink.