D.W. Griffithls Techniques of Filmmaking Parallel editing or the ability to make two separate actions happen at the sametime, was innovated by DW. Griffith and is exclusive to films. Action films are a goodsource for these, as they give the impression of tensely reaching a climax In the film. In Vampires, by John Carpenter (1998), there are two sequences that include parallelediting. The first example happens rather early in the movie. At this point, a team ofvampire slayers commissioned by the Catholic Church are having a party at a motel. This occurs after they slayed all the vampires in a nearby nest. losing the head vampire, Valek. The parallel action begins when the three surVivors come back to the motel during daylight in order to bury. The sequence goes as follows: The jeep Montoya and Katrina are in drives onto the road. you see Montoya snaking onsome foodJack is putting decapitated heads in a blood-stained white sheet.
The Jeep continues drivmg down a small road.Jack sets the motel on fire. and buries the bag of heads in a shallow grave. Shot of Jack ina truck. Some rosary beads with a crucifix are violently swinging from the rearviewmirror of Jackls truck. He stares at it. It gives the sense that Jack has done something that he should be disturbed by. but he is successful at blocking out his emotionsiMontoya and the dazed Katrina check into a hotel room, Montoya is made to be veryimpatient and unnecessarily vulgar, Jack is at a payphone talking to someone. He says that his team was killed. In thebackground across the street is a large brick wall with a very colorful mural of the VirginMary.|t cuts to Montoya watching the news in the hotel room. and he is watching the newscoverage of the burning motel room.
It gives the effect that although there is a definitesupernatural element the incident was very real and many innocent people were brutallykdleddack is at a church being treated for his wounds at a church or somewhere religious. This creates the feeling that Jack turns to religion when he needs it, and he feels burdened by itat other times.The sequence ends With a shot of Valek on top of a movmg train. The whole sequencelasted only a few minutes. The second sequence is towards the end of the movie, Katrina has been infectedby the Valek. and she maintains a psychic link with him. Just before every shot of Ihevampires. there is a shot of Katrinafs face. signaling that it is being viewed by her.
Thesequence goes as followszJack in the bathroom of the hotel. is asking FatherAdam what the vampires are lookingfor.Shol of Valek and his team of vampires awakening from the ground and walking to amonastery in a desenous area.Jack argues With FatherAdam because he does not want to tell Jack. He violentlyconvmces Father Adam to comply. In conclusion, D.W. Griffith’s technique of parallel editing is a powerful film-making tool that can create suspense, tension, and illustrate comparisons or contrasts between different events or characters. However, it must be executed properly in order to be effective and not confuse or disorient the audience. As such, it remains an important and influential technique in modern film-making.
