Andrei Tarkovsky

Started by rustinglass, April 30, 2003, 03:35:22 PM

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rustinglass

I think that, along with bergman, he is one of the major influences in modern european cinema.
His films are amazing. Maybe he should have his own category.
"In Serbia a lot of people hate me because they want to westernise, not understanding that the western world is bipolar, with very good things and very bad things. Since they don't have experience of the west, they even believe that western shit is pie."
-Emir Kusturica

(kelvin)

Ditto. I can't think of any director whose films are more fascinating. He was not only one of the greatest filmmakers ever, but also a poet and a philosopher.
"Andrei Rublev" might be his best film, but "Stalker" and "Solaris" are also real masterpieces.

Besides, I would like to ask why only american directors get their own category?

cachilders

Stalker is one of the best movies I've ever seen.
I watched a snail crawl along the edge of a straight razor. That's my
dream. That's my nightmare. Crawling, slithering, along the edge of a
straight razor, and surviving.

(kelvin)

It hypnotized me. Those dialogues...

godardian

The first Tarkovsky film I ever saw was The Sacrifice. The Sven Nyvkist cinematography... and a little known-fact: Claire Denis (future director of Beau Travail was the casting director or some such thing way back then.

It's still my favorite. I pull it out a few times a year and just settle in and immerse myself.
""Money doesn't come into it. It never has. I do what I do because it's all that I am." - Morrissey

"Lacan stressed more and more in his work the power and organizing principle of the symbolic, understood as the networks, social, cultural, and linguistic, into which a child is born. These precede the birth of a child, which is why Lacan can say that language is there from before the actual moment of birth. It is there in the social structures which are at play in the family and, of course, in the ideals, goals, and histories of the parents. This world of language can hardly be grasped by the newborn and yet it will act on the whole of the child's existence."

Stay informed on protecting your freedom of speech and civil rights.

(kelvin)

Have you ever seen "Andrei Rublev"? I saw it recently and it has become one of my favourite films. Tarkovsky's movies create an atmosphere that is completely unique and can't be explained in words. It's visual poetry, visual philosophy and beyond conventional communication. Something between words and feelings, I would say.

godardian

Oh, yes, I have my own copy of Rublev.

I've seen all of his except Ivan's Childhood, Stalker (I hear the DVD does not do the film justice, so I'm waiting for a revival or a better DVD), and his student film of The Killers.

Everything else I've seen at least twice.
""Money doesn't come into it. It never has. I do what I do because it's all that I am." - Morrissey

"Lacan stressed more and more in his work the power and organizing principle of the symbolic, understood as the networks, social, cultural, and linguistic, into which a child is born. These precede the birth of a child, which is why Lacan can say that language is there from before the actual moment of birth. It is there in the social structures which are at play in the family and, of course, in the ideals, goals, and histories of the parents. This world of language can hardly be grasped by the newborn and yet it will act on the whole of the child's existence."

Stay informed on protecting your freedom of speech and civil rights.

rustinglass

I'm sorry to say that I haven't seen Rublev or the Sacrifice.
I saw: Ivan's childhood (I strongly recommend it, godardian);The mirror - his most beautiful in my opinion; Solaris and Stalker(I also strongly recommend).
"In Serbia a lot of people hate me because they want to westernise, not understanding that the western world is bipolar, with very good things and very bad things. Since they don't have experience of the west, they even believe that western shit is pie."
-Emir Kusturica

meatwad

I have to agree with rustinglass that The Mirror is his most beautiful. When people bring up the argument about film not being an art form, i just tell them to watch this film.






//www.thestate22.com

Ernie

Were you guys pissed that Soderbergh remade Solaris? Haven't seen either of them or anything...just wondered what you thought with you guys being devout fans and everything.

Yeah, Tarkovsky is definitely on my "directors-to-catch-up-on" list. Haven't seen anything by him yet I'm ashamed to say. Is there one that is better to start with or does it matter?

godardian

I wasn't pissed, but it was too much like when Gus van Sant remade Psycho. I wasn't pissed about that, either. I don't think either are really bad movies. I think when most people say they're "bad," they mean they're a waste of time because the previous versions are so much better.

The difference, though, is that Soderbergh seems to have gone back to the novel and really made his own interpretation. The plot is sort of the same, but nothing else is. Obviously, Soderbergh's has nothing on Tarkovsky's for visuals.

His was actually a safer choice than Psycho in a way, because virtually nobody has seen the original Solaris to compare it to, while everyone had seen Psycho and were chomping at the bit to proclaim how inferior it was.

Soderbergh's Solaris worked for me as a sort of curiosity. It wasn't unwatchable or embarrassing by any means, and I wasn't entirely averse to seeing a naked George Clooney, either. But it really can't compare favorably to Tarkovsky's in most ways. I mean, really, what could??
""Money doesn't come into it. It never has. I do what I do because it's all that I am." - Morrissey

"Lacan stressed more and more in his work the power and organizing principle of the symbolic, understood as the networks, social, cultural, and linguistic, into which a child is born. These precede the birth of a child, which is why Lacan can say that language is there from before the actual moment of birth. It is there in the social structures which are at play in the family and, of course, in the ideals, goals, and histories of the parents. This world of language can hardly be grasped by the newborn and yet it will act on the whole of the child's existence."

Stay informed on protecting your freedom of speech and civil rights.

Ghostboy

I thought both versions were equally interesting takes on the same story. Soderbergh focused much more on the love story element, while Tarkovsky took a more philosophic approach. I can't really say I like one more than the other....I think they're both really great. I think the only thing Soderbergh took directly from Tarkovsky was the 360 degree shot where Rhea seems to be all around him. I was kinda hoping he'd also recreate the thirty seconds of zero gravity sequence from the original, too. But I don't think he could have topped it, so maybe it's better without it.

(kelvin)

I was really surprised that Soderbergh's version was indeed  a very interesting movie focussing on different aspects than the 1972 version, but profound and beautiful nonetheless. I liked the subtle references to 2001 and Blade Runner and the way the story was treated: with respect and idealism. And I was glad I didn't have to watch a George Lucas version.

Concerning Tarkovsky, has anyone read one of his books?

I would also strongly recommend Stalker, I don't know any film that is comparable to it. I own the Artificial Eye UK version, which is not bad, except for the fact that the film has been split up on two DVDs. Idem for Solaris. What sick mind gets such ideas...?

Seraphim

My first "real" post (after my "say hello"- post) is dedicated to Tarkovsky!

Why not?
I think he is my favourite director (I'm not really director-minded, but like everybody I have my favourites).

I've seen six of his films.
Only Stalker is still waiting for me to roll over me like a dark poem.

Zerkalo (The Mirror) is maybe my favourite: it's his most difficult film, yes- but the cinematography is SUPERB. You can't get a more/ better fotography. Rembrandt/ Vermeer-like, some people say.
And I'm not saying that because I'm Dutch!  :)

Nostalghia and Offret (The Sacrifice) are also VERY beautiful!
The atmospheres, emotions in those films...BRILLIANT!

Solyaris is less a favourite of mine. It's stiil good.
His first film, Ivanovo Detstvo (Ivan's Childhood) was already very good- An emotional war-movie (different than most war-movies, BTW).

Andreu Rublov is my least favourite film, but I'm stiil give that film a second chance (and a third, and...).

I'm afraid to watch Stalker now.
Why?
Simple: I think, considering my taste, that Stalker will be my favourite films of all time, if I'm lokking at my taste for superb cinematography AND filosophy.
If I watch Stalker, I think that I've watched the (for me) best film ever...so after that it can only get worse.  :-D

No, serious now, sometimes I really think like that.

But of course there;s stiil much for me to explore:
Fellini, Wenders (German films!), Bergman, Kurosawa...
Seraphim's magic words:
Dutch
Dead Can Dance/ Cocteau Twins
Literature
European/ Art Cinema:
Tarkovsky, Bresson, Fellini, Angelopoulos

rustinglass

Are you familiar with kusturica's work, seraphim?
"In Serbia a lot of people hate me because they want to westernise, not understanding that the western world is bipolar, with very good things and very bad things. Since they don't have experience of the west, they even believe that western shit is pie."
-Emir Kusturica