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Tarkowskij, and why I ain't heard of him yet

wembley can change in 28 days

16:31 / 24.07.02

So. The Arsenal Kino in Berlin is just getting into a retrospective of this man's films, and in particular I've had one called 'Stalker' recommended to me. I'm going to see it friday night, but it'll be in Russian with German subtitles, so I'd just love it up in the morning if someone could furnish me with plot details.

Aside from that, all the books I've found on him here are of course auf Deutsch, and while my german is improving, it's not THAT good yet. Why don't I know anything about this reported genius? What should I be looking for in his films? Is he at least better looking than Fassbinder?

Jack Fear

16:44 / 24.07.02

The usual Anglicization of his name is Andrei Tarkovsky, and there's a shedload of links to be found at Google.

A brief synopsis of Stalker, part of a page of Tarkovsky synopses.

A Tarkovsky site.

Another Tarkovsky site.

Beautiful stuff, but very, verrrrrrry slow. I found Andrei Rublev utterly absorbing, but could not stay awake through Solaris.

Knight's Move

17:17 / 24.07.02

I went the other way round. My knowledge of Andrei Rubelev consists solely of a big big bell and lots of cossacks. You want to get Paleface on Solaris though, if I remember correctly?

CameronStewart

18:18 / 24.07.02

Interestingly (though perhaps not) Tarkovsky's Solaris is currently being remade by the producer/director team of James Cameron and Steven Soderbergh...

The Strobe

18:26 / 24.07.02

Don't get me started on that remake. With George Clooney too, I believe. But yeah. I'll knock something up about Solaris if you want; it's all I've seen of Tarkovsky so far, but it's marvellous, as I'm led to tbe believe the rest is.

Stalker sounds particularly good - another attempt at unusual (for the era) s/f by Tarkovsky. You might find this IMDB plot summary useful, given how complex it sounds in English, let alone German...

wembley can change in 28 days

18:27 / 24.07.02

My god, to think I hadn't even thought about going to the internet to look up information. seven weeks without a connection, and i've actually reverted to Print Material Only. it sure didn't take long... which is very heartening news considering i thought for sure i was addicted to the internet.

end rot. i'll let y'all know what i think in seven weeks when i see my next computer.

Cold Bacon

20:46 / 28.12.04

helloo,

www.andreitarkovsky.org

okay, so if you follow the 'in context' link. i have ripped and posted two 100 MB clips from Anrei Rublev. The Jester Scene and the Sack of Vladimir. Of course I mismatched the sound + video on the Vladimir scene, which is funny because you really don't notice throughout most of the scene until they start hitting the church door with the battering ram. then you notice. it's funny.

please enjoy these things as much as i do.
-will

Cold Bacon

20:54 / 28.12.04

My discovery of Tarkovsky's first film was like a miracle.

Suddenly, I found myself standing at the door of a room the keys of which had, until then, never been given to me. It was a room I had always wanted to enter and where he was moving freely and fully at ease.

I felt encouraged and stimulated: someone was expressing what I had always wanted to say without knowing how.

Tarkovsky is for me the greatest, the one who invented a new language, true to the nature of film, as it captures life as a reflection, life as a dream.

— Ingmar Bergman

STOATIE LIEKS CHOCOLATE MILK

21:28 / 28.12.04

Stalker and Solaris are two of the best films ever made, imho. Although as film adaptations go, they veer quite a way from the source material (especially Stalker).

HCE

22:26 / 28.12.04

Nobody touches him, for my money. Not Renoir, even, which is saying something.

eddie thirteen

23:22 / 28.12.04

I've only been lucky enough to see Andrei Rublev. It is one of the best films I've ever seen, but few films have made me feel like I've so totally been through the wringer by the end of them; I think that's why I haven't sought out the others.

Cold Bacon

10:53 / 30.12.04

well. anyone who is interested can email me (or use link on my site i provided), and i will send you a DVD of any Tark film you like. There can be no excuses.

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