Stalker

Based on the novel Roadside Picnic, Stalker is the story of an expedition led by a man who brings two clients to a world that was to fulfill their desires. Directed by Andrei Tarkovsky and written by Arkadi and Boris Strugatsky, the film is a sci-fi piece that explores a journey into the unknown as it refers to Tarkovsky’s fascination with faith and mysticism. Starring Aleksandr Kaidanovsky, Anatoli Solonitsyn, and Nikolai Grinko. Stalker is a provocative yet entrancing film from Andrei Tarkovsky.

In a futuristic world where people live in a desolate homeland where they’re guarded to not enter a secret place known as the Zone. The one person who claims to have been to the Zone is a man known as the Stalker (Aleksandr Kaidanovsky) as he wishes to return to the Zone much to the protest of his wife (Alisa Freindlich). Joining him for this journey into the Zone are two men seeking fulfillment in the journey. One is the Writer (Anatoli Solonitsyn) and the other is the Professor (Nikolai Grinko) as they listen to the Stalker’s instructions where they break past the Zone gate and ride on a railway car to this mysterious yet exotic land.

At the Zone, the three men encounter mysterious things at the land as the Writer becomes annoyed by the Stalker’s instructions. While the Stalker claims that the land is unpredictable, the Writer and Professor are entranced by this strange world as they see a beautiful world of nature mixed in abandoned tanks and places. After coming across some strange places including a dark tunnel and sand dunes, the place turns out to be much more troublesome than the men realize. Even as the Stalker is forced to come to terms with what these men want from the Zone.

The film is essentially a futuristic tale about a man who brings two different men into a plot of land as they hope to fulfill their personal desires that they couldn’t get in their homeland. It’s a very simple premise yet the land that they enter is full of complexities where it’s all driven by this man who has been to this mysterious land as only he knows its rules and such. All this man wants to do his make sure his clients get what they want but the men he brings in to this mysterious land are men with good intention. The problem is that what they want is really far more complicated as it would only cause problems for their guide who treasures this mysterious land.

The screenplay that Akardi and Boris Strugatsky create has a unique structure where the first act takes place in this dreary land where everything is in ruins and such. The second act takes place in the Zone where it’s about these three different men such as the cynical Writer, the reasonable Professor, and the complicated but well-meaning Stalker as they trek into this land. It’s in the second act in the Zone where the story follow these men around as they figure out what to do in this land as there’s a possibility where they might not come back. Even as they go into this decayed building where things get more complicated as the film progresses where true intentions are unveiled along with disillusionment. This would lead to some very telling moments about the way the world works and the flaws of humanity.

Andrei Tarkovsky’s direction is truly mesmerizing in the way he presents the film from start to finish. With many of the scenes in the decayed homeland in the film’s first act is shot in a monochrome sepia style to establish a world that is lost and on the brink of collapse. The scenes in the Zone is shot with gorgeous colors as a lot of it is shot in these gorgeous locations in the forest where there’s a feeling of Eden being present in this world. Like nature, it’s unpredictable where there’s a sense of dread about this land and what is there that leads to these more entrancing scenes inside this strange building.

The direction is filled with a lot of long shots that slowly builds up to key moments of the film as Tarkovsky takes his time to let the scene play out. Even as Tarkovsky slowly zooms the camera to create close-ups or wide shots of the characters that he’s shooting on film. The direction is always ensuring about a world where nothing is as it seems in the Zone where there’s moments that feels out of the world such as the sand dunes in a room. The film’s final moments is very sobering where it’s about this troubling aftermath where the camera is always wandering about the location and such and what is happening. Overall, Tarkovsky creates a truly hypnotic film that explores the world of men and their desires.

Cinematographer Aleksandr Knyazhinsky does brilliant work with the film‘s colorful cinematography for the scenes in the Zone to play out a world that is exotic while using the brown monochrome look to emphasize the world of despair. Editor Lyudmila Feiginova does excellent work with the editing by creating some rhythmic cuts for the film‘s gate-breaking scene while a lot of the cutting is straightforward to play out the film‘s slow yet methodical pace. Set decorator Rashit Safiullin and art director Shavkat Abdusalamov do fantastic work with the look of the world that the characters live in to strange world of the building in the Zone.

Costume designer Yelena Fomina does good work with the costumes as a lot of it is mostly casual to play out the characters‘ personality. The sound work of Vladimir Sharun is amazing for the atmosphere that plays out from the sounds of trains in the homeland to intoxicating mix of sounds in the Zone as Sharun‘s work is a major highlight. The film’s score by Eduard Artemyev is superb for its eerie yet seductive electronic score that is filled with a lot of low-key pieces to play out the sense of dread and melancholia as it’s another of the film’s technical highlights.

The film’s small ensemble cast is terrific as it features a small but memorable performance from Natasha Abramova as the Stalker’s daughter as well as a superb performance from Alisa Freindlich as the Stalker’s wife who delivers a great monologue in the film’s final moments. Nikolai Grinko is wonderful as the intelligent Professor who kind of serves as the film’s conscience only to reveal his true intentions about entering the Zone. Anatoly Solonitsyn is great as the cynical writer who feels annoyed by the Stalker as he comments about everything he sees in hopes to find inspiration in the Zone. Finally, there’s Aleksandr Kaidanovsky in an incredible performance as the Stalker as a man who hopes to do everything for these two men in the Zone while dealing with the fact that he’s bringing into a very complicated world that would make him realize the flaws of humanity.

The 2006 2-disc Region 1 DVD from Kino presents the film in its original 1:33:1 full-frame theatrical aspect ratio with 5.1 Surround Sound and Mono in Russian along with English and French subtitles/voiceovers. The first disc features the film in its entirety while the second disc features an array of extra features relating to the film and its director Andrei Tarkovsky. The first special feature are three different interviews with Tarkovsky’s collaborators. Eduard Artemyev’s 20-minute interview has the composer discussing his relationship with Tarkovsky including their working methods where Artemyev reveals a lot of what Tarkovsky wanted in the music as there was something more intimate that was used for Stalker.

The six-minute interview with cinematographer Aleksandr Knyazhinsky has him talking about the production and the difficulty of shooting as he looks at pictures reveling in the fact that many people in the film had already died. The 14-minute interview with production designer Rashit Safiullin has Safiullin discussing about the film’s troubled production as well as Tarkovsky whom he recalls about his unique approach to directing. Even as he reveals tidbits about some of the film’s set pieces and his own thoughts on the film.

Two other special features includes an excerpt of Tarkovsky’s 1961 short film The Steamroller and the Violin as well as a five minute short by Serghei Minenok called Memory. The latter of which features footage from Stalker inter-cut with images of Tarkovsky’s childhood home. The DVD also includes a brief biography on Tarkovsky as well as filmographies of the director, cast, and crew members. The DVD also features a photo gallery that features rare footage of the film in production.

Stalker is an intriguing yet intoxicating film from Andrei Tarkovsky. Featuring superb performances from Aleksandr Kaidanovsky, Anatoli Solonitsyn, and Nikolai Grinko. It is truly one of the most compelling sci-fi films of the 20th Century for the way it explores humanity and the mystery of desires. While it isn’t an easy film to watch, it is still engaging for the way it presents strong themes that is matched by entrancing images. In the end, Stalker is a phenomenal film from Andrei Tarkovsky.

Andrei Tarkovsky Films: Ivan's Childhood - Andrei Rublev - Solaris - The Mirror - Nostalghia - The Sacrifice

Related: The Short Films of Andrei Tarkovsky - Voyage in Time - One Day in the Life of Andrei Arsenevich - The Auteurs #14: Andrei Tarkovsky

© thevoid99 2012

Ivan's Childhood

Ivanovo detstvo (Ivan’s Childhood) is the story of boy’s life during World War II. Directed by Andrei Tarkovsky and screenplay by Vladimir Bogomolov and Mikhail Papava, the film is an exploration of a boy caught in the middle of war as he tries to come to terms with what he’s seeing. Starring Nikolai Burlyaev, Valentin Zubkov, Yevgeni Zharikov, Stepan Krylov, Nikolai Grinko, and Irma Raush. Ivanovo detstvo is an entrancing yet engrossing drama from Andrei Tarkovsky.

The film is about a boy named Ivan (Nikolai Burlyaev) who works as a spy for a group of soldiers as he ponders about what to do as the war is in its last legs. Throughout the film, he’s surrounded by three different men who care for his well-being in a young lieutenant named Galtsev (Yevgeni Zharikov), a kind and resourceful corporal in Katasonych (Stepan Krylov), and a captain named Kholin (Valentin Zubkov). Yet, they wonder why he’s in the middle of an upcoming battle against the Germans as their superior Lt. Colonel Gryaynov (Nikolai Grinko) hopes to send him to military school much to Ivan’s dismay as he would try to run away only to be retrieved as he has to sit behind while the other men prepare for battle.

Ivan wants to help in doing reconnaissance work yet the three men who care for him don’t want him in anymore danger after the loss of soldiers as both Lt. Galstev and Captain Kholin are also vying for a young nurse named Masha (Valentina Malyavina) as they see her as a companion for life after the war. It’s part of a subplot that explores the idea of war and its fallacies as it still revolves around Ivan who lost his mother (Irma Raush) and family by the war where he’s kept in this room surrounded by words of vengeance on the wall. Throughout the film, there’s flashbacks of a much less chaotic life where Ivan had a childhood that is very pleasant as he is often seen with his mother as these flashbacks would pop once in a while.

The screenplay explores war from the perspective of children as it follows Ivan around as he treks around his surroundings while the script also follows characters like Lt. Galtsev, Cpl. Katasonych, and Captain Kholin as they prepare for battle. While the Masha subplot and Ivan’s flashbacks does give the main narrative a bit of a break, it allows the characters involved to be fleshed out more as they all want to live a life outside of war.

The direction of Andrei Tarkovsky is truly mesmerizing as it would display many of the compositions that he would hone into later films that would be part of his trademark. Notably in the way he opens the film with a flashback of a peaceful time where the camera soars in the air for something that will seem peaceful and then it cuts into something much darker as Ivan treks around the river swamps hoping to evade the Germans. It is then followed by an interrogation scene where Tarkovsky’s camera is always directed at the protagonist as he reveals to this young lieutenant what he’s doing. It’s a very chilling moment that establishes more about who this boy and the young lieutenant who would eventually become one of the three who would care for him.

Many of the interior scenes would have Ivan observing the three men or if he’s by himself, pretend that he’s in battle just as the real battle is happening outside. Tarkovsky always ensure that it’s a war film told from a child’s perspective. Notably in the film’s third act when Ivan would do things to help out in the war where there’s a level of suspense that is engrossing in the way Tarkovsky frames the scenes and the tension that occurs. Scenes such as Captain Kholin’s conversation with Masha in the woods is among one of Tarkovsky’s highlights in his directing for the way he can create beauty in something that is so simple like the woods. Overall, Tarkovsky creates a truly astonishing yet harrowing film about war and the loss of innocence.

Cinematographer Vadim Yusov does spectacular work with the film‘s black-and-white photography from the evocative yet sunnier look of the daytime scenes to the more entrancing exteriors in the main narrative such as the scenes in the woods while the interior lighting is exquisite for the ominous tone it presents. Editor Lyudmila Feiginova does superb work by creating wonderful cuts to play out the suspense and drama that unfolds throughout the film.

Production designer Yevgeny Chernyaev does excellent work with the few set pieces created such as the trenches and the room that Ivan shares with Captain Kholin and Lt. Galtsev. The special effects work of V. Sevostyanov and S. Mukhin is terrific for the dream sequence Ivan has with a young girl to exemplify the world he wants to return to. The film’s score by Vyacheslav Ovchinnikov is incredible for its sweeping orchestral arrangements for the film’s flashback scenes with more suspenseful themes to play up in the darker moments that is filled with intense string arrangements.

The film’s cast is brilliant for the ensemble that is created as it features memorable small roles from Dmitri Miliutenko as an old man Ivan meets, filmmaker Andrei Konchalovsky as a soldier Masha knows, Valentina Malyavina as the army nurse Masha, Nikolai Grinko as the stern Lt. Col. Gryaznov, Stepan Krylov as the helpful and friendly Corporal Katasonych, and Irma Raush as Ivan’s mother in the flashback scenes. Yevgeni Zharikov is excellent as the young lieutenant Galtsev who becomes concerned for Ivan’s well-being after getting to know him while wondering about Captain Kholin’s ideas.

Valentin Zubkov is great as the caring Captain Kholin who ponders a life outside of war for himself as well as Ivan whom he treats like a son. Finally, there’s Nikolai Burlyaev as Ivan as Burlyaev’s performance is truly unforgettable for bringing a sense of realism and determination to a child wanting to help out but also be an individual as it’s really one of the great performances from a child.

The 2007 Region 1 DVD from the Criterion Collection presents the film in its original 1:33:1 full-frame aspect ratio with Dolby Digital Mono sound. With a newly-restored high-definition transfer, the film is presented with a richness that is true to the reputation of the late Andrei Tarkovsky.

The DVD features Life as a Dream, a 30-minute video appreciation about the film and Tarkovsky as told by Tarkovsky expert Vida T. Johnson who reveals a lot about Tarkovsky’s visual style. Even as she provides some historical tidbits on post-Stalin Soviet cinema where Tarkovsky would be a part of as the film was among a group of new wave Eastern European cinema that talked about World War II. Johnson also discusses the production’s history where even though it wasn’t meant to be a Tarkovsky film in the first place. She stated that it was the film where Tarkovsky felt he had finished his apprenticeship that would lead to a career of very personal and poetic films.

The DVD also includes a booklet that features essays and such relating to the film. The first is an essay by Dina Iordanova entitled Dream Come True discusses the history of late 50s Soviet cinema and how much the film made an impact not just for the country but also for international cinema of the 1960s. Iordanova also discusses Tarkovsky’s methods and how this film would really be a stepping stone for everything that he would do with his later films. The second essay Between Two Films is from Andrei Tarkovsky who recalls his memories on the film’s production and his ideas about creating scenes for the film. Notably to infuse poetic ideas to help tell a story as it’s an essay that is very interesting. The third and final text piece is small poem from Tarkovsky’s father Arseny entitled “Ivan’s Willow” that was considered to be an influence on Tarkovsky in his approach to the film.

Ivanovo detstvo is a mesmerizing war drama from Andrei Tarkovsky. The film is definitely not just a superb debut film from Tarkovsky but also one of the most engrossing films about the horrors of war. Thanks to a great cast and amazing technical work, it’s also a very hypnotic film for the way Tarkovsky presents the decayed beauty of war. In the end, Ivanovo detstvo is a tremendous film from Andrei Tarkovsky.

Andrei Tarkovsky Films: Andrei Rublev - Solaris - The Mirror - Stalker - Nostalghia - The Sacrifice

Related: The Short Films of Andrei Tarkovsky - Voyage in Time - One Day in the Life of Andrei Arsenevich - The Auteurs #14: Andrei Tarkovsky

© thevoid99 2012

2012 Cannes Marathon: Andrei Rublev

(Winner of the FIPRESCI Prize at the 1969 Cannes Film Festival)

Directed by Andrei Tarkovsky and screenplay by Tarkovsky and Andrei Konchalovsky, Andrei Rublev is the story about the life of the 15th Century Russian painter. The film is an exploration of a man’s art and his faith during the medieval times as it is told in a seven-part series that also includes a prologue and epilogue. Playing the role of Rublev is Anatoly Solonitsyn as the film also stars Ivan Lapikov, Nikolai Grinko, Nikolai Sergyev, Nikolai Burlyaev, and Irma Raush. Andrei Rublev is a sprawling yet enchanting film from Andrei Tarkovsky.

A trio of Monks that includes Andrei Rublev, Danil (Nikolai Grinko), and Kirill (Ivan Lapikov) are trekking around the Russian countryside through the rain where they seek shelter as they watch a jester (Rolan Bykov) entertain a village where Andrei observes the jester’s behavior as he later watches the jester beaten by soldiers. At the workshop of Theophanes the Greek (Nikolai Sergyev), Kirill has a meeting about a job offer for himself and Andrei to paint murals for the Cathedral of the Annunciation in Moscow as Kirill accepts the job as Theophanes also wants Rublev. Rublev reluctantly decides to take the job as he takes his apprentice Foma (Mikhail Kononov) to the journey where they would meet Theophanes and later encounter a group of pagans celebrating naked where Andrei meets a named woman named Marfa (Nelly Snegina) as he continues his journey to Moscow.

After arriving with his small entourage, the job doesn’t become what Rublev is expected as he deals with doubt over his work. Recalling fond memories when he worked for the Grand Prince (Yuri Nazarov) where he felt revered despite the Prince’s cruelty towards those who try to reproduce work for other people. At the church in Vladimir, a young woman named Durochka (Irma Raush) wanders around as she is overcome with emotion as Rublev finds inspiration in his work. With the Grand Prince in Lithuania, his brother (Yuri Nazarov) arrives with a group of Tatars to raid the village and destroy the church as Andrei and Durochka survive though Andrei’s doubts continue to grow as he tells Theophanes that he will take a vow of silence. Returning to the monastery he had left a long time ago where he takes Durochka with him only for her to leave where he’s later reunited with his old friend Kirill.

Eleven years later, Andrei watches a bell being made by a young bell-maker named Boriska (Nikolai Burlyaev) make a bell for the Grand Prince. While the young man claims that his father taught him the art to make bells, many wonder if he knows exactly what he’s doing as Andrei watches him from afar. With the ceremony getting closer as the Grand Prince is bringing a foreign ambassador for the festivities, the silent Andrei continues to watch Boriska do the impossible as he also deals with people from his past including the tortured Kirill.

The film is essentially an exploration into the life of a monk with a gift for painting icons as he faces doubts in a world that is filled with turmoil. Told in the span of nearly 25 years, it’s a film that follows a man who is given the opportunity to create art that will last generations at prestigious church. Yet, in the times that would set the stage for the Tsardom of Russia where chaos has ensued and people become decadent during these horrible times. It would shake the course of who Andrei Rublev is as his growing sense of doubt would lead to revelations about the way the world works forcing him to retreat and watch the world change from afar.

The screenplay that Andrei Tarkovsky and Andrei Konchalovsky creates is presented with a very loose approach to the bio-pic narrative. Notably as a lot of the film is told from different perspective of other characters who are given scenes where they present themselves of who they are while Rublev is either watching or is in the background. The film opens with a scene where a man (Nikolay Glazkov) tries to do the impossible by creating a hot air balloon only to succeed for a little while. It is this prologue that would set the stage of what is to come where Rublev would be lauded for his work but is filled with a lot of insecurities about his role where he’s confronted by the world around him. The screenplay also features characters like Kirill, Theophanes, Danil, and a few others that would shape Rublev’s view of the world as they either try to ground him to Earth or to have him be part of this new world.

Tarkovsky’s direction is truly grand in terms of the compositions he creates from the opening prologue that is filled with sweeping images of the Russian landscape to wide depth-of-field shots that captures large crowds at either a gathering or be ravaged by the chaos around them. Wanting to create a realistic depiction of 15th Century Russia in this tense period of turmoil, Tarkovsky always wanted to make sure the locations look like a place that is in ruins. Either in a damp setting where there’s mud or any scene that has water, it’s to emphasize a world that is troubled where even in the spring or winter of that year. Something won’t go well as the film would also includes numerous scenes where rain is prevalent to intensify the dark atmosphere of the film.

With a lot of stylistic shots ranging from cranes, tracking shots, and tense close-ups, Tarkovsky creates a film that is about a man being tempted by this new world around him where by the third act, he’s lost. Tarkovsky makes sure that Rublev remains the subject of the film as scenes that doesn’t feature the character is still talked about by other characters as some either want to help him or turn to him as they face some tense moment. The scenes where the Grand Prince’s brother and a Tatar leader (Bolot Ishalenev) wreak havoc on the town with these grand shots has Tarkovsky do a slow-motion take on some of the action for the audience to see exactly how bad things were.

While the film is very long at 205 minutes (in its uncut version), it is paced quite well where Tarkovsky makes sure things get played out while not lingering too long in some moments. Notably the film’s final six minutes that includes colorized images of Rublev’s artwork. It is to play out what Rublev has created in his career as Tarkovsky creates this truly evocative montage of Rublev’s paintings that is in ruins but has somehow endured all of the chaos that Rublev has gone through in his life. Overall, Tarkovsky creates a truly spectacular and entrancing film that explores a dark world where a man’s faith is tested.

Cinematographer Vadim Yusov does brilliant work with the film‘s black-and-white cinematography to play up the varying mood of the locations from the dazzling sunny exteriors to the more gray look of the damp, rain scenes along with interiors to help intensify the dramatic mood of the film. Editor Ludmila Fegnova does superb work in creating stylistic cuts such as abrupt jump-cuts to play with the film‘s rhythm along with some very stylized moments such as the slow-motion scene where the city of Vladimir is raided by the Grand Prince‘s brother.

Art directors Yevgeni Chernyaev, Ippolit Novoderezhkin, and Sergei Voronkov do amazing work with the set pieces such as the huts that many of the characters live in during that period to the cathedrals that Rublev works at for his paintings. Costume designers Lidiya Novi and Maya Abar-Baronovska do wonderful work in creating the robes that Rublev wears to the more dreary clothes many of the other characters wear. The sound work of Inna Zelentsova is fantastic for the way it creates an atmosphere from the intimate scenes in the woods where only the sounds of birds chirping and creatures to more broad sound textures such as the way rain sounds and thunderstorms as it is among one of the film‘s technical highlights. The film’s score by Viacheslave Ovchinnikov is incredible for its hypnotic yet vocal-driven score led by a choir and low-key orchestral pieces to play up the sense of drama that occurs in the film as it’s a major highlight.

The film’s cast is phenomenal for the ensemble that is created as it includes some memorable small roles from Rolan Bykov as a jester that is denounced, Nikolay Glazkov as the man in the prologue, Nelly Snegina as a pagan woman that Andrei encounters, Mikhail Kononov as Andrei’s out-going apprentice Foma, Yuri Nikulin as a friend of Andrei in Patrikey, Bolot Ishalenev as the Tarat clan leader, and Yuri Nazarov in a dual role as the Grand Prince and his more brutish twin brother. Irma Raush is excellent as the mute Durochka whose innocence and naivete drives Andrei to do what is right following the raid though she would also attempt to break his vow of silence. Nikolai Burlyaev is wonderful as the bell-maker Boriska who tries to create a bell to prove his worth only to be entranced by Andrei’s presence.

Nikolai Sergyev is superb as the wise Theophanes the Greek who tries to guide Andrei into fulfilling his role as he also goes into religious discussions with Andrei which includes a recreation of Jesus Christ’s crucifixion. Nikolai Grinko is very good as Andrei’s friend Danil who tries to deal with Andrei’s newfound fame while helping him with the sense of doubt that Andrei is dealing with. Ivan Lapikov is terrific as Andrei’s friend Kirill who feels jealous for Andrei’s growing fame as he later returns as a broken man trying to help Andrei break his vow of silence. Finally, there’s Anatoly Solonitsyn as the titular character as Solonitsyn gives a magnificent performance as a man trying to find his way in a new world where his faith is challenged as it’s a very engaging performance where Solonitsyn finds the torment in this very complex character.

Andrei Rublev is a marvelous yet visually-astonishing film from Andrei Tarkovsky. Featuring an outstanding performance from Anatoly Solonitsyn as the titular character, this is a film that truly defines the idea of what epic filmmaking is and what it should be. For anyone new to Tarkovsky, this film is pretty much a worthy introduction though it isn’t an easy film to watch due to its loose approach to storytelling. In the end, Andrei Rublev is a truly grand film from Andrei Tarkovsky.

Andrei Tarkovsky Films: Ivan’s Childhood - Solaris - The Mirror - Stalker - Nostalghia - The Sacrifice

Related: The Short Films of Andrei Tarkovksy - Voyage in Time - One Day in the Life of Andrei Arsenevich - The Auteurs #14: Andrei Tarkovsky

© thevoid99 2012