Solaris (1972)

Original Tarkovsky film is much better than the Clooney remake imo. The psychological/existential themes are impressive even if they aren't fully conveyed to an English speaking audience. Even with all that it really drags in certain parts (long highway scene)

Don't know how much Soviet cinema you've watched or like, but Tarkovsky's first movie Ivan's Childhood (aka My Name is Ivan) is another one you might want to check out to see some more of his work. Falls into a period of post-WWII Soviet films that are very realistic and somewhat depressing counterpoints to US WWII films. Two other movies (The Cranes are Flying; Ballad of a Soldier) are usually grouped in this category as well and I would definitely recommend Cranes (great movie) if you like Ivan's childhood and even if you don't. And no it won't hurt my feelings if you completely ignore these recommendations it's just rare I get a chance to talk about Soviet cinema

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Stalker

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+ 1,000

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Have you seen Come and See

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I have, but it's been a really long time. Great movie from what I remember with the montage scenes with Hitler's portraits sticking out in my mind. I'm definitely gonna check it out again now that you reminded me about it.

Soviet/Russian film is near the top for me too. Thanks for reminding me of Come and See If you've got any other recommendations I'm all ears.

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If you've got any other recommendations I'm all ears.

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Alexander Sokurov's films.

Alexandra
Russian Ark
Mother and Son

He's basically Tarkovsky's successor as Russian cinema's premier director but he isn't quite as good. Almost though.

Thanks. I've seen Russian Ark (really imaginative concept and incredible 96 minute sequence shot ) and I'll definitely check out the other two.

guys, just watched Stalker after reading about it in this thread.

it was so. fcking. good.

more than anything I loved the mood tarkovsky inspired, his mis en scene, long takes, images, and amazing use of sound/music.

the plot was pretty cool too, especially some of the prose in the screen play, i.e.

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Stalker: Let everything that's been planned come true. Let them believe. And let them have a laugh at their passions. Because what they call passion actually is not some emotional energy, but just the friction between their souls and the outside world. And most important, let them believe in themselves. Let them be helpless like children, because weakness is a great thing, and strength is nothing. When a man is just born, he is weak and flexible. When he dies, he is hard and insensitive. When a tree is growing, it's tender and pliant. But when it's dry and hard, it dies. Hardness and strength are death's companions. Pliancy and weakness are expressions of the freshness of being. Because what has hardened will never win.

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super movie. I'm sure I'll regard it as one of my favorites in hindsight.

I think Solaris had a much more rewarding plot. Stalker is a difficult film to take in all at once. I'd like to watch it again, but I'll wait a little while. Requires some patience since it's so slow.

SPOILERS









I'm assuming at the end with the Stalker's daughter that he had decided to take his family to the Zone after all? And that's why the screen was in color, and her telekinetic powers had something to do with wish fulfillment?

yeah, I guess I mean there is more of an emotional payoff, whereas Stalker's beauty lies in its ambiguity and beauty of sound/images.

what are some of yalls other favorite Tarkovsky movies??

I have Come and See next in my queue (also per this thread), but it's tempting to just want to go all auteur theory on Tarkovsky's corpus.

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Here's a link to polaroids taken by Tarkovsky. He was the man!

LINK

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cool link, thx.