We are opening The Odyssey with Andrei Tarkovsky's film Ivan's Childhood. I'd like to say that I have some profound reason for choosing this film to open with but the truth is, I have recently watched it and the images are still swirling around in my head. I think i just wanted to share it with others so i can hear what they think about it. That's not to say that I don't think this film is brilliant.Tarkovsky is a Russian filmmaker who pretty much makes what I would say are visual poems. You kind of just have to let them wash over you and trust it will sort itself out by the end. On a second viewing you will probably wonder why you were ever confused in the first place. I'm sure their is a fancy name for that kind of story telling, if anybody knows feel free to leave a comment. Tarkosvsky films are not the easiest to watch, often long, slow paced, non-linear, dream like images etc. Ivan is what I would call Tarkovsky light, it has all the usual elements but with a pretty straight forward plot that remains easy to follow. This may be because Tarkovsky took the film over from another director and was still discovering his visual style.
I was immediately hypnotized by the slow pace of the film and allowed the images to wash over me. I began to understand the visual language that Tarkovsky likes to use. Images that I have since see reoccur in all his films. I was hooked. I have since watched almost all of his films and consider them all works of art that I can return to watch over and over again. Why do I find it so easy to watch his films now and not before? I have no idea. It is like a door in my mind opened up to a new part that is able to translate his imagery. Either way, I am a fan and Tarkovsky has quickly become one of my favorite film makers.
Ivan's Childhood is Tarkovsky's first feature film and is a great place to start, his student film, a short entitled, The Steamroller and The Violin is also worth a watch and available on DVD. Ivan is much more accessible then his later works while still remaining true to his visual style and themes. Let me know what you think.
- Loegan Magic
IVAN'S CHILDHOOD (1962) DIRECTED BY: Andrei Tarkovsky
Andrei Tarkovsky's debut feature is an extraordinarily moving and powerful story of war and revenge. Determined to avenge his family's death at the hands of the Nazis, 12-year-old Ivan (Kolya Burlyayev) joins a Russian partisan regiment as a scout. He becomes indispensable for his ability to slip inconspicuously through enemy lines, but as his missions become increasingly dangerous, the enemy starts taking notice.
- From Netflix website
LENGTH: 95 mins
LANGUAGE: Russian with English subtitles
RATING: NR Intended for mature audiences
ABOUT THE DIRECTOR:
Andrei Arsenyevich Tarkovsky (Russian: April 4, 1932 – December 29, 1986) was a Soviet and Russian filmmaker, writer, film editor, film theorist and opera director, widely regarded as one of the finest filmmakers of the 20th century. Tarkovsky's films include Andrei Rublev, Solaris, The Mirror, and Stalker. They are characterized by spirituality and metaphysical themes, long takes, lack of conventional dramatic structure and plot, and distinctively authored use of cinematography.
-From Wikipedia
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