Andrei Tarkovsky and His Films ("The Great Directors" -- Episode 5)

If you like this video or this channel, please consider donating to this channel to cover my expenses. The video has been demonetized. A gift of $10 or $5 or $1, via the "Applause" button right below the video really helps me out. Thank you!
In this episode of my Great Directors series, I run through all of Andrei Tarkovsky's feature films. The video presents them in chronological order. It shows you which movies to start with, and how you might watch his movies.
If you've never seen him, this video will introduce you to Tarkovsky. If you have seen him, this movie might ignite or re-kindle your love for him.
Movies and Topics Addressed:
-- The Steamroller and The Violin -- 1:51
-- Ivan's Childhood -- 3:08
-- Andrei Rublev -- 5:28
-- Solaris -- 6:27
-- The Mirror -- 8:21
-- Tarkovsky's Cinematic Language -- 9:38
-- Stalker -- 11:42
-- Nostalgia -- 13:30
-- The Sacrifice -- 15:02
See joshmatthews.org for more great movie criticism.

[@g.o.a.t4674]

I watched Tarkovsky "Andrei Rublev 1966 " . He blew my mind. Amazing human

[@ach2lieber]

The Sacrifice was my first exposure to Tarkovsky, in 86 or 87 in a little arthouse theater in Tucson. It stunned me -- I could barely speak afterward. I didn't realize until later that Tarkovsky was dying of cancer as he filmed it. It has the depth, longing, beauty, and mystery of late Bach or Beethoven, whose awareness of impending death propelled some of the most moving art we've seen. Bergman considered Tarkovsky the greatest diector.

[@aspfproductions]

Great review and thanks for sharing! Within the past several months I was introduced to Tarkovsky's work and just recently finished watching all seven of his feature films. The first of his films I watched was Stalker, followed by Mirror, The Sacrifice, Solaris, Andrei Rublev, Ivan's Childhood, and lastly Nostalghia. I loved each one and it's difficult to choose which is my favorite. I watched Stalker first and instantly became a fan. I felt that it was so suspenseful at times, even though nothing really dangerous happened. Mirror was great. I loved the Sacrifice, especially the end and the scene when they are watching the TV. I loved Solaris and I wasn't prepared for the moving experience, one of my favorite sci-fi movies now. Andrei Rublev was great and was so different than his other films. Ivan's Childhood left me heartbroken. Nostalghia was good, and I definitely agree watch some of his other films before this one.

[@_v1801]

I did some research on the time Tarkovsky and Brakhage met and found something really funny I thought I'd share: “After the panel, they had arranged for Tarkovsky to see some of my films. I had warned Bill Pence that he might not like my films and I was nervous about showing them.” ”Tarkovsky starts talking in rapid Russian, with Zanussi answering him, and whatever he's saying it's obviously angry. Finally, after a lot of these exchanges, Jane had the presence of mind to say, "What's going on? What's he saying?" So Zanussi starts translating and he says, "Well..." and we all wait, "Well... he says," and we wait some more, "he says that Art must have a mystery to it and this is too scientific to be Art." “So, the leader comes through, the room's heated up, on comes Dog Star Man, Part IV. He starts exploding in Russian the minute the hand-painted frames are flickering on the screen, along with the layers of superimposition. He's obviously raging! No one's heard him talk so much since he's been here. He's hammering away in incredibly rapid Russian” "This is sheer self-indulgence," "film is only a collaborative art." And in detail, "the color is shit" and "what is this paint? Why do you do this?" “Now he's yelling! He's standing up in his chair, he's sitting down, he's looking at the film out of the periphery of his eye as he's yelling things at Zanussi, and he won't look at me at all. In the mean time, Jane and his wife are laughing and they're holding hands, and smiling, like "isn't this a wonderful cock fight!" Then comes on Arabic 3 and this maybe tripped him off the most. "What is this? It doesn't mean anything, it's just capricious."” “I did hear afterwards that Tarkovsky told the Russian emigre that it was the stupidest film he ever saw.” Source: Brakhage, S. (2001). Brakhage Meets Tarkovsky. Chicago Review, 47, 42.

[@LearningaboutMovies]

thank you.

[@63MGB1]

My favorite is whichever one I've just finished rewatching!

[@fe4000]

I've been recently introduced to art cinema and started with Tarkovsky for almost accidental reasons. I'm a professional photographer with an academic and artistic background and the aesthetic experiences I've been through with those films were so deep and relevant to me that I'd say they tested their boundaries with spiritual ones. So far, Stalker is my favorite piece, and although I could try to convince someone why, I'm satisfied in accepting that it has more to do with me than with anything else and this opinion might change as I grow as a cinema lovers. Thanks you very much for that video, deliciously interesting experience. I've seen some others you've made: brilliant content you have to share with us, please do keep it coming.

[@LearningaboutMovies]

thank you very much.

[@jondstewart]

I remembered when I watched The Sacrifice as a 17-18 year old in an art house theater in Austin and told it was his last movie. I was a hardcore movie buff and never heard of him, but did research later on. No movie ever made the northern part of Sweden look so lonely, but beautiful. Solaris was my favorite and a more realistic 2001. One thing that baffled me was he was Russian and directed a Swedish language movie with some English. I wondered how many Russians actually speak Swedish? He didn’t! He used an interpreter the whole time and it was still a success.

[@LearningaboutMovies]

great comment, thank you. in case you don't know, there is a video on Sacrifice on this channel.

[@skolrelaterat4113]

At the risk of seeming superior, a minor correction: The film was shot on the island of Gotland, more precisely on Närsholmen. So this is in southern Sweden.

[@gord453]

My first Tarkovsky I watched was "Stalker", because it's very popular (also in gaming culture - everybody knows the game "Stalker"), so I was just curious. But it was a crazy masterpiece, fabolous pictures of lost places, deep dialogues, sometimes too long but very atmospheric! After a long break I watched "Nostalghia" yesterday and this movie really motivated me to watch everything from AT and try to understand him. Thank you really much for this summary!

[@jamesvail4927]

I thought it was cool that you first saw Stalker and Nostalghia second, because those are the first two Tarkovsky films I saw as well. I then saw The Sacrifice, Ivan's Childhood, Andrei Rublev, Solaris, and Mirror in that order. I watched all of these movies over the course of two weeks, because I just couldn't get enough of him.

[@kevzsabz8253]

Thank you Dr. Josh. Andrei Tarkovsky is one of my favourite directors of all time. So Here's My Ranking of Andrei Tarkovsky's films. I also added a rating that i gave to them. 1. Andrei Rublev (1966) 9.5/10 2. Ivan's Childhood (1962) 9.4/10 3. Solaris (1972) 9.2/10 4. Stalker (1979) 9.1/10 5. Nostalghia (1983) 9.1/10 6. Mirror (1975) 8.9/10 7. The Sacrifice (1986) 8.5/10

[@LearningaboutMovies]

excellent list. I'm the inverse of you, almost, and my next Tarkovksy video at some point will be on THe Sacrifice.

[@deltasquared7777]

I agree with except Andrei Rublev is a 10+++

[@purity1082]

Great video! I too just recently got into watching all of his movies. I've been watching 1 or 2 every weekend the past few weeks. I had seen Solaris decades ago as a young man and i enjoyed it but i couldn't get into mirror or Andrei Rublev at that time. Now I've watched them all except Ivan's childhood is last on my list. I have to say Mirror is by far my favorite. Something about the visuals and the story speaks to me. I also really enjoyed nostalgia and Andrei Rublev. Solaris, stalker, and The sacrifice are also good in different ways. Can't wait to finally watch Ivan, thanks for this summary video!

[@LearningaboutMovies]

you're welcome. thanks for this comment, and for watching.

[@michaelpresberg3817]

Thanks again for bringing this great artist to folks, I'm becoming obsessed. Here's my Tarkovsky rankings (for now): 1. Mirror (1975) - My pick for the greatest ever, with the possible exception of Rules of the Game and Tree of Life 2. Andrei Rublev (1966) - Epic and intimate at the same time, a great meditation on art, God, life; some of the most iconic (literally) scenes ever. I would echo what you say--maybe the greatest biopic ever, but it far transcends what we (bc of Hollywood) think of as 'biopic' 3. Nostalghia (1983) - The most Tarkovsky-esque of all Tarkovsky's films, probably the thematic key to his whole oeuvre, deeply moving without being manipulative in the slightest. Throughout it you can meditate on the relation between the secular and the sacred, the east and the west, man and woman, God and the world. 4. Stalker (1979) - Haunting, if you call it a 'sci-fi' film it's the best ever I think. This also has perhaps his best individual sequences visually, but overall it is not quite the *perfection* you find in the top three. 5. The Sacrifice (1986) - A fascinating and profound meditation on the psychology of religion, particularly the Christian religion. 6. Solaris (1972) - Sci-fi masterpiece no doubt, but doesn't transcend its genre in quite the same way the others do. 7. Ivan's Childhood (1962) - An amazing official debut, would be almost anyone else's masterpiece.

[@michaelpresberg3817]

Oh and my favorite Tarkovsky moment is the sequence in Mirror when you have the two young boys moving through the house past the milk jug and the mirror to the barn burning in the backyard while the rain comes down. Something eternal about that, though I don't know exactly what. Endlessly analyzable for sure

[@jesseblaskovits64]

Amazing that you watched all of his films in a row for a solid week. I recently did something similar, but only backwards! It's been years since I've discovered a new filmmaker that makes me feel this way. I thought I had all of cinema kind of figured out. But Tarkovsky showed me something I didn't know I was missing.

[@LearningaboutMovies]

backwards! interesting way to proceed. Have you tried The Steamroller and the Violin? That would be fascinating to end on, after all that.

[@cskueny]

Love Tarkovsky and I really enjoyed your treatment here. I don't have a list, but you've made me want to go back and watch some of these again. My first one ever was Andrei Rublev which blew my mind.... Last one I watched was Sacrifice which I'd seen before, but had not remembered how great that was.

[@dougo891]

I recall seeing The Sacrifice in a theater. Its evocation of WW III was devastating, especially the breaking of the pitcher of milk!!!

[@LearningaboutMovies]

It's great on a big screen: I am lucky enough to be able to project it onto one.

[@Xylus.]

I can't remember how I found out about Tarkovsky. The first thing I ever saw by him was The Steamroller and the Violin, coincidentally; didn't even know him by name, but had it in a collection of art films acquired through questionable means. I just watched Nostalghia with a friend a few days ago. He's never seen any other Tarkovsky film, but he liked it. I loved it. I've now seen every movie except Sacrifice; can't wait to see that one. My favorite is Mirror. I've watched it more than anything else he's done, and I feel like I developed a really personal bond with that film.

[@LearningaboutMovies]

thank you. There's a video of Sacrifice on the channel, one of my favorites. I hope you enjoy!

[@AntonSeim]

Great video, thanks for taking the time to watch all the films and put it together.

[@ThatLadinPlaid]

Thanks a ton for making this. I've been dying to figure out where to start and how to approach the work of Tarkovsky and I think you covered these succinctly. I hope you do more Great Directors.

[@LearningaboutMovies]

you're welcome. There's a "great directors" series on this channel. I am making more, though they take a lot of time.

[@roshanroy5806]

Thank you for the recommendations . Love your work❤️

[@LearningaboutMovies]

greatly appreciate your comment! thank you.

[@currentofthesnake8486]

There is a Polish filmmaker named Tadeusz Konwicki who reminds me a bit of Tarkowski. However, I like his films even more because his dream scenarios have much more turmoil.

[@kawaii_princess_castle]

Very interesting!! Thank you!!

[@LearningaboutMovies]

you're welcome.

[@tylerlyons4943]

Andrei Rublev is so damn good still thinking about the wizard of oz end my god

[@willieluncheonette5843]

Andrei Rublev kinda blew my mind. Stalker was very strange and sorta unique. ... Did not care much for Solaris.

[@w.iraheta3769]

1. The Mirror 2. Stalker 3. Andrei Rublev 4. The Sacrifice 5. Solaris 6. Nostalghia 7. Ivan’s Childhood My favorite film director.

[@LearningaboutMovies]

Thank you.

[@sarthakdubeyfilms]

Very good video man. Love Tarkovsky.

[@LearningaboutMovies]

thank you.

[@kawaii_princess_castle]

Look Tarkovsky too

[@clumsydad7158]

Awesome overview; yes, i tried Solarus and found it dull, but Mirror sounds great, and i like your commentary on the inherent power of symbols, his personal nature, and how he blends fiction and reality,,, that style does sound innovative and intriguing and meditative (or as you sometimes aptly describe as philosophical movies), so I'm def giving that a try, Thanks !

[@LearningaboutMovies]

Likely the one to try is Andrei Rublev, because it's early in his career, and when you watch one of his later movies, you'll see Rublev in it. Second, I have a bunch of people in my world who like Rublev, and I wouldn't have guessed that they would. It might be his easiest to "get."

[@tylerlyons4943]

You’ve inspired me to do the same experiment my guy thank you!! Big Kubrick fan and love going through Tarkovsky :-) I’m about to do Mirror today!!

[@LearningaboutMovies]

enjoy!

[@griffinhamill761]

This was a great video, Josh! I’d love to see you do a retrospective on Dreyer! He has 14 films and all are available. Only one of his films has footage partially lost: the 1922 silent film, Once Upon a Time. Your Passion of Joan of Arc review was great!

[@LearningaboutMovies]

thank you

[@mrinalkantinath1271]

Just watch the movies as chronologically as Tarkovsky made. Simple

[@PaulResford24]

I started with Stalker and mirror. Tarkovsky is Master

[@ITDFilms26]

I own some of his films I have not had the time to check out. However, I did just finish Ivan’s Childhood and whoof whoa buddy. I don’t know how the hell he did some of what he did cinematography wise in like … the 60s. Honestly just flabbergasted by how deep it proved my mind without me necessarily thinking while watching. Was confusing mainly towards the end, but I only view stuff like that as room for several rewatched and a critical analysis. True art needs to be studied. But, seeing as I have already in-coincidentally started in chronological feature order, I’m gonna try and continue that way. (It was mainly because it’s one of the shorter films. I didn’t want to jump into the deep end quite yet.)

[@MuhammadShoaibKhan-fs8yj]

The Mirror Stalker Nostalgia Andrei Rublev Solaris The Sacrifice Ivan's Childhood

[@LearningaboutMovies]

thank you.

[@jesseblaskovits64]

1. The Sacrifice 2. Nostalgia 3. The Mirror 4. Solaris 5. Stalker 6. Andrey Rublev 7. Ivan's Childhood

[@LearningaboutMovies]

a very good list, and you cannot go wrong.

[@darryljf7215]

To engage with Tarkovsky and Solaris one must understand that he was a committed Christian with total faith in Jesus Christ. It opens with Bach choral music. I took this from Will Self great introduction to to Solaris.

[@LearningaboutMovies]

it does help to think through the implications of that.

[@Freddy-Da-Freeloadah]

I have seen Stalker, The Mirror, Andrei Rublev and The Sacrifice. I think The Sacrifice is by far the better film. I have watched it many times. I first saw it in the 1990s on VHS, and was so moved that I went to my Father & Step Mothers the next day (avid film buffs...) and watched the whole thing again! The other films? Not that great... They are art films and are like visiting a museum. But they are not entertaining. Like much of Russian culture, they are very depressing. The Sacrifice is a GREAT art film that is also Very Entertaining. IMHO. (also the Sacrifice does not have so many Weedy Marshes that Tarkovsky seems to love so much. I don't understand Tarkovsky. He is a handsome man who is attracted to ugliness. imho)

[@LearningaboutMovies]

I am not seeing ugliness. 1) the forest scenes in Ivan's Childhood 2) the panning of the Brueghel painting in Solaris 3) the shot of the fire in Mirror 4) all of the levitation scenes 5) the first shot in Sacrifice We could go on for another hundred and more. By any standard, the shot of the house on fire in "The Sacrifice" is as masterful as anything in any movie.

[@michelerusso9745]

1 stalker 2 sacrifice 3 nostalghia 4 mirror 5 solaris 6 andrei rublev 7 Ivan's childhood

[@LearningaboutMovies]

thank you.

[@rajgopal1919]

hello! where do we watch his movies?

[@LearningaboutMovies]

recently, the criterion channel had them. they still might. other than that, you will probably have to find discs. I don't recommend getting anything but the highest quality copy, which means that any free copy you find on the Internet won't be good enough.

[@CarreNoire]

Hello! You can watch them and many other Russian films for free and with subtitles here on the Mosfilm channel. kzbin.infosearch?query=%D1%82%D0%B0%D1%80%D0%BA%D0%BE%D0%B2%D1%81%D0%BA%D0%B8%D0%B9

[@pauledson397]

1. Stalker 2. The Sacrifice 3. Solaris 4. Andrei Rublev 5. Ivan's Childhood 6. Nostalghia 7. The Mirror

[@LearningaboutMovies]

thank you.

[@TruthSeeker-333]

Although veiled, Tarkovsky’s films all contain the Christian doctrine of our eternal soul and its redemption, faith, hope, and the meaning of life - which is to love God through sacrifice. Dont believe me, read his book Sculpting in Time. As a Traditional Catholic I saw this immediately.

[@stephensullivan1879]

I've tried watching Stalker and can't do it. so I'm watching this fucking video

[@LearningaboutMovies]

welcome! on this channel, there's another video on why I don't like Stalker as much as everybody else.

[@francinevanderheijden6392]

@@LearningaboutMovies Stephen: try Ivan's childhood...

[@bertolaci9509]

I really can't rank

[@LearningaboutMovies]

depends on the day, the year, or time of life.

[@duongngo602]

One of the reasons i can't watch Tarkovsky works, that is religious symbols or beliefs in his films which i can not understand, because i'm not religious. Do you think that religious films can be viewed by atheist people and still have a lot of meanings? Thank you. I once watched an Ingmar Bergman's film called "Winter Light", from his trilogy "The Silence of God", and i love it. I am extremly moved by the performance of Ingrid Thulin and the cinematography. It's one of the best movies i have ever seen. But i put aside all of the religious details and only concentrated on Bergman's view on life, death, existence. Now i am afraid of being ridiculed by admitting liking a religious movie.

[@LearningaboutMovies]

I don't think it matters what you believe. Movies are for showing you the dreams, visions, and beliefs of others, and helping you/us to understand where they are coming from.

[@georgebats9796]

1. Stalker 2. Solaris 3. The Sacrifice 4. Andrei Rublev 5. Ivan's ChIldhood 6. Mirror 7. Nostalghia

[@LearningaboutMovies]

thank you.