Andrei Tarkovsky's film "The Sacrifice"

#AndreiTarkovsky #CriterionChannel #CriterionCollection

[@kropchik]

If I'm not mistaken the burned house scene was not effective since the camera did not record a part of it without knowing it! A new complete house was built in two weeks time for a second one shot "take" but now with 2 parallel cameras using only one in the end. Amazing

[@Peterpunk80]

I really enjoyed your review;)

[@alexiusmihnikov6622]

Hi, The interesting thing is that the house in this movie is more like a russian old house. Very spacious. In a way Tarkovsky was recreating his own memories, I think. For foreigners it may look like a theatre stage, but for Tarkovsky it was something personal, i guess.

[@kekoasylva5544]

I love this movie so much, thinking of rewatching this month

[@petewylde1227]

Thanks for the insight Dave. I watched the film last night and found it quite moving. The ending with the house fire I saw as almost farcical. Him running around and the others not being able to catch him. Very different in tone to the rest of the film.

[@pedripolis]

GREAT REVIEW !!! Definitely noticed a wink to Chéjov, specially on the symbolic use of a tree like in The Cherry Orchard and on the theatrics of the indoor sequences. I´m amazed at how the symmetry in the begging and the end reflects the circle of life, i feel these same cycle is completed in parallel but going from within to the outside world through Da Vinci´s painting at the very beginning (going up the tree) and Alexander´s son uttering his first words (curiously about words and begginings themselves) FULL CIRCLE.

[@ilaysk]

Great stuff, Good analysis and to the point.

[@dalibunuel17]

Enjoyed this very much! The Chekhov comparison is very sound. This is a haunting film. The mirror symbolism of the director continues as well. Like SOLARIS, THE SACRIFICE in many ways asks just what is involved in being human... Thanks again!

[@CinemaDaveMedia]

Thanks very much for watching and commenting.

[@michawojciechowski6190]

awesome video, helped me understand this movie in some ways

[@niklas0000]

i loved the contrast between the part before the television scene and the rest after it. The pure emotions, the woman crying. maybe the purest emotion i have ever seen in a movie.. made me cry too. its like everyone forget, that they gonna die and when the Televsion told them about the events, they remembered or for the first time, death wasnt a point infinite in the future, but really really close.

[@CinemaDaveMedia]

Thanks for watching. I appreciate your great thoughts and insights on the film.

[@niklas0000]

@@CinemaDaveMedia Sacrifice was my second Tarkovsky movie, first one was The Mirror (honestly, very bad idea to start with this one:D), any recommendations, which I should watch next?

[@CinemaDaveMedia]

@@niklas0000 I did another video called My Top 3 Tarkovsky films where I mentioned my watch order as well as my ranking of all the films if that helps.

[@exoplanet11]

@@niklas0000 In order of approachability I would rank them: Solaris, Sacrifice, Stalker, Nostalgia, Andrei Rublev and then, yes Mirror last. (I set aside Ivan's Childhood which I have not seen). I used to think that Mirror could only possibly be understood by Russians. However after learning that the film depicts a dying character (only glimpsed) reflecting on episodes in his life, I will try to watch it again. Still quite lovely cinimtography, like the scene with the large meadow and the wind.

[@floydianpink2524]

Love your intro, very Tarkovski! Love this series, just got into Tarkovski myself. Seen solaris decades ago and loved it but never thought to investigate more. Seen Stalker last year and its had a huge influence in me ever since, just recently bought the sacrifice, andrei rublev,nostalgia, mirror and ivans childhood. Watched them all except nostalgia and saving andrei rublev for the finale. Cant pretend to understand the themes completely but I will persevere with repeated viewings. I love how you could watch any of his moves, fall asleep during for 30 mins and wouldnt make much difference, feels like a state of mind. Just dicovered your channel recently through your collaboration with Daisuke, love your videos and your relaxed informed demeanour. Keep uo the great work. And thanks for helping me understand the enigma that is Andrei Tarkovski.

[@CinemaDaveMedia]

Thanks so much for your comment and kind words. I have much to learn about Tarkovsky and his films and am sure I will be viewing his work over and over as time goes on. Hope you are doing well.

[@alexiusmihnikov6622]

Tarkovsky is the greatest director... yet

[@CinemaDaveMedia]

I agree.

[@dalibunuel17]

Also it would be fascinating for your take on the films of Terrence Malick apropos Tarkovsky.....

[@hughiedavies6069]

My favourite film ,apparently he ran out of film making the scene with the house burning down, so they had to rebuild the whole house and burn it down again . Amazing mysterious magical film 👍.

[@CinemaDaveMedia]

Thanks for commenting and sharing that trivia about the film. It is an amazing film.

[@marvelfan4518]

This was a great journey! Can’t wait for your list! Glad I could experience this set of videos! Keep up the great work! Can’t wait for your next series!

[@CinemaDaveMedia]

Thanks for watching and the kind words. This was an amazing, enlightening study of Tarkovsky films. Not sure what to explore next but will give it some thought.

[@marvelfan4518]

Cinema Dave Media Yeah I want to try something similar on my channel if you’re ok with it. I won’t do it if you don’t want to. I found a director literally no one has reviews for on KZbin. I would like your permission to try this idea though so I’m not just ripping it off your channel. Keep up the great work dude!

[@CinemaDaveMedia]

MarvelFan 45 Yes, sounds good. Go for it!

[@marvelfan4518]

Cinema Dave Media Thanks man!

[@marvelfan4518]

We should collaborate on something eventually

[@vivek.salunke]

According to Panchmahabhuta (Part of Hindu Philosophy) , 1. Pruthvi (Earth), 2. Vayu (Air), 3. Agni (Fire), 4. Jal (water), 5. Akash (Sky) are the five elements which comprise the living and non living material as well. These are prominently shown in the movie. Each and every component of this world is made of these 5 basic elements of nature.

[@GhostlyEddie]

I enjoyed your analysis of this very complicated film. Would enjoy watching a video of your take on Russian Ark!

[@CinemaDaveMedia]

Thanks very much!

[@Armandthevampire]

Just watched this movie for the first time. I had only ssen Stalker before Offret. I enjoyed this one alot more. I dont know if that is coming from some unconsious bias, speaking a Swede. I think it has more to do with the fact that I could follow along what at least think the movie was about. For Stalker I found to abstract to grasp. Sure there still is a lot of use of symbolism and metaphors but this time I believe I could understand them. That has more proven to be that what one find as good cant be anything but highly subjective, at least when the critisism is based on interpation of the story. There are of course things one can judge objectivly, but I think you understand where I am coming from. I also enjoyed the cinematography from the sublime Sven Nykvist, absoltely stunning.

[@JanPBtest]

You should watch _Mirror._

[@JanPBtest]

Tarkovsky didn't know he had cancer when he was shooting the film. It seems very "tempting" to think of "The Sacrifice" as some kind of "testament" but this is simply not true. He was in fact already preparing and negotiating with a German producer his next film "Hoffmanniana". The first sketches for the screenplay of "The Sacrifice" date from the 1970s (under the title "Two Saw the Fox") which were later combined with another earlier screenplay called "The Witch". Tarkovsky found out about his illness only after the first cut of the film was completed.

[@CinemaDaveMedia]

Thanks for the information and insight. Hope all is well.

[@pauledson397]

I was wondering... when Alexander is picked up by the ambulance, is that symbolic of his being saved? Note the cross on the ambulance, and the idea that the ambulance is "delivering" him. In a sense, his sacrifice (his offering to God) has resulted in his being saved. Something else... if you look at the tree at the end of the movie you can almost discern something that looks like a crown of thorns.

[@jondstewart]

I thought he was a language master guru when he directed this, but the truth was, he didn’t understand Swedish at all and spoke only a little English.