Filmmaker reacts to Stalker (1979) for the FIRST TIME

[@JamesVSCinema]

Marvel's WHAT IF tomorrow! Finished Chernobyl & Peacemaker on the patreon! Click here for early access: www.patreon.com/jamesvscinema Have a great day everyone!

[@JoyfulOrb]

I think you would appreciate a movie called Berberian Sound Studio. It's mind warping, an excellent performance by Toby Jones.

[@JosetheDopeLPs]

Hey James, what's your favorite film if you don't mind answering? Also do you have a letterboxd account?

[@ar1029]

Sup bro. Ex Machina Constantine (2005) Reign of fire American Psycho The Hatefull eight Kungfu Hustle Zombieland 1 & 2 No country for old men The grand Budapest Hotel CB4 Alien vs Predator 30 Days of Night Series: What if (Marvel) Invinsible (Prime) The Strain Chernobyl

[@cerebraxis607]

I see people throw movies at you constantly now...so..sorry. I do attempt to only ever mention...lesser spoken about ones though...I just hope anyone reading it may find them interesting...like Child of Peach..A kung-fu film from the 80s which has more style and anime-feel to it, than most adaptations made today...such a random pull...it's on youtube as well as the second...which I still can't find a good version of 3..of...but if you ever want to see A great, well made, unique, but truly grim and depressing film, Dead Man's Letters is A Russian film from 1986, that was relevant when I first watched as the pandemic hit and now is even more relevant with things overseas...Yeah...a bit grim and it tears at you if you're old enough to appreciate it...hard not to recommend A movie made so well though..also in youtube.

[@cerebraxis607]

...Iran at the least, they help with the algorithm 🤣

[@shortmorgan_]

fun fact, this movie is comprised of only 142 shots. that is absolutely nuts to me in today’s film world

[@JamesVSCinema]

I love that

[@guts1258]

Another phenomenal film "Werckmeister Harmonies (2000)" is comprised of only 39 shots. It's insane to think about the efficiency you can get from a project if you hyperfocus on the small details.

[@kingamoeboid3887]

@@guts1258 I need to watch that too. I saw Satantango a couple of years ago which was interesting and slow (which works in its setting as it’s mostly set in a desolate village).

[@Kieslowski1989]

@@guts1258 Bela Tarr is a legend of long shots and minimal frame techniques.

[@koanikal]

The fact that most of the movie had to be reshot due to initially having shot it on ruined film is also pretty interesting

[@KingDaveth]

The scene where the Stalker is expressing he wants and goals to help people find hope is truly amazing acting.

[@michelerusso9745]

I love how everyone of the characters represents the three different ways of the human being to seek out the truth. Writer is the intellectual approach, Professor is the scientific one, and Stalker is faith. He does not want to understand how the zone works and he does not want to ask for anything but the happiness of people. The room is just a way to conceptualize the ultimate goal in life, to find our personal truth. The zone is life itself, it changes depending on the turns you take, is mysterious, scary, and nobody seems to get how it works, and you "cannot go back the way you entered" but at the end of the road there's the ultimate truth...and neither of the three approaches really works in the end.

[@sorrynothing.]

3 guys went for a walk for 1 day, nothing happened, they came back with a dog. One of my favorite films ever.

[@hanzoyamazaki2551]

the absence of anomolies and or mutants only makes you want to explore the zone more this movie was a brilliant trailer into the book roadside picnic or better yet the books of Dmitry Glukhovsky who wrote the metro book trilogy which is actually a continuation of the original roadside picnic lore ;)

[@milennikolov8041]

I cant believe you reacted to this one. Every movie of Tarkovsky is spiritual experience. Nobody is making films like him. Ingmar Bergman said not once that Tarkovsky is the G.O.A.T.

[@JamesVSCinema]

Always gotta show these films some love!

[@bencarlson4300]

Bergman, himself, being one of the GOATs.

[@jacobyoung729]

@@bencarlson4300 Exactly, means so much coming from him

[@magicknight13]

Hell yeah!!!!

[@Buggins]

I sometimes think 'masterpiece' is thrown around too often but Stalker definitely deserves the praise. There's really nothing like it and so much about it is incredible. Possibly more so when you see the background of how it was made. How DID it get made!? Quite incredible

[@jayzhead]

The film is generally based on the brothers Strugatsky book "Roadside Picnic"., even though it is much less literal than the book and much more abstract. In the book, the Zone is a landing site used by aliens, who landed on earth for a while and then left with no explanation, leaving the area dangerously contaminated with alien tech (thus the analogy of a roadside picnic: they didn't care about humans, didn't make contact, just did a pit stop on the way to somewhere and left a mess for the local wildlife - us in this case - to deal with after they're gone). The "stalkers" are basically smugglers who are obsessed with the Zone and use their expertise to acquire and sell objects, substances and tech from the Zone, as well as serving as paid guides for people who wish to reach certain points in the zone.

[@BrianShannow]

This is one of my all time favs. This movie pretty much caused the death of the director, several members of cast and crew due to the location they filmed on, as well as being mostly reshot entirely from scratch after a lab screwed up the processing, and every single frame of it haunts my mind.

[@BrianShannow]

Point of note - this version (there seems to be 2) lacks a pice of music that plays as the rail cart takes them into the zone. Also the second last ep of the Loki series pulls HEAVY from the visuals of this.

[@JamesVSCinema]

THAT is a wild fact. I’m gonna have to check out more of the production

[@PabloVostok]

@@JamesVSCinema Tarkovskiy went through 3 different directors of photography and shot the film like 3 times over a year in the toxically polluted locations, it really is very sad and a disturbingly haunting omen to the Chernobyl catastrophe that happened 7 years after Stalker was released and like 3 years after director Tarkovskiy died of complications of a lung cancer believed to be contracted while filming Stalker.

[@karlmortoniv2951]

Tarkovsky had a hell of a time getting this movie made, as others have mentioned, but the lab trouble seems to have been just part of making movies in the Soviet Union. When Sergei Bondarchuk made his four-part "War and Peace" mega-epic ten years previously he begged the government-run studio to import Hollywood cameras and 70mm film stock but ideologically that was impossible during the Cold War. Bondarchuk had to basically print two dozen starred takes of every shot because if it didn't get chewed up in the dodgy Russian camera equipment, the film stock would have dead mosquitos imbedded in it, or the lab would fuck it up. Banking a lot of alternate takes was common back in the silent days when print stocks weren't good enough yet - if they wore out an original negative re-printing a popular movie over and over, it was not uncommon to reassemble the movie from the alternate takes, although no director particularly wanted to do this. That practice was in the distant past in the west by the time Tarkovsky was working, though. "War and Peace" is amazing, by the way - a much more energetic and gleefully in-your-face celebration of cinema and Russian history and literature than this. Criterion has a nice blu-ray of it.

[@bleubleubleu]

@@karlmortoniv2951 Wow. That's super interesting, thanks for the info. And fantastic writing too!

[@PabloVostok]

I find it absolutely great that by the end you started saying "poetry" when talking about this film. Director Tarkovskiy's father was a Soviet poet that deeply influenced him, and Andrei always intended and fought for his films to be what he always referred to as "poetic cinema", both in terms of his shots and his stories, something I think he achieved with a PhD when making Stalker. My heart jumps with joy but also bursts in immense pain, that even after having prematurely left this world, the very production that ended up killing director Tarkovskiy was the one that fulfilled his dream of poetic cinema.

[@TCHC85]

“The film [Stalker] needs to be slower and duller at the start so that the viewers who walked into the wrong theatre have time to leave before the main action starts.” ― Andrei Tarkovsky

[@JamesVSCinema]

Appreciate his awareness so much.

[@theblobconsumes4859]

That was on The Mirror, not Stalker.

[@zenhaelcero8481]

I thought he said that about Solaris, not Stalker?

[@theblobconsumes4859]

@@zenhaelcero8481 Shit, you might be right about that..

[@theblobconsumes4859]

@r3dakt3d It's definitely a correct assessment with all of his films after Stalker. It's simultaneously Tarkovsky's way of telling the story as well as a way of making sure people don't get to see the important bits too soon.

[@paulies5407]

This film is like watching someone else's fever dream. Wonderful film, the confidence to just let a scene hang for 20 minutes with no dialogue is something rarely found in western media. The director did that so you'd get lost in your own thoughts, he wanted you to drift off and daydream about something completely unrelated. It's how the film hypnotises you.

[@TheONLYFeli0]

Exactly. Fucking exactly. And sometimes when you’re staring at something on the screen instead your thoughts are flying at 100 mph as ideas revolve in your head about what exactly the implications are of what you’re looking at, as if you were actually there taking the time to stare at it.

[@kre_dopeprod.3766]

Perfect for streaming. Refn gets it

[@coffeman7900]

This dude every 15 seconds: 😮Wow, WOW, oh my god, man, I LOVE this!!

[@transformersrevenge9]

Wow, didn't expect this one. I happen to know a thing or two about this movie (my parents wrote a book about Tarkovsky). I have personally looked for and visited many of the filming locations in Estonia. The novel that this film was based on, was more directly sci-fi, with actually working alien tech here and there. The first time Tarkovsky shot the movie, they messed up the footage, and it's a miracle they got money to redo it. The version Tarkovsky did make, contains almost no direct sci-fi. Everything is implied, and I think it's a genius move, that made it more timeless. Also, some of the stuff that is floating in the air, was very poisonous (factories used to dump all their highly dangerous chemicals in the swamps and lakes back then), and many of the cast, crew, and even Tarkovsky, died of cancer, that they possibly got when filming there. Another fun fact is that my dad watched Stalker in cinema, 12 times, when it came out. But personally, the film inspires me for one specific reason. I have friends, who are in the industry, making music videos and commercials. And all they ever think about is money. They believe that the more money you throw at a project, the better it will be. Personally I know that yes, money is necessary to make things look good (and to keep quality actors happy), but above all, I think it's the script that comes first. Basically this movie showed me, that you don't need big explosions, huge sets and a lot of effects (tho those things are cool as all hell too), to make an all time classic movie. One can be made with a good script, a great director, and three great actors walking through a swamp.

[@recoveringsoul755]

Thank you

[@vincentjoyce5100]

Check out The Lighthouse

[@karlmortoniv2951]

Does anybody else think "Annihilation" is an unofficial remake of this movie, or at least that the book that was based on was influenced by "Stalker"? I swear it's the same story but "Annihilation" was made by an optimistic, American bunch of filmmakers while "Stalker" was made by much more jaded, beaten down Soviet filmmakers.

[@paulies5407]

Very interesting. Thanks for sharing 👍

[@LKeet6]

@@karlmortoniv2951 yep, I got big time vibes from that film. Glad someone said this. Obviously annihilation goes much further and "bombastic," but there is NO way the director hasn't seen (and probably loves) stalker.

[@Usernamenottaken2k]

I recommend checking out a bit of background on the production here. It's pretty insane what the director and the crew went through to get this made.

[@JamesVSCinema]

Yeah because some of this I can’t even fathom how they shot it

[@richardadesmond]

@@JamesVSCinema Check out 'Cinema Tyler' here on YT for great coverage on the production of this epic Sci-Fi.

[@ianscott5659]

@@JamesVSCinema Source for the video Richard Desmond mentions below: kzbin.info/www/bejne/opmuaJuDd9GcatU it's a great watch and definitely adds a lot of context to the background of this film

[@scottybelle9]

I love sci-fi films that (1) don't use technology and (2) don't build elaborate worlds but rather photograph the existing world slightly askew to suggest the future/a dystopian society. Alphaville (65) and World on a Wire (73) are fantastic examples, but Stalker is the best.

[@steved1135]

wow James. I literally cannot believe you're doing this. Growing up I read all the SciFi I could find, and fell in love with Philip K. Dick ( Bladerunner, Minority report, etc., etc.) and 2 Russian brothers who had to smuggle their writings out of the soviet Bloc: Boris and Arkady Strugatsky. This film is based on their work. Talk about weird and moody, before it became popular... Hope you dig it. p.s. Love the intro and outro; always appreciate your observations and insight.

[@Paul-lf1bq]

Roadside Picnic is a great read.

[@ЯАга-я4л]

Strugatskys' had to smuggle their writings out of Soviet block lol wut? They were like the most famous and beloved sci-fi writers in whole USSR.

[@JamesVSCinema]

Right! Had a blast with this one. Absolutely embracing all of the WEIRD.

[@sassymenses]

@@ЯАга-я4л у этих, за бугром, своя правда...

[@xylok_dnb2444]

@@ЯАга-я4л i'm with you on that -- i think he's confusing them with Pasternak and Doctor Zhivago. during their period of popularity, Brezhnev would have wanted any good press surrounding science fiction and space culture he could get.

[@imdiyu]

I watched this film in my early twenties and it sculpted my sensibility with which I lived my last decade. I am 32 now. The sensitivity in this film made my personality. This is truly a blessing.

[@victoriacarolina4753]

Your video about the movie is pure poetry, it really revived the feelings i felt while watching Satlker

[@imdiyu]

@@victoriacarolina4753 thank you so much 😊

[@thiagomelo899]

Tarkovsky just hits different man, no one films like him. I would highly recommend you to watch more movies from him like Solaris and Andrei Rublev.

[@Kieslowski1989]

Every Tartovsky movie is epic. His average movies are good for other directors. Even Nostalghia and The Sacrifice are good. Not as good as other 5 but still damn... (Ivan's childhood, Andrei Rublev, Solaris, Mirror, Stalker, Nostalghia, The Sacrifice) Don't think any director has all good movies and this is for sure the best directorial run in the history of cinema.

[@buffstraw2969]

Some of the lines spoken by the Stalker are quotes from the 3000-year-old Chinese classic Tao Te Ching, by Lao Tzu. "The stiff and unbending is the disciple of death. The gentle and yielding is the disciple of life. The hard and strong will fall. The soft and weak will overcome." Many English translations are available. I like the version by Jane English and Gia Fu Feng.

[@matthewlang7019]

I applaud you for reacting to this film. It’s my absolute favorite and shifted my perspective on how cinema exists. It’s absolute magic

[@bomber9912]

This film is actually one of my all time favourits. Definitely one of the best movies ever created and a masterpiece. What a unique and delicate experience and after having it watched easily 10+ times i find something new or interesting on every watch that i can spend hours thinking about.

[@resin8409]

I’m so glad you reacted to this, it’s definitely one of my favorites. To me it’s one of the most cinematically dense films I’ve ever watched, and it’s constantly gorgeous and hauntingly beautiful.

[@reactionisst]

Tarkovsky had such an incredibly singular perspective and vision of cinema, and art in general. Some would call it narrow-minded. But whatever your opinion, it's undeniable that it led him to create some of the most unique films ever made. Tarkovsky said that he disagreed with montage theory, that film is fundamentally about creating meaning through combining different shots. For Tarkovsky, film is a way of "fixing time." You capture a finite duration of time, in frames of film. Film is about experiencing time, in Tarkovsky's words, like music. One of his books on filmmaking he even titled "Sculpting in Time." This perspective informed the way that he built his films around long takes and camera movement. On color, Tarkovsky also had a unique point of view about how audiences relate to color photography, psychologically and emotionally. Tarkovsky felt that color was misused in too many films. For example, the conventional belief is that color photography is "realistic," because it's how we see the world, while black and white photography is more abstract. Tarkovsky thought this was backwards. He said, in normal day-to-day life we aren't conscious of color all the time. We just accept that we see the world in color. So we only actually take notice of color when it's especially important. So black and white photography actually feels more "real" or naturalistic in the way it captures images, from an emotional perspective. Conversely, Tarkovsky said that color photography draws the viewer's attention towards color in a heightened way, forcing us to always be aware of it, which isn't consistent with the way we actually "experience" color in real life. Because of this, he felt that color should only be used in films very deliberately and consciously, and not ever taken for granted, or as a "default" way of filming things.

[@PaulC-Drums]

Tarkovsky is a total vibe. Specifically for Stalker, if you aren't in the right mood you may HATE it. Otherwise his work will be utterly mesmerizing. I can recommend another Tarkovsky film, Andrei Rublev. I have a deep love for that one.

[@ARI-vx1ir]

Tarkovsky is easily up there with the likes of Kubrick, Bergman and Kurosawa, really cool to see someone experiencing his films for the first time. I always took this whole film as something of a metaphor for the human subconscious, with the deeper they go into the zone the more they’re faced with deeper and more uncomfortable truths about who they really are and what they truly hold dear on there deepest level. it’s definitely a film you have to sit with for a while after watching but it really gets better with time.

[@bschuler6216]

I was getting Kurosawa vibes during the opening shot & scene.

[@unslept_em]

kurosawa actually talked about meeting with tarkovsky while andre was filming solaris!!! it's a really cool article and you can find it online, it gave me a really cool perspective on how such a renowned filmmaker viewed a contemporary filmmaker

[@jamk2668]

Tarkovsky's cinema was far more pure than most of Kubrick and Kurosawa.

[@1998Cebola]

Wtf is Kubrick doing in that company lmao americans will shill any trash to try to stay relevant

[@PolishGod1234]

​@@1998CebolaExactly. Kubrick is a league of his own, far above the rest.

[@blakechildress944]

I’m so glad James really appreciated the little details of this film, not many people do.

[@Lmaoh5150]

This movie opened me up to so much cinema. I owe it greatly.

[@brettcoster4781]

I'm really glad, James, that you have reviewed, analysed, and enjoyed one of my favourite movies; one that I think is truly great. I'm not sure that I've completely grasped all that is covered in Stalker, or any of Tarkovsky's other films because they are so poetic and complex in nature, but always with impressive photography and deliberate structure. And that is part of why I'm so impressed with his films. He was a great and visionary filmmaker.

[@cfytcf]

I really enjoyed listening to your reactions to this film. Stalker really does linger in your mind long after seeing it.

[@BenjaminGr8]

This is my favorite movie and this is a treat to see someone react to it.

[@zignedradost]

Love that you comment on how the camera moves, how poignant the audio is and how the actors are moving and what they’re doing and moving from there to more philosophical interpretations, rather than starting off with just the abstract analysis. Shows that you’re a filmmaker and a craftsman who can appreciate the art and technical side of how the scenes were shot. Thanks for your commentary: they made me watch this film from a different angle (figuratively speaking) with a new and deeper understanding of why certain visuals and audio made me feel or think in a specific way.

[@imdiyu]

My respect for you just skyrocketed. This is my favourite film ever. This film brought me out of depression and made me comfortable with my solitude. It made me appreciate the silence and mundane reality of life and also inspired me to make KZbin videos. I would love it if you watch all of Tarkovsky films. Thanks a lot.

[@mercurymachines4311]

One of my favourite films ever made An absolute Masterpiece from a true genius of Cinema.

[@mikezarzo7483]

Every shot and I mean every shot is a texture overload. I believe there's a "making of Stalker" film out there.

[@MBIRTIRoma]

Dude fuck yes. Tarkovsky is my favorite all around writer, director, cinematographer. everything he does imo is art. the pacing of real time is so good. Also she def moves the glass with her mind. When the camera is on her she is in color. shes a product of the zone

[@zakariasen98]

I dont think i will ever watch a film with a heavier or more present atmosphere. The fact that tarkovsky took an abandoned section of estonia and with zero effects turned "the zone" into one of the greatest sci fi locations ever through dialogue is astounding

[@nicolaspoblete640]

So amazing to see you react to this. Would really enjoy some more art house films like these!! Great reaction as always

[@michaelwebster8389]

It's a great film. He always had some of the most beautiful shots. Solaris is the only other one I've seen, but it was fantastic. Both were adaptations of science fiction books. This one was based on the book "a picnic at the roadside" by the Strugatsky brothers - very popular soviet writers. Solaris was based on the book of the same name by Stanislaw Lem which was a very deep philosophical book, kind of like a different take on some of the themes from Heart of Darkness. Great to see you really appreciate the genius here.

[@voiceover2191]

You owe it to yourself to watch Mirror about his childhood recollections, incredible movie.

[@Trowa71]

Stalker is my favourite Tarkovsky joint. I love the texture he is able to achieve in his frames.

[@JamesVSCinema]

Texture is a great word for this.

[@confusedabsurdist]

Stalker is one of my favorite films. So glad to see you watch this and experience it for the first time. Tarkovsky movies are always so fascinating because everyone can interpret them differently and see a different kind of message in it. And it's cool to see you react to more foreign film as cinema from all over the world should be embraced!

[@christiandivine3807]

Dude. You made me so happy choosing this.

[@CleverMonkeyArt]

Thank you, James. Tarkovsky was a revelation to me in grad school. I watched Nostalgia first. (and screened it at the college I later worked at). After that, it was Stalker, The Sacrifice, Andrei Rublev, Solaris ... Stunning. A kind of non-cynical Kubrick (whom I also love).

[@Ueberschaer]

It's truly a difficult piece of art. The shots are stunningly good

[@sarabrucker7847]

I just love the mix of films on this channel. Your patreon members know what’s up! ETA: Solaris is amazing and though it didn’t rake in the $, Soderburgh’s remake of it is a great adaptation

[@tehhappehhaps]

17:56 - Your mind wanders, yes! Not away from the movie, but from itself! I think that's the essence of true immersion. You forget yourself for a time. Wonderful reaction :)

[@cybOrg133]

you can smell this movie.

[@nineofive.2573]

This film man, I still think about it constantly.

[@jcane2420]

Yes! I've been waiting for you to get to this one, personal favourite of mine!

[@JamesVSCinema]

Happy to have it up for ya!

[@turtleandbear1179]

omg i've been wanting to watch this for so long!! you finally gave me the push to do so. i'm going to put waching your video on hold and get back to it tomorrow after i've seen it for my self

[@turtleandbear1179]

also, on a side note - i love your channel firstly because you seem really cool, secondly because you dress really cool, but also because you don't only look at the big blockbuster films (no shade to reaction channels who just do that, to be clear! nothing wrong with that!) but also movies that are part of a different film canon. I love superhero movies as much as the next guy, but i also love Kurosawa, Tsai ming-liang, Edward Yang and the taiwanese new wave in general, Sciamma, Wong Kar Wai, Mambety, Kore-Eda, Godard... currently i've been watching a lot of musicals and modern south korean productions. my point is, i like that you too present us with a wide palette of movies!! it's always a blast watching your channel!

[@JamesVSCinema]

Sounds good!!

[@goosebumpsemiliano9104]

I am so glad that you enjoyed this movie. As a learning writer this movie had inspired me to create. Its seems simple at first and that what's inspiration about it. But its complex and strange and that's what makes it interesting. There are clips on KZbin on the behind the scenes. The film was made three times. The first time the film was ruined. The second time the director hated it because it wasn't "magical" enough. The third time is this film. Few parts of the original are in this movie. Thanks for the upload

[@peterosky790]

This is one of my favourite films of all time.

[@jota8193]

Thanks for your reaction. It's not a movie that everybody can enjoy but it's definitely about faith and three different perspectives to assume it. Cheers.

[@Gyrodicer]

never... expected... this) one of my favorite weird movies

[@robertlenoble3263]

Can't believe somone's reacting to this film! Kudos I discovered this and Roadside Picnic, probably like many others, through the S.T.A.L.K.E.R PC games back in the early 2000's

[@AealoRes]

Faith is the main theme in this film as i personally questioned faith in my life many times is something i cant deny 100%. The whole movie is about to teach us that we dont need a room to believe in miracles but miracles can happening outside of the zone that why the Monkey has those telekinetic abilities. This movie is a masterpiece and the book Roadside Picnic is great too those color palettes from industrial to nature are mind blowing.....a very hard film to direct Tarkovsky nailed it!!!

[@Danny_LDS]

Welcome to the world of Tarkovsky films. Every single one is a masterpiece in its own right

[@trulybtd5396]

You are truly the best at finding the obscure goodies, first let the right one in, now Stalker. This one is on my top 5 list. Tarovsky had something like a 20 year career of which he was banned by soviet censorship from making movies for like 15 of them (rough estimate). It is movie makers like this that makes some of us shake our heads a little about people who sing high praise to citizen Kane for being so brilliant and cutting edge, and they have never even heard about Tarovsky, or any other non-american director.

[@SceneOnFilm]

Same for Sergei Eisenstein

[@zorzoridesagain]

Late to the party but glad I finally made it. I've seen Stalker a dozen times or more inbetween visits to Russia and Siberia, and every time I get something new. but I've never had anyone share their first impressions with me as they are watching, with those impressions being felt so genuinely and deeply. I definitely got something new from what you shared with us! Particularly your professional insights on the camerawork. I already knew that Tarkovsky put an extraordinary amount of care into that - I read somewhere that when he was making films, Hollywood directors were generally making five minutes of footage per day while Tarkovsky would average two. I don't work in film, and really appreciated your insights on his camera techniques and how you related that to his intentions. The other thing I got that was new was watching you "get" what Tarkovsky intended to show us. Some of that I had already arrived at on my own, and the pleasure was seeing you experience that fresh for the first time. Others were things I hadn't thought about before - primarily your insight on how Tarkovsky was probing the paradox between believing and accepting. Besides having seen all of his films many times over, read his diaries, read his book "Sculpting in Time", watched interviews and documentaries and panel discussions, etc. etc., my visits to Russia threw a whole new layer of interpretation on my experience of Stalker. Watching your video, I realized that I may have oversaturated myself in interpretations that have to do with Tarkovsky's experience in - and love of - Soviet Russia. What I thought about most on my most recent viewing was how Tarkovsky, after having had such breakout success early in his career, had by the time he made Stalker been ground down so much by Soviet bureaucracy and censorship that he was being forced to abandon the country he loved so much, because of all the things he showed us in Stalker - the disillusionment, the devastation of WWII and environmental despoliation, etc. etc. Speaking of audio, listen to how much he ramps up the sound of heavy train stock pounding down on the tracks when there's no train in sight. That's the level of oppression he was expressing, which at the end almost but not quite drowns out the strains of Beethoven's "Ode to Joy" which emerges only when the train sound is at its loudest and most brutal - as if it's coming from "inside" the sound of steel pounding down on steel, and can only do so at the moment of maximum fear and anxiety. "Ode to Joy" is one of the most powerful expressions of hope for humanity in that Christian tradition you talk about, to hear it coming out of a peak moment of crisis like that is like the ultimate test of faith. So your insight about the paradox between acceptance and belief/faith for me relates directly to the dilemma Tarkovsky was experiencing when he was making Stalker. In a nutshell: should I stay or should I go? In the end, he went, he believed in his need to make films on his terms, which he no longer could in his own country. He'd done that before when he went rogue and took ten years to made his autobiographical poetic film Mirror his way, so by the time he made Stalker I'd always thought his belief must have been so strong the decision to leave must have been pretty inevitable. But having heard your analysis, I now wonder whether he was still working through this dilemma while he was making the film - and maybe it wasn't so inevitable after all. One last observation. I've come to think of Monkey's telekinesis in the final shot as being a miracle - one that no-one experiences but herself. It's a poetic answer to the stalker's final doubts about the value of what he is doing. His own daughter, who embodies the chronic damage that the outside world has inflicted on his family and the world in general, has a secret superpower that eclipses anything they could ever throw at her. So the film ends on a note of hope, albeit one that was beyond the reach of the Sovier censors - and our understanding today. kitbakerii.blogspot.com/2014/01/tarkovskys-stalker-and-mirror-childhood.html

[@JamesVSCinema]

This was a brilliant comment and I genuinely appreciate you for typing this out. Thanks for the link too! This film, even to this day, is extremely memorable.

[@zorzoridesagain]

@@JamesVSCinema Thank you for making such a thought-provoking video! If you get a chance to see it on the big screen I can't recommend it enough. This is one of those rare films that not only looks better that way but reaches a whole new level of meaning when you can get the full immersive effect.

[@tomrichardson1426]

Thank you! This movie was not on my list of movies to watch. This is a great channel for true fans of movies. Again, thanks.

[@studentrussian6453]

Смотрел этот фильм в детстве. Оставил неизгладимое впечатление! Удар по психике)

[@nochnoipetux]

If you ever get the chance to watch it in theatre on the big screen its such a worthy experience! Very different than watching it at home. The sound design and the textures are so stunning, seeing it on the big screen is so immersive!

[@pencilquest9409]

YES. Bro, love these more obscure pix. Sendin' all my love down the well!

[@johanwilhelmsson1199]

When I read Tarkovskij's diaries (they are an interesting read in many ways) and he started talking about making this film, even though I knew the outcome I still thought to myself "no, don't do it!". And he, like few others, possessed the skill to make even the most tranquil of shots utterly fascinating. I had heard about Stalker for many years, but never got around to watching it, and later I saw the candle scene from Nostalghia (and wow, that scene is breathtaking and impossible to look away from) and decided that I had to get my hands on his films. Cinema as an art form, an intensely personal art form.

[@derworfnet]

I can pretty much recommend all of Tarkowsky's seven films, they are all great, but my favorites are this one, "Andrej Rublev" and "Solaris"

[@jackyoung2110]

One of the greatest filmmakers to ever do it imo. You should also check out Bergman - Persona is a masterpiece.

[@354Entertainment]

This is pure Art and a Masterpiece!

[@georgeclinton4524]

19:09 lol when you said, 'I gotta go location scounting,' I was thinking 'Not in those locations bro. That filthy looking standing water was actually filthy standing water that likely had industrial runoff and by-products polluting it.'

[@ColombianThunder]

This film is best watched on a rainy morning with a warm cup of coffee

[@cameronberry457]

It happened! It finally happened! Oh, happy day!

[@pedant3605]

Honestly this is one franchise where you should do yourself a favor and read "Roadside Picnic" the book the series (films/game) is based on. It paints a much more vivid and fascinating world. It sort of imagines that extraterrestrials graced the earth with their presence briefly and caused anomalies, in the same way our trash from a roadside picnic might seem mystical to ants.

[@okay6109]

11:59 - I actually think you really hit the nail on the head here. In these times of despair and desperation we search for anything to believe in. Any higher force that can save us from our current state. Science, art, and religion/faith are what each character represents. They're all things that we use to cope with the state of the world, to give our life meaning. But what's scary is when we realize that our faith is just a reflection of our own subconscious. Something we have no control over.

[@milozimben]

I think to add on to what you said at the start, it's super interesting to examine films not only that come from entirely different countries, but also, like in this case, countries that don't exist anymore

[@weaponxreacts]

This movie has one of the most immersive worlds ever put on film

[@toolthoughts]

love to see you reacting to this, I used to obsess about this film

[@ShanobyKin]

Some of it is filmed in my homecountry Estonia. Most of eastern Europe has these abondened soviet sites.

[@christianmunthe1572]

A masterwork from a master. For more Tarkovskij: ”Solaris” and ”The Sacrifice”.

[@ОбразцовТимофей]

Very unexpected and beatifull choice.

[@blaykwilliam1885]

please do more reaction videos to Tarkovsky's other works because I really enjoyed your perspective and reaction, could relate to a lot of your thought processes related, as someone who wants to make their own films, to the cinematography. The long takes, dialogue, locations and basically everything about his movies inspire me massively. He really is the G.O.A.T!

[@kh884488]

OMG! It's excellent that you're reviewing this film. This film, although a bit long at times, is made magical through the editing and pacing. Without the editing and camera work which creates the sensation of being in "the zone" it would just be three men walking and talking in a toxic waste dump. Tarkovsky films are visual poetry. Also, the picture quality of the Criterion version is excellent.

[@tiffanyshaffer4062]

Cate Blanchett said every frame of Stalker is burned on her retinas. I agree. Every shot is a masterpiece. The whole film is poetry.

[@zenhaelcero8481]

One of my all-time favorites! Thank you so much for this reaction! I also strongly recommend reading the book, Roadside Picnic. I read that the scene where they enter the Zone and the film changes to full color - that was a single roll of film. Amazing to think of that.

[@ИванДмитриев-п1ж]

Thanks for reacting to this one! Tarkovsky is an absolute legend. He’s the national treasure in Russia. My personal favorite though is Mirror, which is as beautiful and deep as Stalker, but a bit more engaging and faster paced. Highly recommend 👍🏻

[@Theomite]

There are shots in MIRROR that I openly question "How in the *fuck* did they do that?!"

[@elenavorobeva6747]

Интересно было бы посмотреть что из Зеркала понравится Джеймсу

[@jacobminor8810]

My favorite movie of all time!!!!! Tarkovsky is simply mesmerizing!

[@s-3ntinel]

At the end of the movie, there is a shot of a nuclear power plant. It's haunting because 7 years later, there was a Chernobyl Disaster where the section of the power plant exploded leaving an inhabitable "exclusion zone" behind.

[@Квиррел]

Иронично

[@mrch6200]

Love that you reacted to this, I'm always interested to hear people's thoughts on it. I think the daughter went into the room and instead of getting to walk, which I presume is here "deepest wish", she gained the ability to move external objects. I like how you explained the opening shot of them in the bed. I never knew what to make of it, but I think you said something about how it explained the dynamic between them. Sort of like the dinner scenes that you like which also show us the dynamics between the characters. Idk if you take recommendations from the comments but Solaris is another good Tarkovsky film to watch. It's more emotional than Stalker but still very cerebral. 🤠

[@oduinn7948]

Eyyyyy, that's what's up I'm glad more eyes are getting on this movie. Definitely never expected people to react to it honestly. _Roadside Picinic_ , which this movie is based on/inspired by, is also a pretty interesting read. Pretty quick and easily digestible.

[@discovader9460]

Never heard you say 'wow' this often before. Then again not many films warrant this level of impression

[@richardhanney7950]

I once recommended this fantastic film to a guy I used to work with who claimed to be "into film". He said it was boring! This sort of reaction can tell you a lot about a person, even accounting for different tastes

[@griminc6548]

Highly recommend reading Road Side Picnic for anyone who was into this movie. Stalker is loosely based off that book. Also the stalker games take tons of inspiration from both.

[@koeryn]

The book and game Metro 2033, the game STALKER: Shadow of Chernobyl, the recent anime series Otherside Picnic, these have all really driven me to love this genre and setting since they're all based on the book that this movie is based on.

[@msxbrc]

The Artist, The Scientist and The Believer and their existential points of view.

[@mikefoster6018]

My favourite sci fi film. I read the original source book of this ("Roadside Picnic") while I was a foreman in a really difficult court case. It means a lot to me, even though I didn't like it the first time I saw it. I love it now. I love the climax, and the idea that the stalker needs to validate himself through persuading someone else to do what he couldn't. I think that's a core behaviour in a lot of real life and, in hindsight, the whole concept plays into it - adding a lot of weight to all the dialogue.

[@pRopaaNS]

To me the Zone is representation of how complicated human mind is, in context of pursuing happiness and fulfillment. You can't just go straight to your goal dirrectly as it seems, you have to "wander around", be careful where you step, and throw bolts ahead of you if something feels amiss. If you don't, then you run risk of getting lost, and falling into deadly traps. And the Zone doesn't like those that are already happy and fulfilled. Ultimately, do you even want to enter the room? Or would you prefer to live in the Zone, like the stalker?

[@voiceover2191]

I'm almost jealous of you having your first Tarkovsky experience. My first one was Mirror and it completely changed my view on how movies can be. Stalker has the same deep meaning and it's really a movie to get lost in. I've had to see every Tarkovsky movie at least three times, before I felt I had some clue as to what I was actually seeing and it never gets boring. Each time is a marvel and no, I don't feel like watching his work on a daily basis, but when I do, it's such an incredible experience, truly to me the greatest director of all time, though not my favourite.

[@garik9263]

Respect from Russia) Tarkovsky is a legend

[@JamesVSCinema]

All love, what a visionary.

[@okay6109]

such a brilliant and amazing film. Such a spiritual and meditative experience.

[@kingfield99]

Great choice, one of the most beautiful films ever made.

[@Illuminatic]

Not so fun fact: The director, Andrey Tarkovsky died of lung cancer. And since a few other people working at this movie got the same type of cancer it is believed that they were poisoned by radiation in one of the locations from this movie.

[@theemperormoth5089]

It wasn't precisely radiation (remember, this movie and the book it was based on was made before the Chernobyl disaster). The locations in Estonia (I believe Tallinn) were former industrial sites and there were a shitton of chemicals and other Industrial runoff that the actors practically swam through in some parts.

[@jackal59]

To be fair, Tarkovsky had a cigarette in his hand in many of the photographs I've seen of him.

[@melinaanibarro7324]

i LOVE this movie. Andrei Tarkovsky is my favorite filmmaker. The first time I saw it, I could not describe what the movie made me felt. But all I know is it stayed with me and I liked it. The more I thought about the movie, the more I wanted to watch it again. The way I interpret the film, it was very spiritual to me to me, a man of faith who tries to lead two others who are skeptical into this place where you need to believe, through the journey every character learns something about faith and life. (Tarkovsky was actually a very spiritual man, he was Russian Orthodox Christian) Absolutely love your reaction! Keep making great videos!!