Rating: 
Summary: Get "Fugue" instead
Review: "Sculpting in Time" is basically a rant by a great film director. That's not to say that his rants don't have their merit. They do. They illuminate his aesthetic approaches to filmmaking and his concept of art (or, as he would say, Art) in society. The trouble is, his comments do not really assist those who simply want to better understand his films. If you're like me and want to gain a greater understanding of and appreciation for Tarkovsky's works, get "The Films of Andrei Tarkovsky: A Visual Fugue" by Vida T. Johnson and Graham Petrie.
Rating:
Summary: Get "Fugue" instead
Review: "Sculpting in Time" is basically a rant by a great film director. That's not to say that his rants don't have their merit. They do. They illuminate his aesthetic approaches to filmmaking and his concept of art (or, as he would say, Art) in society. The trouble is, his comments do not really assist those who simply want to better understand his films. If you're like me and want to gain a greater understanding of and appreciation for Tarkovsky's works, get "The Films of Andrei Tarkovsky: A Visual Fugue" by Vida T. Johnson and Graham Petrie.
Rating: 
Summary: A Must Read
Review: Excellent book. Definitely worth reading not only to gain insight into his theories on film, but also on life, art, and religion. Written very well, honestly, and unpretentiously.
Rating:
Summary: A Must Read
Review: I suspect that perhaps even someone unacquainted with Tarkovsky would find this book interesting - provided that someone is curious about the relationship of art, human experience, and transcendence. One of the most inspired and inspiring works about cinema I've encountered, it releases the floodgates of cinema's potential energy and power. Next to the films themselves, this is the most important work to own for students or admirers of Tarkovsky. Probably as close as a book can come to representing a sacred text on the art of film.
Rating:
Summary: Utterly fascinating and inspiring
Review: I suspect that perhaps even someone unacquainted with Tarkovsky would find this book interesting - provided that someone is curious about the relationship of art, human experience, and transcendence. One of the most inspired and inspiring works about cinema I've encountered, it releases the floodgates of cinema's potential energy and power. Next to the films themselves, this is the most important work to own for students or admirers of Tarkovsky. Probably as close as a book can come to representing a sacred text on the art of film.
Rating:
Summary: THE NATURE AND PURPOSE OF ART -- IN CINEMA AND ELSEWHERE...
Review: If that sounds like a heavy load...in the hands of some, it could well be just that. Here, it's a different - and refreshing - story. In this book, the great Russian film director looks back at his life's work - but not in the standard `this is how I did this' format. Rather, he approaches his cinematic creations from the aspect of his views on life as a whole: Where does mankind stand today, in respect to the past? In what direction should we turn - not just for answers, but also for the very questions themselves? What is the definition of art - and how does `artistic' cinema differ from `entertainment'? The discussion he undertakes here will open your mind and soul, as well as your eyes.Over the course of this book's nearly-250 pages, Tarkovsky addresses these questions and many others - and at the same time, gives the reader invaluable insights into the thoughts that inspired his amazing films. The work progresses roughly in a straightforward time-line - unlike some of his films - and lays out the director's beliefs as well as his methods, but not in a cold step-by-step way. Instead, I came away from this book feeling that I understood Tarkovsky as a human being much more than I did before - and, as a result, I now feel like I know him better as an artist as well. Without employing standard plotlines, characterizations, overdone (and overused) special effects, or any other low-ball devices so prevalent in film, Tarkovsky's works reach into the very soul of the viewers and touch them on the very deepest level. Far from being cold and emotionless and surreal, his works are some of the most moving I've ever experienced - and, true to his vision, they do so by actually being ULTRA-real, evoking the feelings that we carry around at our core. Words cannot really convey the power of his works - they have to be experienced. I recently came across a reference to Tarkovsky's work in the booklet of a cd of contemporary classical music - the note-writer likened his films to a `cold landscape, devoid of human life'...! I couldn't believe it - and I had to wonder what 5 minutes of which of Tarkovsky's films the writer had actually seen!! This was one of the most ludicrous references I've ever read. There is a spiritual quality and undercurrent to Tarkovsky's films that runs very, very deep - and is extremely moving. This spirituality never comes across as `preaching' or `sermonizing' - it's simply there, as a foundation for his outlook and philosophy of life. He draws from numerous schools of thought, combining his influences into one of the most gently - and truthfully - humanist outlooks I've ever seen expressed. The book is a revelation - and I know it will bear repeated readings. I've seen all of his films - but after reading his thoughts so eloquently expressed here, I know that they'll affect me even more deeply now.
Rating:
Summary: THE NATURE AND PURPOSE OF ART -- IN CINEMA AND ELSEWHERE...
Review: If that sounds like a heavy load...in the hands of some, it could well be just that. Here, it's a different - and refreshing - story. In this book, the great Russian film director looks back at his life's work - but not in the standard 'this is how I did this' format. Rather, he approaches his cinematic creations from the aspect of his views on life as a whole: Where does mankind stand today, in respect to the past? In what direction should we turn - not just for answers, but also for the very questions themselves? What is the definition of art - and how does 'artistic' cinema differ from 'entertainment'? The discussion he undertakes here will open your mind and soul, as well as your eyes. Over the course of this book's nearly-250 pages, Tarkovsky addresses these questions and many others - and at the same time, gives the reader invaluable insights into the thoughts that inspired his amazing films. The work progresses roughly in a straightforward time-line - unlike some of his films - and lays out the director's beliefs as well as his methods, but not in a cold step-by-step way. Instead, I came away from this book feeling that I understood Tarkovsky as a human being much more than I did before - and, as a result, I now feel like I know him better as an artist as well. Without employing standard plotlines, characterizations, overdone (and overused) special effects, or any other low-ball devices so prevalent in film, Tarkovsky's works reach into the very soul of the viewers and touch them on the very deepest level. Far from being cold and emotionless and surreal, his works are some of the most moving I've ever experienced - and, true to his vision, they do so by actually being ULTRA-real, evoking the feelings that we carry around at our core. Words cannot really convey the power of his works - they have to be experienced. I recently came across a reference to Tarkovsky's work in the booklet of a cd of contemporary classical music - the note-writer likened his films to a 'cold landscape, devoid of human life'...! I couldn't believe it - and I had to wonder what 5 minutes of which of Tarkovsky's films the writer had actually seen!! This was one of the most ludicrous references I've ever read. There is a spiritual quality and undercurrent to Tarkovsky's films that runs very, very deep - and is extremely moving. This spirituality never comes across as 'preaching' or 'sermonizing' - it's simply there, as a foundation for his outlook and philosophy of life. He draws from numerous schools of thought, combining his influences into one of the most gently - and truthfully - humanist outlooks I've ever seen expressed. The book is a revelation - and I know it will bear repeated readings. I've seen all of his films - but after reading his thoughts so eloquently expressed here, I know that they'll affect me even more deeply now.
Rating:
Summary: Tarkovsky lives on
Review: If you're looking for a key to understanding Tarkovsky's works, this may not be what you are looking for. The details and decisions that went into creating his sparse ouvre of films are treated only in the context of laying out his own artistic theories. At the same time Tarkovsky's broad artistic treatise gives great insight into the motivations, passions, and influences behind his anachronistic masterpieces. In fact, Tarkovksy presents a theory of film and art so archaic that the lines between religion and creation become irrelevant. More comfortable in the company of the religious mysticism of Dosteovsky and Rublyev, Tarkovsky proposes ideas blasphemous to the current commercialy driven, psuedo-naturalist film zietgeist. A must read for any artist serious about creating works of profundity and universiality, Sculpting in Time is plea from the grave for more film that is alive.
Rating:
Summary: Tarkovsky lives on
Review: If you're looking for a key to understanding Tarkovsky's works, this may not be what you are looking for. The details and decisions that went into creating his sparse ouvre of films are treated only in the context of laying out his own artistic theories. At the same time Tarkovsky's broad artistic treatise gives great insight into the motivations, passions, and influences behind his anachronistic masterpieces. In fact, Tarkovksy presents a theory of film and art so archaic that the lines between religion and creation become irrelevant. More comfortable in the company of the religious mysticism of Dosteovsky and Rublyev, Tarkovsky proposes ideas blasphemous to the current commercialy driven, psuedo-naturalist film zietgeist. A must read for any artist serious about creating works of profundity and universiality, Sculpting in Time is plea from the grave for more film that is alive.
Rating:
Summary: A true master book from master film maker!
Review: Sculpting in the time represents one of the most expressive eloquents statements of one of the supreme masters in the cinema art as Andrei Tarkovsky was .
All long this book you will read several aspects of the man , the thinker , the poet and above all the unvaluable reflections about the art in general and his craft in particular .
Tarkovsky makes an account about all his filmography ; making a detailed and exhaustive explanation about every film .
You will understand in all his wideness conceptual some concepts derivated about the role of the cinema in the actual world . The influence of ancient directors , his opinions about the role of the artist in the world , and some mesmerizing photos from his films as Ivan' s childhood , the Mirror , Nostalghia or Andrei Rubliov . There are some poems from his father Arseni Tarkovsky who were part of films such The mirror in the Spanish Civil War and the poem from the poet from Nosthalgia for instance .
It's a must for you to acquire this book . For me it was a delightful surprise to get this text in New York in 1995 .
Fundamental artistic legacy from this russian ( 04-04-32 / 12-29-6 ) master: in memoriam!
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