Nostalghia

Rating:
Summary: Hollywood Skelaton with Unforgettable Sensations
Review:

The night I received my copy, I had some heavy homework to be finished, so I thought: "Hmm, I will just take a slight glimspe at it... a glimpse." Time must have slipped away from me like milk in water. When I came to myself, I was looking at the menu with my mind full of Beethoven, candles, and images of water. Later I realized that I had been taken to another plane of existence, experiencing an epic journey through meditation, spirituality, and total beauty.

I bought a box of emergency candles and a lighter the next day.

This is exactly what would happen if you can fully appreciate Tarkovsky's masterful films. "Nostalghia," however, has some elements from Hollywood movies. In addition, the whole plot resembles many other conventional films as well: The melancholy protagonist meets a crazy old fool and accepts him. The lunatic offers some kind of weird, spiritual redemption but the protagonist doesn't realize the significance. Naturally, some natural forces guide the tortured protagonist back to his ignored mission, ususally at the end. Such plot devices seem ubiquitous but with Tarkovsky's aestheticism, the emotional impacts are utterly unsurpassable by literally any existing filmmakers, not to mention the fascinating images like the flooded cathedral and the final showdown. The formularized plot is totally unrecognizable due to the unique sensations unforgettable scenes, and perfect acting.

The DVD itself, though, is quite disappointing. I can't even click on the time bar on my PowerDVD player. The menu looks cheap and pretends to have a lot of extras. The trailer is simply BAD because it reveals everything. You may want to wait for a better version but I think only Criterion would have the balls to release a new one. RUSCICO will not do it because "Nostalghia" is in Italian (On the other hand, you will be able to get all five Russian ones! How exciting!).

I try to do the same thing as Andrei, but I can't even light my candle.

Watch this film. Feel the power of true cinema.
Thank you.

Rating:
Summary: Simply stunning
Review: A good friend advised me to see the film "Nostalghia" by Andrei Tarkovsky. Although not familiar with Tarkovsky or his works and somewhat leery of subtitled movies, I was finally persuaded out of respect for his eclectic tastes to borrow his copy on DVD and bring it home. As I expected, the film started in the continental fashion of dialogue with interminable pauses and long held scene shots. However, these irksome qualities were soon transformed into something quietly beautiful and cinematically poetic. I am not just saying that the film bears a likeness to poetry; it is a hybrid, which reaches not for postmodern excesses or gimmicks, but rather back to the nut, i.e. take abstract thought, emotion, contemplation to the reader in a form they recognize, slip it into their eye subtly, and let it become more, something of their own. Andrei Tarkovsky did this in film by deftly driving the versatile plot and characters with discreet surreal imagery and sound effects whose intricacies burrow deep and blossom in the imagination. Truly, this film weaves the genres of poetry and cinema into a rich, seamless, and haunting tapestry.

Rating:
Summary: FILLING SPIRITUAL VOIDS
Review: Andrei Tarkovsky's NOSTALGHIA - like all of his amazing films - is filled with masterfully drawn images that simultaneously make the heart ache and lift it up to the heavens. Literally hundreds of potential paintings lie within its frames. But, beyond the visual, deeper than any of these, lies the heart of his work - and it touches the very soul of the viewer with the hands of a craftsman and seeker.

Each of the three main characters - Andrei Gortchakov, a Russian poet (Oleg Yankovsky); his beautiful Italian interpreter, Eugenia (Domiziana Giordano); and a local eccentric, Domenico (Erland Josephson) - is attempting, consciously or instinctively, to fill a void in their life.

Gortchakov, in Italy to research the life of an 18th century Russian composer, is suffering terribly from homesickness - his thoughts and dreams often turn to his wife and home. His interpreter makes romantic advances toward him - but he's so fixated on his wife that he doesn't even realize what she's doing. When it occurs to him - she makes it pretty obvious, baring a breast to him in his hotel room and asking `Is this what you want...?' - he's visibly staggered, but remains sympathetic and caring towards her. The parallels between his life and that of his subject are many - and as the film progresses, he seems to become increasingly aware of them. This realization leaves him feeling emptier still - and this could be a big factor in his acceptance of the task assigned to him by the madman Domenico. In fulfilling his promise, Gortchakov is perhaps the most successful of the three characters in his quest to fill the unnamed void within him.

Domenico bears a great guilt. Long considered to be mad, many years in the past he sequestered his wife and children within their home in a desperate attempt to protect them from what he saw as the imminent end of the world. Suspicious neighbors alerted the authorities, who broke down the door and freed the family, who had not been outside for seven years. In one of the most heart-wrenching scenes ever committed to film, we see Domenico, addled, gingerly pursuing his young son down a pathway. The guilt that Domenico feels over this episode weighs heavily upon his shoulders for the rest of his life. In a symbolic act of contrition, he attempts to carry a lighted candle across a pool - a seemingly simple task, made difficult by the heat rising from the waters and the air currents. His neighbors, considering him to be unstable, think he's about to drown himself, and prevent him from completing the act. When he meets Gortchakov - perhaps because he senses the emptiness in the soul of the poet - he asks him to accomplish this for him. By giving the Russian the task of conveying the candle across the pool, he frees himself of his own promise, allowing him to move on to what he sees as the ultimate act of repentance - and at the same time, gifts the opportunity to the poet to commit a holy act by fulfilling a promise, which allows Gortchkov the chance to free his own aching spirit.

Eugenia, the translator, has the least understanding of her own needs. She, too, feels a void in her life - but she seems to think that she can fill it sexually, by `finding the right man'. When Gortchakov rebuffs her advances, she abandons him and takes off to Rome, to another man. We see this man only once in the film - while she talks on the phone to Gortchakov - and he seems distant, regarding her coolly, if at all. It's easy to surmise that this is just one more fruitless, unfulfilling stop on her quest.

Visually, Tarkovsky has done his usual, unequalled best in committing his ideas and ideals to film. His work - here and in all of his films - is, I've come to believe, without peer. From the opening images of the fog-shrouded Italian countryside - to the stunningly beautiful photography inside the church, candle-lit - to the hotel - to the spa - every scene has the ability to take the viewer's breath away, and, more importantly, to make the viewer think. Tarkovsky's views of how humans are isolated from each other - and from themselves - by the technology and the cities we have built is underscored by the scene in Rome, where Domenico has traveled for a `demonstration', to air his views and give his public confession. He is positioned atop a statue, high above a piazza - the camera angle reveals a wide, low-angled set of marble steps. One would perhaps expect to see a milling throng on these steps - but Tarkovsky instead places only a dozen or so people there. The space between them, in this wide expanse of marble and edifice, simply and eloquently underscores the theme of human isolation.

NOSTALGHIA - like all of Tarkovsky's work - is a film that should be viewed multiple times. Each viewing will reveal new discoveries and insights. His work is visionary.

Rating:
Summary: FILLING SPIRITUAL VOIDS
Review: Andrei Tarkovsky's NOSTALGHIA - like all of his amazing films - is filled with masterfully drawn images that simultaneously make the heart ache and lift it up to the heavens. Literally hundreds of potential paintings lie within its frames. But, beyond the visual, deeper than any of these, lies the heart of his work - and it touches the very soul of the viewer with the hands of a craftsman and seeker.

Each of the three main characters - Andrei Gortchakov, a Russian poet (Oleg Yankovsky); his beautiful Italian interpreter, Eugenia (Domiziana Giordano); and a local eccentric, Domenico (Erland Josephson) - is attempting, consciously or instinctively, to fill a void in their life.

Gortchakov, in Italy to research the life of an 18th century Russian composer, is suffering terribly from homesickness - his thoughts and dreams often turn to his wife and home. His interpreter makes romantic advances toward him - but he's so fixated on his wife that he doesn't even realize what she's doing. When it occurs to him - she makes it pretty obvious, baring a breast to him in his hotel room and asking 'Is this what you want...?' - he's visibly staggered, but remains sympathetic and caring towards her. The parallels between his life and that of his subject are many - and as the film progresses, he seems to become increasingly aware of them. This realization leaves him feeling emptier still - and this could be a big factor in his acceptance of the task assigned to him by the madman Domenico. In fulfilling his promise, Gortchakov is perhaps the most successful of the three characters in his quest to fill the unnamed void within him.

Domenico bears a great guilt. Long considered to be mad, many years in the past he sequestered his wife and children within their home in a desperate attempt to protect them from what he saw as the imminent end of the world. Suspicious neighbors alerted the authorities, who broke down the door and freed the family, who had not been outside for seven years. In one of the most heart-wrenching scenes ever committed to film, we see Domenico, addled, gingerly pursuing his young son down a pathway. The guilt that Domenico feels over this episode weighs heavily upon his shoulders for the rest of his life. In a symbolic act of contrition, he attempts to carry a lighted candle across a pool - a seemingly simple task, made difficult by the heat rising from the waters and the air currents. His neighbors, considering him to be unstable, think he's about to drown himself, and prevent him from completing the act. When he meets Gortchakov - perhaps because he senses the emptiness in the soul of the poet - he asks him to accomplish this for him. By giving the Russian the task of conveying the candle across the pool, he frees himself of his own promise, allowing him to move on to what he sees as the ultimate act of repentance - and at the same time, gifts the opportunity to the poet to commit a holy act by fulfilling a promise, which allows Gortchkov the chance to free his own aching spirit.

Eugenia, the translator, has the least understanding of her own needs. She, too, feels a void in her life - but she seems to think that she can fill it sexually, by 'finding the right man'. When Gortchakov rebuffs her advances, she abandons him and takes off to Rome, to another man. We see this man only once in the film - while she talks on the phone to Gortchakov - and he seems distant, regarding her coolly, if at all. It's easy to surmise that this is just one more fruitless, unfulfilling stop on her quest.

Visually, Tarkovsky has done his usual, unequalled best in committing his ideas and ideals to film. His work - here and in all of his films - is, I've come to believe, without peer. From the opening images of the fog-shrouded Italian countryside - to the stunningly beautiful photography inside the church, candle-lit - to the hotel - to the spa - every scene has the ability to take the viewer's breath away, and, more importantly, to make the viewer think. Tarkovsky's views of how humans are isolated from each other - and from themselves - by the technology and the cities we have built is underscored by the scene in Rome, where Domenico has traveled for a 'demonstration', to air his views and give his public confession. He is positioned atop a statue, high above a piazza - the camera angle reveals a wide, low-angled set of marble steps. One would perhaps expect to see a milling throng on these steps - but Tarkovsky instead places only a dozen or so people there. The space between them, in this wide expanse of marble and edifice, simply and eloquently underscores the theme of human isolation.

NOSTALGHIA - like all of Tarkovsky's work - is a film that should be viewed multiple times. Each viewing will reveal new discoveries and insights. His work is visionary.

Rating:
Summary: Remembering one's life and saying goodbye . . .
Review: At least that's what the film conveyed to me. Your guess is as good as mine. For a lark, invite the most die-hard Tarkovsky fan who has not yet seen it, play it on your DVD, pretend you have an urgent phone call, leave the room and come in half an hour later and ask: " Sorry about that. So, tell me, what's going on? "

Er........

Tarkovsky dedicated this film to his mother. As usual there are wonderfully composed shots worthy of Vermeer or El Greco ( No, not Van Gogh, he's too bright, colorful and explosive. ) The camera dollies slowly from left to right, and sometimes, for the sake of a slower pace, back along the same track from right to left. Often we get gothic archways, raindrops and mist. There are also actors but they appear secondary to the camera. The color goes from black and white to twilight blue to full color and back again to black and white. Did I mention slowly?

But what's the heck's the story?

There is one, really. But Tarkovsky's style is a knockout punch in the final round. The rest is a set up, albeit a sumptuosly photographed one. Don't even try to anticipate the conflict or what's coming next. Just groove on the 'paintings' on film and let him take you for a ride.

I've said what it meant to me and will only add that the climax---which sounds absurd if you try to explain it----kept me in great suspense. Damn! Will he or won't he manage to take the lighted candle across the pool on the third try?

I felt as if the fate of all humanity depended on it. Or perhaps it was a futile but noble gesture, Or an allegory on all art. I don't know but I wish I did, it kept me on the edge of my seat.

Better than Rublev and far, far better that The Sacrifice.

One can't help but wonder what would have happenned to many great offbeat novels turned into American 'art' films that were shot in a straightforward manner--presumably to appeal to the mainstream audience---which predictably bombed, such as "Fearless" (Peter Weir!) or "Slaughterhouse Five" ( George Roy Hill) had they had been filmed by Andrei instead.

Ah, Tarkovsky! The outpouring of the Slavic poet's soul. Once again, pass the Vodka. . .

Rating:
Summary: The redemption
Review: Domenico is the key , he's a man who lives (out of reality?) ; but his speech given in the apex sequence is the fundamental nucleus of this monumental work.
Tarkovsky had to leave his birthplace , after making Stalker , and this fact (as the Nuremberg judgement in Fürtwangler case) obviously will affect deeply this film maker. Tarkovsky decided to establish himself in Italy ; and the first work will be that one; loaded of Nosthalgia ; notice that Tarkovsky always insisted in the importance given to this word ; in the russian mood Nosthlagia would have similarities with a brasilian word saudade but with major landscape.
The concerns this film deals about are a real tour de force for all the viewers ; the reflectins about the human condition , the abscence of center in our way of living , will let you in shock state and you'll be watch it over and over because the powerful ideas are endless in their meanings and deepness.
An artistic masterpiece of this cosmical director.!

Rating:
Summary: The Greater Birth
Review: From the time I was a child, I saw this book about Andrei Tarkovsky on my father's book shelf, with the picture of a man with a candle before him. I always neglected it, but the photograph had this appeal to me.

I did not get the chance of watching such masterpieces before. Only a few years ago did I start watching off beat movies (and I was also underage for such films). But a few days back I pulled the book down from my father's shelf, and started to flip through the pages.

I was so amazed by this man, Mr. Tarkovsky, that I asked my father about him, and he said he throughout his life had not seen a finer director than this man. Well I have learnt to trust my father in the fields of art, as he is a painter himself, and I bought this movie from amazon.com

From the first shot in black and white, I was spellbounded by the cinematorgraphy of this magneficient piece of art. It had this haunting look to it, and this marvellous beauty, truly wonderful.

The basic story of the film is that a Russian poet has travelled to Italy on a research mission to find out about his favourite music composer Sosnovsky. He stays in this town, with his beautiful assistant and in the course of his stay he is haunted by the memories of Russia, and his childhood, and his past.

The basic story though maybe simple the surreal screenplay, and the photography of this movie is truly brilliant. I have never seen a person depict birth, life and death, in such a subtle and beautious fashion.

I feel many people will sleep through this movie, but those who get the essense of it, would bask in the wonder of the greater birth forever.

I have movies by Kurosawa, and Fellini, Trauffaut, Kubrick, but none matches up to this man. Andrei Tarkovsky, he made only 7 movies in his lifetime, and all of them are masterpieces, and I feel this is his gem.

I would recommend this movie for all, but I would especially recommend to those people who are looking for another dimension to this existense, this movie is truly magnificient.

The DVD quality is pretty good, and no problems with the subtitles, and the sound quality.

A masterpiece by the greatest master of the silver screen. Truly the greater birth.

Rating:
Summary: tarkovsky's greatest
Review: i am a great fan of tarkovsky and consider this his greatest film. the cinematography is breathtaking and the symbolism is very moving. i would recommend it to all who take cinematography seriously.

Rating:
Summary: tarkovsky's finest
Review: i am an avid fan of tarkovsky and this is my favorite of his. in fact it is my favorite of any film i have seen. he combines wonderful symbolism and phenomenal cinematography. this is one you will likely want to see many times.

Rating:
Summary: Nostalghia review
Review: I first saw this film about three years ago on an extreemly worn out VHS copy from my local video store.It was the only Tarkovsky they had so I hired it out, unfortunately the picture and sound quality were terrible which was a shame because it is one of the most beautiful films i have ever seen.The thing about Tarkovsky that many people may find difficult is the pace(darn slow) and the commitment the veiwer may feel he or she is asked to give to the film.I think the common mistake people make is that they think Tarkovsky is intellectual and obscure.His films are about feelings and spirituality(sorry an over used word regarding his work) or the lack of it in modern life: rather than the difficult and earnest ideas many people associate with Tarkovsky.Nostalghia is slow, and i admit that i found this rather frustrating at first but after a while i began to appreciate each image and the the held shots that appear more like paintigs than cinema.Its the sort of film that you need to watch rather than talk about.its sometimes hard to explain exactly what you have seen or indeed heard as Tarkovskys films are so much to do with the senses.If you appreciate misty brooding landscapes and ancient crumbling italian architecture then this film may be for you.Its a shame that in our modern and slightly sterile existence we feel we have less time to just look and feel.Instead ridiculously overblown storys and images are shown to us so fast that there is little time to judge the quality or morality of what we look at.Special effects alone don't make a film (I dont need to mention names): its probably the things that people don't even notice like sound, colour, and editing.But Tarkovsky did and it shows.