Asked who is the greatest filmmaker, Ingmar Bergman replied without hesitation: Andrei Tarkovsky. “[He] invented a new language, true to the nature of film, as it captures life as a reflection, life as a dream.” And indeed, Tarkovsky’s films, characterized by their contemplative pacing and evocative imagery, unfold to the rhythm of memory, not plot. Long takes draw the viewer into the scene, and meaning accumulates through imagery and mood. Working uneasily under Soviet state oversight, Tarkovsky dealt frankly with metaphysical and spiritual themes, projecting neither official optimism nor nihilistic despair, but a perennial openness to the fundamental questions of human existence. But how does Tarkovsky manipulate the visual, auditory, and narrative qualities of film to develop his particular conceptions of spirituality, nature, art, and being? And why do these films, made in the shadow of the Great Patriotic War and its 27 million deaths, remain so resonant today? What makes art and humanity universal?
In this course, we will watch and discuss four of Tarkovsky’s major films—Ivan’s Childhood (1962), Mirror (1975), Stalker (1979), and The Sacrifice (1986)—and explore how Tarkovsky developed his own cinematic language and redefined the medium as a tool for reflection, perception, and metaphysical inquiry. Together, we will view four of his greatest films and read excerpts from his book Sculpting in Time as the director reflects on his inspirations and craft. We will consider the culture and history of cinema in the Soviet Union and place Tarkovsky’s work in dialogue with film theory, literature, visual art, religion and philosophy. As we go, we will ask: What are the roles of memory and autobiography in creating art? How do symbols acquire their meaning? How does art shape the artist? And what is the role of the artist in a society that does not understand him or his art?
