The Tarkovsky poll

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how have we not done this already?! features only. I'm counting voyage in time cause I feel like it

Poll Results

OptionVotes
Stalker (1979) 21
The Mirror (1975) 17
Andrei Rublev (1966) 13
Solaris (1972) 6
The Sacrifice (1986) 4
Nostalghia (1983) 1
Ivan's Childhood (1962) 0
Voyage in Time (1983) 0


Simon H., Wednesday, 1 November 2017 23:20 (seven years ago)

They start a big series at Toronto's Lightbox on Nov. 9. And Stalker plays for a week, like it's a Marvel movie or something.

clemenza, Wednesday, 1 November 2017 23:21 (seven years ago)

The Mirror is the best film ever made. So that.

Frederik B, Wednesday, 1 November 2017 23:23 (seven years ago)

I really want to hit up one or two at the lightbox! but I am always tuckered after work so I will definitely need a nap an hour into any of these.

Simon H., Wednesday, 1 November 2017 23:27 (seven years ago)

I haven't seen Nostalghia or Voyage in Time yet, but the rest are all 10/10. My heart says Stalker or Andrei Rublev, but I feel like I need to watch The Mirror again.

calzino, Wednesday, 1 November 2017 23:29 (seven years ago)

I have only seen half of these but I was the most moved by AR

Simon H., Wednesday, 1 November 2017 23:30 (seven years ago)

thanks for making this a month long, need some time to revisit & watch others for the first time. Ivan's Childhood & Stalker are in my pile

flappy bird, Wednesday, 1 November 2017 23:30 (seven years ago)

Ivan's Childhood is a great movie, not so keen on the real footage of the corpses of Goebbels' dead children at the end tho.

calzino, Wednesday, 1 November 2017 23:36 (seven years ago)

I have napped during Stalker; my goal every time is to keep it nap-free.

clemenza, Wednesday, 1 November 2017 23:41 (seven years ago)

lol in her Criterion Closet video, Charlotte Rampling said she always falls asleep during Tarkovsky films

flappy bird, Wednesday, 1 November 2017 23:44 (seven years ago)

the only one of these that I haven't been able to get from Netflix is Nostalgia.

The Mirror is one of my all time favorite movies

Dan S, Wednesday, 1 November 2017 23:46 (seven years ago)

The majority of these are on YT in toto for free, right?

Google Murray Blockchain (kingfish), Wednesday, 1 November 2017 23:56 (seven years ago)

saw stalker abt a month ago in the theater, not really my jam; i like rublev

johnny crunch, Thursday, 2 November 2017 01:05 (seven years ago)

I tried watching Stalker on youtube a few years ago and it was muddy and gross and I gave up after a few minutes. The new restoration is gorgeous. Hard choice between it and Rublev.

WilliamC, Thursday, 2 November 2017 01:14 (seven years ago)

I can't imagine watching an entire tarkovsky on YT

Simon H., Thursday, 2 November 2017 01:38 (seven years ago)

Me neither

Bazooka Jobim (James Redd and the Blecchs), Thursday, 2 November 2017 01:39 (seven years ago)

Rublev. No, Stalker. No, Solaris.

Susan Stranglehands (jed_), Thursday, 2 November 2017 01:46 (seven years ago)

A couple of these are available thru the Kanopy streaming service as well, I believe.

JoeStork, Thursday, 2 November 2017 02:00 (seven years ago)

I come back to Stalker more frequently, but Rublev is probably better.

Moodles, Thursday, 2 November 2017 02:11 (seven years ago)

Haven't ever seen The Mirror

Moodles, Thursday, 2 November 2017 02:12 (seven years ago)

i’m probably gonna be the lone vote for the sacrifice but it’s the only one of these i’ve seen in a theater and it was probably the most powerful cinematic experience of my life

ToddBonzalez (BradNelson), Thursday, 2 November 2017 02:18 (seven years ago)

i've watched 3 of them and my vote goes to Not Solaris

Einstein, Bazinga, Sitar (abanana), Thursday, 2 November 2017 02:23 (seven years ago)

Almost all of these are on Filmstruck, as well as The Steamroller and the Violin (1961, 45 minutes) and a documentary about Tarkovsky directed by the editor of The Sacrifice. Most of them will be hanging around on the Criterion side, but Nostalghia, The Sacrifice and the documentary are leaving in 2 weeks.

WilliamC, Thursday, 2 November 2017 02:32 (seven years ago)

Mirror.

Hadn't heard of Voyage in Time?

xyzzzz__, Thursday, 2 November 2017 09:36 (seven years ago)

need to see more of these

so far, AR is really good, Stalker is possibly the greatest film of all time, illustrating the step-up from 'genius' to 'master' or something idk

imago, Thursday, 2 November 2017 09:54 (seven years ago)

every frame of stalker is extraordinary and yeah the recent blu-ray release is beautiful

best film ever about three guys attempting to walk a short distance across a field

proton, neutron, electron and crouton (bizarro gazzara), Thursday, 2 November 2017 10:05 (seven years ago)

ben wheatley put up a decent challenge on that front tbf

imago, Thursday, 2 November 2017 10:08 (seven years ago)

I was poised to vote for Stalker and then remembered that it was actually The Mirror

emsworth, Thursday, 2 November 2017 10:10 (seven years ago)

*shakes head* xp

I like Tarkovsky, but his theories on time don't scan to me (has any filmmaker taken them seriously?), some of the symbolism is cool when you first encounter them at an impressionable age but it can get tiresome. The films are often great, his dodging of the censors to make the kind of the thing he wanted almost miraculous - but I'm far more agnostic on the overall achievement. Parajanov is far more concrete with his flights of imagination.

I like Mirror almost as much for the parts that allude to Soviet politics of a period. It just grounds things, in a way, making the symbolism richer.

xyzzzz__, Thursday, 2 November 2017 10:17 (seven years ago)

Stalker is all time but have found myself thinking about Rublev a lot recently, will re-watch that and finally watch The Mirror before I vote.

devvvine, Thursday, 2 November 2017 10:42 (seven years ago)

I haven't watched The Sacrifice

Either Andrei Rublev or Ivan's Childhood. I rematched Stalker this summer so I don't have to until 2045.

morning wood truancy (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Thursday, 2 November 2017 11:51 (seven years ago)

The Mirror

ice cream social justice (Dr Morbius), Thursday, 2 November 2017 11:56 (seven years ago)

Not enough love ITT for Nostalghia so that one.

pomenitul, Thursday, 2 November 2017 22:47 (seven years ago)

three weeks pass...

I've been going to the TIFF series and have caught Stalker, The Mirror and The Sacrifice, with Solaris and a just-added screening of the full Andrei Rublev still to come. I feel like I've completely lost my ability to rank movies against each other.

Simon H., Thursday, 23 November 2017 14:15 (seven years ago)

that's a blessing imo

who says no to mentals? (Noodle Vague), Thursday, 23 November 2017 14:42 (seven years ago)

Wrote something rly long in response to clemenza not digging stalker but decided to delete it

Anyway, still one of my faves. Will see about buying the criterion ed during xmas

Do they usu come w a digital version?

i n f i n i t y (∞), Thursday, 23 November 2017 14:46 (seven years ago)

The Sacrifice's ending/climax reminded me of the mania at the end of Stroszek so I am duty-bound to like it

Simon H., Thursday, 23 November 2017 17:37 (seven years ago)

infinity(∞): Would love to read it. I want to understand, I really do.

clemenza, Friday, 24 November 2017 00:13 (seven years ago)

>Do they usu come w a digital version?

I don't think any Criterions do, at least none that I've bought. Their <i>Stalker</i> Blu is gorgeous, way ahead of any previous version. Takes my copies of this to 4: VHS, Artifical Eye dvd, AE Blu, Criterion Blu.

that mustardless plate (Bill A), Friday, 24 November 2017 09:35 (seven years ago)

I really enjoyed Geoff Dyer's Zona too; he says this about the penultimate scene where the stalker carries his daughter home on his shoulders:

'From here on we are in a realm of loveliness unmatched anywhere else in cinema. We are able to believe in something blatantly untrue, an amendment to the idea that men were put on earth to create works of art: that the cinema was invented so that Tarkovsky could make Stalker, that our greatest debt to the Lumiere brothers is that they enabled this film to be made.'

that mustardless plate (Bill A), Friday, 24 November 2017 09:43 (seven years ago)

bill

ya i own a few criterion blurays i just don't remember. they're packed up in boxes right now. you're probably right, though

i n f i n i t y (∞), Friday, 24 November 2017 17:39 (seven years ago)

clemenza, i just ordered the criterion edition bluray from amazon (it's on sale for $22 if anyone is interested)

i will write something more coherent after i rewatch it

i n f i n i t y (∞), Friday, 24 November 2017 17:56 (seven years ago)

gonna watch Stalker tonite but I voted for Solaris anyway I can't imagine it's better than that masterpiece

flappy bird, Friday, 24 November 2017 18:25 (seven years ago)

you might be surprised tbh

ToddBonzalez (BradNelson), Friday, 24 November 2017 18:28 (seven years ago)

and not even quality-wise; every new-to-me tarkovsky film i watch changes my perception of the others

ToddBonzalez (BradNelson), Friday, 24 November 2017 18:29 (seven years ago)

That's been my experience on this run, for sure.

Simon H., Friday, 24 November 2017 18:29 (seven years ago)

Stalker was cool but I don't regret voting early. Solaris > Ivan's Childhood > Stalker

flappy bird, Saturday, 25 November 2017 07:55 (seven years ago)

Automatic thread bump. This poll is closing tomorrow.

System, Thursday, 30 November 2017 00:01 (seven years ago)

SOLARIS

flappy bird, Thursday, 30 November 2017 00:21 (seven years ago)

god what can you say about a movie like that

flappy bird, Thursday, 30 November 2017 00:22 (seven years ago)

that its boring?

Well bissogled trotters (Michael B), Thursday, 30 November 2017 00:24 (seven years ago)

https://i2.wp.com/giant.gfycat.com/HelpfulOrneryBaleenwhale.gif

flappy bird, Thursday, 30 November 2017 00:28 (seven years ago)

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DP1yMbEWkAYFF31.jpg

flappy bird, Thursday, 30 November 2017 00:31 (seven years ago)

saw the full Andrei Rublev tonight for the first time in nearly a decade. the bell chapter is the most astonishing stretch of any Tarkovsky film I've seen (still haven't caught Nostalghia)

Simon H., Thursday, 30 November 2017 03:56 (seven years ago)

i’m probably gonna be the lone vote for the sacrifice but it’s the only one of these i’ve seen in a theater and it was probably the most powerful cinematic experience of my life

I voted for it, too. I love Stalker, but The Sacrifice is the one that moved me the most.

Cherish, Thursday, 30 November 2017 04:20 (seven years ago)

can confirm that it rules

Simon H., Thursday, 30 November 2017 04:26 (seven years ago)

I was for Andrei Rubelev too tonight (second time). I thought the best sequence was the attack--harrowing. Overall, very impressive. Did have the usual half-hour drift-time about 30 minutes into the film.

clemenza, Thursday, 30 November 2017 04:36 (seven years ago)

Of the five I caught, I only drifted a bit during the first two (The Sacrifice and The Mirror), ironically the shortest ones. The attack sequence is horrifying, not surprised much of it was censored in the original cut

Simon H., Thursday, 30 November 2017 04:37 (seven years ago)

Finally watched Mirror, some unforgettable moments and the way it works variously as a companion piece to Ivan's/Stalker/Rublev is stunning, not sure I feel the same love for it that I do those though. In the end I closed my eyes and voted Rublev.

devvvine, Thursday, 30 November 2017 12:09 (seven years ago)

Automatic thread bump. This poll's results are now in.

System, Friday, 1 December 2017 00:01 (seven years ago)

aw Ivan's Childhood deserved a vote

flappy bird, Friday, 1 December 2017 02:41 (seven years ago)

I'm happy that Stalker and Rublev beat Solaris. guess i need to watch the mirror.

Einstein, Bazinga, Sitar (abanana), Friday, 1 December 2017 04:44 (seven years ago)

Booo

flappy bird, Friday, 1 December 2017 06:13 (seven years ago)

I'm happy that Stalker and Rublev beat Solaris.

weird thing to be happy about.

Susan Stranglehands (jed_), Friday, 1 December 2017 12:31 (seven years ago)

I think both Nostalghia and The Sacrifice are underrated and Stalker (which I still think is great) is overrated.

Should see Ivan's Childhood again, been years, but I remember it didn't work on me the way his other films do.

The Mirror or Rublev worthy of the top spot IMO.

circa1916, Friday, 1 December 2017 13:15 (seven years ago)

three months pass...

just watched Nostalghia. all I can say is I'm so grateful a filmmaker like Tarkovsky existed. it really helped me in a lot of ways.

flappy bird, Thursday, 22 March 2018 02:51 (seven years ago)

two months pass...

ooh la la

New restoration of Tarkovsky's epic ANDREI RUBLEV is premiering @FilmLinc on 8/24! pic.twitter.com/X5hdnME75j

— Janus Films (@janusfilms) May 29, 2018

flappy bird, Tuesday, 29 May 2018 17:48 (seven years ago)

six years pass...

Delighted to be able to see Mirror at a theater today (yay Drafthouse and RaMell Ross citing it as an inspiration for Nickel Boys and his work in general). Have the Criterion Bluray but a full-screen watch, even better. (Equally great: they're screening The Sacrifice in two weeks! And after seeing Nykvist's cinematography for Persona there yesterday, what an opportunity to see this film this way.)

Ned Raggett, Sunday, 5 January 2025 22:35 (nine months ago)

I finished my Tarkovsky upgrade project - now all Criterion BDs excepting the Kino 4K of NOSTALGHIA - and now I just have to watch them all!

assert (matttkkkk), Monday, 6 January 2025 02:34 (nine months ago)


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