Regie: Andrej Tarkowski

Andrei Tarkovsky was a director who believed that filmmaking was defined by time. The director was more than a person who put images onto celluloid. He was a poet, a master craftsman who molded his creation to do what he saw to be fit, and removed what was excessive. If more directors followed the example of Tarkovsky than you would see more of the personal world of those who make film, but because of the studio-driven world of motion pictures, it is hard to make or to even see these movies.

This is what I learned from Michal Leszczylowski's film DIRECTED BY ANDREI TARKOVSKY. Unlike Chris Marker's ONE DAY IN THE LIFE OF ANDREI ARSENEVICH, the documentary doesn't go into much detail regarding Tarkovsky's unique film style. Rather, it's an example of his unique way of making movies, particularly on the set of his last film (THE SACRIFICE). Another aspect that made his style so unique is that (and this is the shocking part!) he was a director that actually knew that the audience had a spiritual need that had to be satisfied. The studio heads would cringe at the very thought of approving more projects that refer to this important need, but Tarkovsky knew it was evident.

DIRECTED BY ANDREI TARKOVSKY is more than a companion to his last film, it is an inside look at the personal world of a genius.

It's of the utmost value for anyone interested in film-making- those who just love watching how they're made or want to be/are filmmakers- to see this documentary, which chronicles the making of Tarkovsky's last film, the Sacrifice, as well as peers into the personal dimensions of him as an artist. If only for one section is the film a must-see; it's staggering to see the horror and triumph of the climactic house burning scene in the Sacrifice, how all the elements came together, crumbled, and then they went back and did it all over again. It's a moral lesson, in a sense, for the filmmaker, and a kind of primary example of what it is to dedicate oneself to the technical preference. If Tarkovsky had filmed the scene today he would've had the option of digital, without the possibility (as it turns out here) of the film jamming in the camera. But then this is only one piece of the concern over the sequence: all the elements, the special effects, the blaze of the fire, the movement of the camera, the actors hitting their marks precisely as if this were all on the theater stage, have to come together in one fell swoop. And being Tarkovsky, you know the intensity involved.

But then this is just one part of what is already an impressive example of a director profile. We see his thoughts and philosophies expounded upon about making his cinema one of total and utter personal expression, about dealing with the actors, the scrupulous attention to detail which he pretty much all oversees from the color of dresses to the shape of a couch. And, after a while, we see why he's comparable himself to the filmmakers he mentions (i.e. Bresson, Bergman, Bunuel, Kurosawa) who all create their own kinds of 'worlds' in the movies they make, as opposed to just imitating a reality. He almost appears to come too close to being in a personal realm of expression, like some painter or poet who can't get out of his own head-space with the thoughts he has, the dreams he remembers, and the visions that are brought on by certain feelings in memories. But then he also has it in him to strive for tapping into the audience without being very obvious. If there is manipulation to his art, it is in no way of conventional commercial means.

Which means, of course, Tarkovsky isn't for everyone (some of his long takes can last about the length of an infomercial). But if you're interested in knowing more about the iconoclast director behind Stalker and Solaris and the Sacrifice (not to forget Andrei Rublev), then you're more than likely already a fan, or have some interest in a personal Russian cinema. And as we see with him on the set with the Sacrifice, and the control he has along with the method of concise collaboration, it's no wonder his sister (I think it's his sister) comments that he, at the time he was alive, had freedom than any other filmmaker from his native country. Directed by Andrei Tarkovsky is an insightful peek into this late, great film/poet/scholar/dreamer/et all.

I'm not quite smart enough to talk at any depth about Andrei Tarkovsky. His films are, in my experience, unique. Only Kubrick's films have an effect that are remotely similar, but even that is an inadequate comparison. This documentary is best appreciated after you have made yourself familiar with Tarkovsky's seven great, complex, troubling movies; after seeing them, this film serves both as an excellent window into the mind of the man who made them, and as a touching eulogy for his departure. That aside, it's also one of the best films about filmmaking ever made. It's available on the DVD release of "The Sacrifice" as the bottom half of an excellent double feature.

If you enjoyed Voyage in Time, you might enjoy this film a hundred times more like I did. It doesn't have any of the 2 minute silent shots of trees like Voyage in Time. Instead it just has a LOT of footage of Tarkovsky directing The Sacrifice. It has a LOOOT of footage of just him talking about his views on art and life. His wife is interviewed and she reads from his personal diaries. There is simply SO much valuable behind the scenes footage it's almost hard to believe! You see a lot of Tarkovsky. He is vocal, and unlike I thought he is not at all shy. I'm not even finished with this brilliant film yet, just had to stop and check out it's page, i'm 1:22mins into it and it's 1:41 mins long! This is the only film I know of where you get to see Tarkovsky DIRECTING and working with actors, and putting up sets with decorators, working out shots and scenes. I cannot say enough good things about this film. If you love Tarkovsky or The Sacrifice, or perhaps even any one of his films you'll love this film. If you love cinema or interested in art or film-making, you might enjoy this film a lot as well- it even has a very high chance of changing your whole outlook on art and life. Not only is this film about Tarkovsky, a great subject, but it is simply a wonderfully made film, with it's own poetic rhythm. I forgot to mention that many, many passages of great importance are read from Sculpting in Time, Tarkovsky's book. This is a must see if you are a Tarkovsky fan and you have any interest in watching him actually make the film. This is on The Sacrifice DVD from KINO VIDEO. I rented this disk just to see this documentary and I am blown away right now. Unlike Voyage in Time, there are no boring moments, and there is a lot of diolouge and action. It seems like they show how they shot every scene in The Sacrifice. But this is a long film, filled with Tarkovsky's own words - actually that's what the film is really about for me: Tarkovsky's vision, life, words, theories, and love of film-making. The best of both worlds, the making of a film mixed with the directors views on art, film-making and life. Perfect! See it, please.

This grand documentary, chronicling the making of "The Sacrifice" and featuring various interviews with Tarkovsky and his wife, should be seen by anyone who is interested in the minds behind great films. The focus is not so much on Tarkovsky's work, but on the man himself, his ideas and personality, and it is guaranteed to increase your respect for him. In one interview, he makes the somewhat self-deprecating remark that he experiences the world "as children and animals do" and does not consider himself like "other men who think and draw conclusions." I don't doubt the first part of that statement, but it is clear from listening to him that he was an incredibly analytic thinker and *especially* good at drawing conclusions. What struck me throughout the film was how articulate Tarkovsky is: no matter the situation, he expresses himself so exactly that his ideas seem to be fully formed before he ever speaks. That gift for expression is why every frame in a Tarkovsky movie is perfectly conceived and executed: there was never any confusion over what he was creating (and it is clear from the on-set footage that his exactness rubbed off on everyone around him). Even when lying in his hospital bed, he meticulously describes how he wants the color of a scene to look in the final cut: nothing could weaken his commitment. Watching this will not only increase your appreciation for Tarkovsky, but also for the art of film-making. 10/10.