Why Andrei Tarkovsky is a great director, and his films should be watched

On April 4, Andrei Tarkovsky would have turned 91 years old. During his short life (he died at 56), the director did not make many films, but each of them is highly regarded by cinema lovers. There are several artistic features that distinguish the works of Andrei Tarkovsky from the films not only of his contemporaries, but also of current directors.

Unique visual style

Andrei Tarkovsky tried to use all the possibilities of the camera to convey a palette of emotions. He sought to ensure that the device became part of the plot and interacted with what was happening in the frame. For example, in the film "The Mirror" there are long panoramic shots and slow movement of the camera along them. Thus, the director tried to achieve a sense of the flow of time. And in "SolarisThe camera moved along the characters, showing their solitude and detachment from the rest of the world.

In addition, the director experimented a lot with color: he used it as a tool to reveal the inner world of the characters. For example, dark and muddy tones made it possible to show the spiritual heaviness of the character, while light tones demonstrated happiness and peace. Such games with color are a difficult technical task, so they were rarely practiced before Tarkovsky.

Subtle symbolism

Tarkovsky liked to speak to the viewer in the language of symbols. Some of them flowed from one film to another. For example, water. She was the personification philosophical ideas. So, in the film Solaris, water was used to make the viewer feel the isolation of the character. The protagonist is surrounded by the ocean, which is the only contact with the rest of the world. In The Sacrifice, water symbolizes purification. The main character, who has lost his son, bathes in the lake and thus tries to achieve peace. And in the film "Ivan's Childhood" water, or rather a river, personifies the border between childhood and adulthood.

Tarkovsky also often used mirrors. With their help, he tried to show the inner experiences of the characters. In the film "Mirror" these elements are a kind of portal to the memory of the protagonist. There you can see his memories, which are woven together and form him as a person. And in The Sacrifice, mirrors help to find peace. main character looks in them when he doubts himself and his actions.

Deep understanding of human nature

Tarkovsky's films are reflections on life and death, love, relationships. Ribbons show how strongly a person is connected with the world around him. Through nature, people can find their purpose. In the stories, the characters often interact with animals and seek peace and solitude far from civilization.

In the paintings of Tarkovsky, any person can be transformed and change over time, but only if he is ready for it. Only by knowing and analyzing your mistakes, you will be able to become better. In general, the director understood man and his nature as a deep and multi-valued phenomenon that cannot be described in simple categories.

In addition, Tarkovsky often explored the themes of spirituality and faith in his paintings. Throughout the filmography runs the idea that human nature needs meaning of lifeand people should constantly strive for spiritual development. The problem is that everyone is forced to find their own way to it - and this is too difficult a task.

Innovative approach

Tarkovsky was one of the first to work with long shots and smooth transitions, creating unique cinematic images. Thanks to this, the viewer can feel what is happening on the screen and penetrate into the depths of the plot. Slowing down the pace of the narrative helped to immerse yourself more in the meaning that Tarkovsky put into his paintings. The director used a variety of techniques, even when creating one scene, to convey the entire palette of emotions of the characters.

Also a lot of attention is paid to the sound. Music during long shots helps to feel the atmosphere of the place and time. In general, the director used sound as one of the methods of influencing the audience so that they could completely immerse themselves in the picture and feel it from the inside. For Soviet cinema Tarkovsky's music was completely revolutionary - he was one of the first to use the synthesizer as the main instrument for the soundtrack. At the same time, he often combined symphonic compositions and sounds of nature to convey the mood of the hero.