Tarkovsky

I watched Ivan's Childhood last night and was suddenly transported back to film school at the end of the 70s. It's such a sad loss that he's gone. Who knows what he'd be making if he was here today. Just to imagine this is exciting. If you haven't seen it and you love the cinema of dreams, rent it and be inspired.

A kiss ...

Tarkovsky was brought onto the film when it was already in production and the director had dropped out. He reinvented it. Fresh out of film school, he created a truly astounding work. The dreams weren't in the script. The feeling that reality is ultimately a product of dream rather than the other way around is astounding. His sister had told him that his first word to his mother was "coo-koo" ... Look at the opening below and you will see how this is the heart of the film. 
I briefly met him when he came to the National Film School. It took all my courage to ask him how he'd worked with the production designer. He dismissively said that his designer merely did what he told him to do. Up until then I'd completely hero worshiped Tarkovsky, my heart sank ... 
But as the years pass and I see more of his work and see how personal his work is, it's easy to see what he meant. He truly brought his soul to every thing he did and surrounded himself with people that wouldn't get in the way. Here's the opening of the film.