Movie No. 8 (2019): ANDREI RUBLEV

Andrei Rublev (1966)

Director: Andrei Tarkovsky

Cast: Anatoly Solonitsyn, Nikolai Grinko, Ivan Lapikov

In Russian, with English subtitles

In this film, Andrei Tarkovsky created a cinematic language that is entirely his alone. Thus, the modifier 'Tarkovskian' to describe visual poetry unique to Tarkovsky films has been coined. 

This is my second time to see the film. The first time, which was in the late 1990s or early 2000s, I was not sure of what the film was trying to convey. I would only remember the beautiful images in black and white. I would only remember I was able to endure the more than 3 hours of running time, while hoping to understand the plot and possible twists and highlights. The story became vague in the years that followed. Now, it's quite clear. The film is meant to be experienced. While the main character, Andrei Rublev, is portrayed as a painter and important national figure in Russia, we never really see him paint. There is nothing heroic about him that is depicted in the film. Instead, through the fragmented narrative, the film brings us face to face with the characters, events, and chaos of the Russian Revolution. At the core of the film, which is partly a character study, is the relationship between Rublev as an artist and the society in turmoil.

Andrei Rublev is a work of art. A masterpiece of world cinema. 

Rating: 4.0/4.0

Date seen: February 24, 2019