Sculpting in Time: Tarkovsky The Great Russian Filmaker Discusses His Art [Paperback]

Andrey Tarkovsky (Author), Kitty Hunter-Blair (Translator)

Book Description

Publication Date: 1989

Andrey Tarkovsky, the genius of modern Russian cinema—hailed by Ingmar Bergman as "the most important director of our time"—died an exile in Paris in December 1986. In Sculpting in Time, he has left his artistic testament, a remarkable revelation of both his life and work. Since Ivan's Childhood won the Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival in 1962, the visionary quality and totally original and haunting imagery of Tarkovsky's films have captivated serious movie audiences all over the world, who see in his work a continuation of the great literary traditions of nineteenth-century Russia. Many critics have tried to interpret his intensely personal vision, but he himself always remained inaccessible.

In Sculpting in Time, Tarkovsky sets down his thoughts and his memories, revealing for the first time the original inspirations for his extraordinary films—Ivan's Childhood, Andrey Rublyov, Solaris, The Mirror, Stalker, Nostalgia, and The Sacrifice. He discusses their history and his methods of work, he explores the many problems of visual creativity, and he sets forth the deeply autobiographical content of part of his oeuvre—most fascinatingly in The Mirror and Nostalgia. The closing chapter on The Sacrifice, dictated in the last weeks of Tarkovsky's life, makes the book essential reading for those who already know or who are just discovering his magnificent work.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Tarkovsky, who died in exile in 1986, was considered by some Western film critics to be one of Russia's foremost latter-day filmmakers. His image-rich nonlinear style was apparently little understood or appreciated in his own country and his films received poor distribution. Tarkovsky elaborates in much detail on his theory of filmmaking, including editing, music, film acting, and what he calls "rhythm," which he considers the dominant factor. The translation appears to be excellent, but the book would have benefited greatly from an introductory essay setting the director's aesthetics and career in perspective. An important addition for large cinema collections. Roy Liebman, California State Univ. Lib., Los Angeles
Copyright 1987 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review

If Sculpting in Time could be distilled to a single message, it would be this: Content and conscience must come before technique—for any artist in any art form. (Los Angeles Times Book Review )

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Product Details

• Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: University of Texas Press (1989)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0292776241
• ISBN-13: 978-0292776241
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 7.4 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (20 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #34,557 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

36 of 36 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars insights from a genius, July 16, 2000

By 

Alejandra Vernon "artist & illustrator" (Long Beach, California) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Sculpting in Time: Tarkovsky The Great Russian Filmaker Discusses His Art (Paperback)

This extraordinary book is not just about filmmaking, it's about all art...about life, faith, inner exploration and the Russian soul. It contains exquisite poetry, mostly written by his father, Arseniy Tarkovsky, and detailed descriptions of the making of several of his films as well as photos of them that are eerie, mystical, and incredibly beautiful. Tarkovsky is the master of making us see the wonder of creation in the most mundane subjects. He brings us one step closer in our journey towards the light. From page 43: "The allotted function of art is not, as is often assumed, to put across ideas, to propagate thoughts, to serve as an example. The aim of art is to prepare a person for death, to plough and harrow his soul, rendering it capable of turning to good".

28 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An Essential Book about Film, January 21, 2000

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frumiousb "frumiousb" (Amsterdam, the Netherlands) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Sculpting in Time: Tarkovsky The Great Russian Filmaker Discusses His Art (Paperback)

The idea behind the title of the book is that the film-goer goes to the cinema to experience time, and that the director's job is to sculpt the time that the audience experiences-- cut away the inessential words and seconds and pieces. This book is an introduction to the rules that Tarkovsky set for himself in achieving this goal.

The book covers his thoughts around a wide range of his films, beginning with "Ivan's Childhood" and finally ending with "The Sacrifice". On the way he covers his view of various aspects (both concrete and philisophical) of the cinema. Other chapter titles include "Cinema's destined role" and "The author in search of an audience".

The book is beautifully written and the ideas are important and relevant. It's useful on the level of the student learning film techniques (he provides some wonderful examples of the difference in how major and minor directors handle the same character moments in different films. It's also useful as a book about the philosophy of art in general (and cinema, obviously, in specific).

21 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars THE NATURE AND PURPOSE OF ART -- IN CINEMA AND ELSEWHERE..., December 4, 2003

By 

Larry L. Looney (Austin, Texas USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Sculpting in Time: Tarkovsky The Great Russian Filmaker Discusses His Art (Paperback)

If that sounds like a heavy load...in the hands of some, it could well be just that. Here, it's a different - and refreshing - story. In this book, the great Russian film director looks back at his life's work - but not in the standard `this is how I did this' format. Rather, he approaches his cinematic creations from the aspect of his views on life as a whole: Where does mankind stand today, in respect to the past? In what direction should we turn - not just for answers, but also for the very questions themselves? What is the definition of art - and how does `artistic' cinema differ from `entertainment'? The discussion he undertakes here will open your mind and soul, as well as your eyes.

Over the course of this book's nearly-250 pages, Tarkovsky addresses these questions and many others - and at the same time, gives the reader invaluable insights into the thoughts that inspired his amazing films. The work progresses roughly in a straightforward time-line - unlike some of his films - and lays out the director's beliefs as well as his methods, but not in a cold step-by-step way. Instead, I came away from this book feeling that I understood Tarkovsky as a human being much more than I did before - and, as a result, I now feel like I know him better as an artist as well.

Without employing standard plotlines, characterizations, overdone (and overused) special effects, or any other low-ball devices so prevalent in film, Tarkovsky's works reach into the very soul of the viewers and touch them on the very deepest level. Far from being cold and emotionless and surreal, his works are some of the most moving I've ever experienced - and, true to his vision, they do so by actually being ULTRA-real, evoking the feelings that we carry around at our core. Words cannot really convey the power of his works - they have to be experienced. I recently came across a reference to Tarkovsky's work in the booklet of a cd of contemporary classical music - the note-writer likened his films to a `cold landscape, devoid of human life'...! I couldn't believe it - and I had to wonder what 5 minutes of which of Tarkovsky's films the writer had actually seen!! This was one of the most ludicrous references I've ever read.

There is a spiritual quality and undercurrent to Tarkovsky's films that runs very, very deep - and is extremely moving. This spirituality never comes across as `preaching' or `sermonizing' - it's simply there, as a foundation for his outlook and philosophy of life. He draws from numerous schools of thought, combining his influences into one of the most gently - and truthfully - humanist outlooks I've ever seen expressed.

The book is a revelation - and I know it will bear repeated readings. I've seen all of his films - but after reading his thoughts so eloquently expressed here, I know that they'll affect me even more deeply now.