Ivan's Childhood

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Huntin P @PaxVobiscum80 Sep 15, 2026 For me, this, THIS, is Tarkovsky's best movie. I have no patience for the later, overlong, pseudo-profound colour movies, which strike me as disjointed and self indulgent. Solaris is one of those rare movies that got better when it was remade by Hollywood. Nostalgia is only made bearable by its painterly framing and Pre-Raphaelite leading lady, and that's the first half. No, Ivan's Childhood, a childhood in wartime, is a film we can all understand. So much loss, and yet so much love and camaraderie. The dreamlike existence of childhood can make even the hellscape of war into an adventure. Please, spare yourself the arthouse tedium of Stalker or Mirror. Rent this one instead. See more Hao Ian L @HaOiAn Jun 4, 2026 Despite the minimalist war-film setting, there's a looming sadness throughout the runtime that only ever gets resolved towards the end in a poetic yet devastating fashion. Tarkovsky's directorial debut may be more accessible by comparison, but equally layered at every level as his later efforts. See more Julian Rex M @Julian_M Sep 27, 2025 Exploring themes mourning both the loss of innocence and the meaningless cost of war, Ivan's Childhood is an earth-shattering, highly atmospheric debut from Andrei Tarkovsky that balances the director's knack for the technical with his ability to lay out densely intertwined dramatic ideas to their fullest extent. See more Esra Y @RT95409318 Apr 10, 2025 Sorrowful masterpiece. See more Virgo V @vision Jan 2, 2025 Ivan's Childhood (1962) is a film by Andrei Tarkovsky that received international acclaim and has many positive reviews: Cinematography Some say the cinematography is gorgeous and dream-like, with a hard-edged realism. The film's use of landscapes is Expressionistic, and the birch forest scenes are especially striking. Music The haunting music score contributes to the film's mood. Story The film's story is thought-provoking and wrenching, with memorable scenes and images. It tells the story of a Soviet orphan who befriends three officers while working as a scout behind enemy lines during World War II. Themes The film features many of Tarkovsky's characteristic themes, even though it was early in his career. Impact on Tarkovsky The film helped Tarkovsky articulate ideas that he would later develop in his book Sculpting in Time. International acclaim The film won the Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival, which gave Tarkovsky international visibility. Reception The film received a 100% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, and Ingmar Bergman called it a miracle. See more Gabriel E. B @elkpllan_ Oct 16, 2024 La guerra es la guerra. Andréi propone una historia bélica, dolorosa, diferente, una realidad contundente que apunta a la introversión de Iván, sus necesidades, carencias, indiferencias, anhelos y deseos más profundos. Un niño al que la guerra le arrebató a su familia, le quitó su infancia, el miedo, todo. Forzado a dejar su inocencia, Iván, con sed de venganza busca ser útil al ejército soviético, no conoce más allá de la violencia y vive inmerso en la pérdida y la crudeza del conflicto. El carácter de Iván, sus sueños, su forma de pensar y de ver la realidad, nada lejos de una pesadilla. Constantemente expuesto a situaciones de alto riesgo, rodeado de un círculo que intenta preservar su puericia que ha sido manchada por la guerra, impidiendo se pueda hacer más. Finalmente una vida inocente que se pierde en la maldad del hombre y me genera un interrogante ¿Qué culpa tiene? Andréi deja una muestra de su inteligencia en una composición que indaga en la tensión, un ritmo que sella una forma, que emite códigos precisos, Tarkovski deja la marca de su esencia, moldea el tiempo y lo ajusta, sin dejar de un lado el sentido propio de la historia. See more Read all reviews

Ivan's Childhood

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