Tarkovsky's, "The Sacrifice:" an intensely personal account SPOILER

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of the end of the world, made when the director knew he had terminal cancer.
As often with Tarkovsky, we get beautiful cinematographic imagery with many scenes evoking classical painting accompanied by classical music: the result can be intoxicating.
The dialogue is no less sublime, at times you feel you're eavesdropping on the most fascinating group of characters you've ever heard. But, unfortunately, there is also some extraordinarily overacting that almost capsizes the entire effort. When she becomes aware that, indeed, the world may be ending in a nuclear Holocaust, Alexander's wife indulges herself in one of the most difficult to watch scenes ever left in a great film: her exaggerated hysteria borders on parody. Likewise, later on, Alexander's reaction to deep fear is externalized far too dramatically. I can think of similarly poor histrionics only in one other major film: Debra Winger's grief scene in, "The Sheltering Sky." In both cases, the directors needed to force the actors more inside, to have them progress instead of just wailing and thrashing about.
The story? Well, it conflates and confuses several Christian stories and it makes for an interesting, though ultimately unsatisfying, stew.
Why then, is it a great film?
It is so in spite of its stupendous flaws: it faces the issues of death, of war, of parental love in a way very few other films have or could have---- few directors would reach so personally into their own existence with so much courage.
Time and again, I've sat down to view this film, each and every time it has rewarded me with new insights, new thoughts; I now consider it an old friend. That is greatness few films even aspire to.

Edits: 10/14/12 10/14/12 10/14/12 10/14/12 10/14/12

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Topic - Tarkovsky's, "The Sacrifice:" an intensely personal account SPOILER - tinear 09:54:59 10/14/12 (8)

Tarkovsky's aim in life was to set fire to as many houses as possible - Doug Flynn 16:03:43 10/14/12 (3)

Mirror unwatchable???? - Victor Khomenko 19:30:45 10/14/12 (2)

Maybe the problem was that I DIDN'T watch it on Blu-Ray. - Doug Flynn 14:31:31 10/15/12 (1)

You must revisit. It absolutely is a classic, so beautiful and evocative of past memories. And.... - tinear 22:57:05 10/15/12 (0)

RE: Yawn. Excrutiatingly boring. - Jeff Starrs 11:43:53 10/14/12 (0)

Going for the FF editing record? If I watch this and start . . . - mr grits 10:57:05 10/14/12 (2)

You will hate it, grits. DON'T do it. nt - tinear 13:28:21 10/14/12 (1)

Okay, no chainsaw or Greyhound. * - mr grits 15:44:55 10/14/12 (0)

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