Sights and Sounds from Andrei Tarkovsky's The Mirror

Andrei Arsenyevich Tarkovsky (Russian: Андре́й Арсе́ньевич Тарко́вский) (April 4, 1932 - December 29, 1986) was a Soviet filmmaker, writer and opera director.

Tarkovksy is listed among the 100 most critically acclaimed film directors; director Ingmar Bergman was quoted as saying "Tarkovsky for me is the greatest [director], the one who invented a new language, true to the nature of film, as it captures life as a reflection, life as a dream".

Tarkovsky worked extensively as a screenwriter, film editor, film theorist and theater director. He directed most of his films in the Soviet Union, with the exception of his last two films, which were produced in Italy and Sweden. His films are characterized by Christian spirituality and metaphysical themes, extremely long takes, lack of conventional dramatic structure and plot, and memorable cinematography.

Tarkovsky's film, The Mirror, is a semi-autobiographical account of Alexei, a middle aged man who has taken ill and is dying. The film is a blended collage of both present day and past memories/dreams that circle around the themes of childhood, motherhood, the war, his father's abandonment, his own son, and his estranged wife. The film is a reflection of many of Tarkovsky's own experiences growing up, including: His fathers own abandonment and enlistement to the war effort; Living with his mother and moving to Moscow during the war; Both Alexi and Tarkovsky's mothers worked as proofreaders at a printing press; Tarkovsky includes many of his own father's poems into the The Mirror.

These are a series of looks at this BEAUTIFUL and POETIC film, incorporating some great music to top it off.

Scenes from The Mirror set to minamalist composer, Arvo Pärt's "Mirror in the Mirror."

More scenes from The Mirror, set to Iron and Wine's "Naked as We Came."

The last two scenes from The Mirror with an absolutely breathtaking performance of Bach's "St. John Passion" in the background. In the last scene, right after Alexi's death, we see a pre-war Maria, his mother, talking of his expected birth. It then pans to a dream-like sequence where we see a young Alexi and his sister taking a walk with an elderly Maria. Then we see a beautiful fade out between the trees with the three walking off in the distance. Perfect!

Epiphany

Hans Memling, Adoration of the Magi, c. 1470

"The Journey of the Magi" by T.S. Eliot

(A poem about Eliot's own journey from agnosticism to faith; he wrote it around the time of his baptism and acceptance into the Anglican Church, in 1927.)

Hans Memling: Triptych of Saint Christopher

If you were wondering who painted the picture in my heading, or who the two people portrayed are, here is a little context:

The painting is by Hans Memling (or Memlinc), c. 1430-1494. Though far (far) from knowing anything about art, I have fallen in love with Memling's work. I was first exposed to his painting The Last Judgment by my Doctrine II professor, Rev. Charles Schulz, mentor, academic advisor, senior thesis advisor. You have seen some of his other work, like Christ Giving his Blessing and Christ with Musician Angels at the bottom of my blog.

The portraits are of Willem Moreel and his wife, Barbara van Vlaenderberch. Willem Moreel was a spice trader, was Lord of Oostcleyhem, and was one of the richest men in Bruges. He was also a banker for the Bruges branch of the Banco di Roma. He had five sons and thirteen daughters from Barbara van Vlaenderberch. The portraits were most likely originally part of a triptych with the Virgin and Child in the central panel.

The two also commissioned another painting for the church of Saint James in Bruges. They are again depicted along with their children.

Triptych of Saint Christopher:

Central panel: Saints Christopher, Maurus and Giles

Left wing: Willem Moreel with his sons and Saint Willam of Maleval

Right wing: Barbara van Vlaendrberch with her daughters and Saint Barbara

(Click here for full size)

I mean't to have a post done on Paul Althaus on Friday, but was unable to see this through. I therefore won't be able to post it until Tuesday.