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cliveh
15th January 2011, 09:34 PM
With regard to still film photography, do we have any FADU members who appreciate the film making style of Andrei Tarkovsky? I think his cinemagraphic technique is probably the nearest you can get to superb still photography. Some of his cinemagraphic techniques were copied by Steven Spielberg in Jaws and Andrei’s compositions are amazing. He will often keep the camera still and just change the lighting or scene.

TonyMiller
15th January 2011, 10:03 PM
Count me in Clive - I'm an admirer of his work. 'Mirror' and 'Stalker' are classics - I especially like Mirror. He has a way of literally slowing the film down slightly in places which is very subtle but effective. His book - Sculpting in Time - is well worth a read. I also remember at Uni seeing a book of his Polaroids which were as equally atmospheric as his films.

here's a couple of scenes from Mirror (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-pu49SYGRnk)

cliveh
15th January 2011, 10:22 PM
Tony, thanks for the clip, although I have all the DVD's I had forgot how brilliant he is. It makes you want to give up photography.

Paulographic
16th January 2011, 12:59 AM
I must look further as I only have seen Solaris though I have a friend who worships his work.

TonyMiller
16th January 2011, 05:11 AM
It makes you want to give up photography.

Nah.....inspires my photography! ;)

Dave Hall
16th January 2011, 10:32 AM
I also enjoy the work of Tarkovsky. Any more information on the book of his polaroids ?

Martin Reed
16th January 2011, 11:45 AM
Pitching in another filmmaker, have you looked at Bill Douglas? I started watching 'My Childhood' the other night and was mesmerised. As I've got a 16:9 screen, frequently I switch the aspect ratio so it's topping & tailing the frame, and usually there's enough latitude in the composition that it doesn't matter, or might actually improve it.

However this isn't possible with Douglas's films, they are so tightly composed that they are visually perfect. Just such a pity he completed only one other film apart from his trilogy.

Collas
16th January 2011, 08:25 PM
How about the work of Kurosawa and Masaki Kobayashi, particularly the images in Kwaidan - http://uk.imdb.com/title/tt0058279/

Nick

cliveh
16th January 2011, 08:55 PM
How about the work of Kurosawa and Masaki Kobayashi, particularly the images in Kwaidan - http://uk.imdb.com/title/tt0058279/

Nick

I see we are now entering the realm of what this thread was intended to generate.

Trond
16th January 2011, 09:28 PM
I enjoy Tarkovsky very much, especially "Andrei Rublev". Speaking of other directors, I think the work of Roy Andersson is very interesting. "Songs from the Second Floor" is in a sense a hybrid between still and film photography. His first film "A Swedish Love Story" from 1969, is also a fantastic film.

Trond

MPerson
16th January 2011, 09:56 PM
Tarkovsky fan here too. Also love Béla Tarr's work as well. I blogged about him a year ago with lots of references for those interested (http://filmus-monochromus.tumblr.com/post/385654557/bela-tarr).

Some are long films - Sátántangó is 450 mins long - but I end up totally immersed and not realise the time.

TonyMiller
17th January 2011, 01:39 PM
I also enjoy the work of Tarkovsky. Any more information on the book of his polaroids ?

Called 'Instant Light' - a couple of links

Guardian website (http://film.guardian.co.uk/gall/0,8544,1226197,00.html) with comments on some pictures from Tarkovsky's son

A gallery of most of the images (http://riowang.blogspot.com/2010/06/tarkovskys-polaroids.html)

cliveh
17th January 2011, 08:36 PM
I suppose Andrei Tarkovsky could be said to be a movie maker who employs still imagery to maximum effect. As Tony pointed out, films like “Stalker” and “Mirror are classic. I suppose my favourite is “Stalker”. Those compositions with the dog next to the man in the water are incredible. I remember reading somewhere about the making of this film and how the dog just seemed to naturally stay in the right place.

ujjwaldey
17th January 2011, 11:37 PM
Tarkovsky is simply one of the very best. 'Sacrifice' is my favourite; especially the last scene.

TonyMiller
18th January 2011, 06:29 AM
Agree Clive, the way some of his scenes seem to be suspended in time does remind of still photography. The scene that comes to mind is at the beginning of Mirror where the guy stops off at a woman's house. As he walks away there's a landscape scene with a tree and suddenly the tree just begins to sway in the breeze - sublime stuff....
and yes, the dog scene is incredible.
Looks like my DVD's are coming out again...

I suppose Andrei Tarkovsky could be said to be a movie maker who employs still imagery to maximum effect. ..... Those compositions with the dog next to the man in the water are incredible. I remember reading somewhere about the making of this film and how the dog just seemed to naturally stay in the right place.

MPerson
18th January 2011, 01:41 PM
For anyone interested you can download Tarkovsky films for free via:

Open Culture (http://www.openculture.com/2010/07/tarkovksy.html)

cliveh
18th January 2011, 11:18 PM
Agree Clive, the way some of his scenes seem to be suspended in time does remind of still photography. The scene that comes to mind is at the beginning of Mirror where the guy stops off at a woman's house. As he walks away there's a landscape scene with a tree and suddenly the tree just begins to sway in the breeze - sublime stuff....
and yes, the dog scene is incredible.
Looks like my DVD's are coming out again...

What about the bird that bursts out of that cracked window?

PMarkey
27th May 2011, 04:57 PM
Spotted this Link (http://www.cinema.mosfilm.ru/) on the other forum , Think I might just settle down and watch Stalker tonight :)


Paul

cliveh
27th May 2011, 06:54 PM
Oh, you have started me off again. Which is the film where the sideboard starts to vibrate and the milk gets spilt all over the floor and there is a miniature replica of the house in the woods. I think this is why I seldom watch modern films which are full of 1000’s of cuts, CGI and deafening soundtracks.

ujjwaldey
28th May 2011, 11:47 AM
Oh, you have started me off again. Which is the film where the sideboard starts to vibrate and the milk gets spilt all over the floor and there is a miniature replica of the house in the woods. I think this is why I seldom watch modern films which are full of 1000’s of cuts, CGI and deafening soundtracks.


Its Sacrifice, isn't it?

cliveh
6th October 2011, 09:37 PM
On the subject of Tarkovsky, I found this list of his 10 favourite films. I have only seen a couple of them. Can anyone comment on these and how they may have influenced their still photography?

Le Journal d’un curé de campagne
Winter Light
Nazarin
Wild Strawberries
City Lights
Ugetsu Monogatari
Seven Samurai
Persona
Mouchette
Woman of the Dunes

MPerson
7th October 2011, 05:29 AM
Just for info. Artificial Eye released the THE ANDREI TARKOVSKY COLLECTION here in the UK in June.

Artificial Eye (http://www.artificial-eye.com/film.php?dvd=ART508DVD&plugs&qt=true&wm=true)