A review by Brooks Rich
One of these days I am going to do a list of the ten most beautiful black and white films of all time. I can't even begin to imagine the research that will go into that but I guarantee one of the films that will be on that list will be Andrei Tarkovsky's 1962 masterpiece Ivan's Childhood. I have wanted to cover this film since the blog first started but hesitated. Back in my film school days one of the longer papers I wrote was on Ivan's Childhood and as proud of it as I am, no one wants to sit here and read my academic breakdown of the film and it's relation to Russian cinema at the time (the war sucked and their films reflected that). College essays are not the most exciting read. So I will make this brief and instead let you see some of the shots from this beautiful but tragic film about the loss of innocence during World War 2.
The films follows twelve-year-old orphan Ivan and his experience during World War II as the Soviets fought off the invading Germans. The film is told in a non-linear sequence and recounts Ivan's time during the war and his life before the death of his family at the hands of the German. This is one of the bleakest films about war as it shows the human cost of war through the eyes of a child. Russian films about World War 2 are radically different then ones produced in Hollywood. In Hollywood films the Americans are the brave heroes saving Europe from the Nazis. There is no glory in Russian films. The losses they suffered during the war outweigh the USA and they always have a pessimistic view on the war, whether the film is about a Soviet victory during the war or not.
So why do I recommend a bleak Russian film about the second World War? Well as I said I think Ivan's Childhood is one of the most beautiful black and white films ever made. Tarkovsky shoots the hell out of this film and at times it looks like he's channeling German Expressionism. The film uses light and shadows beautifully and even the harsh ruined landscapes of war have a strange ethereal beauty to them. Scroll down to the pictures at the bottom to see some examples of the brilliant cinematography of this film.
This is one for the cinephiles who read the blog. This is a heavy film and is not the most fun watch. But it is an important look at a war that is often represented in cinema. However most of us probably only see the war through the eyes of Hollywood. That's fine sure but it's nice to have other view points as well. On a side note there are some great German films about the war, like Das Boot, which shows the human side of the German army. No Nazis, just young men fighting for their country. Ivan's Childhood is a Criterion release so if you're a collector of those I highly recommend adding it to your library.
One of these days I am going to do a list of the ten most beautiful black and white films of all time. I can't even begin to imagine the research that will go into that but I guarantee one of the films that will be on that list will be Andrei Tarkovsky's 1962 masterpiece Ivan's Childhood. I have wanted to cover this film since the blog first started but hesitated. Back in my film school days one of the longer papers I wrote was on Ivan's Childhood and as proud of it as I am, no one wants to sit here and read my academic breakdown of the film and it's relation to Russian cinema at the time (the war sucked and their films reflected that). College essays are not the most exciting read. So I will make this brief and instead let you see some of the shots from this beautiful but tragic film about the loss of innocence during World War 2.
The films follows twelve-year-old orphan Ivan and his experience during World War II as the Soviets fought off the invading Germans. The film is told in a non-linear sequence and recounts Ivan's time during the war and his life before the death of his family at the hands of the German. This is one of the bleakest films about war as it shows the human cost of war through the eyes of a child. Russian films about World War 2 are radically different then ones produced in Hollywood. In Hollywood films the Americans are the brave heroes saving Europe from the Nazis. There is no glory in Russian films. The losses they suffered during the war outweigh the USA and they always have a pessimistic view on the war, whether the film is about a Soviet victory during the war or not.
So why do I recommend a bleak Russian film about the second World War? Well as I said I think Ivan's Childhood is one of the most beautiful black and white films ever made. Tarkovsky shoots the hell out of this film and at times it looks like he's channeling German Expressionism. The film uses light and shadows beautifully and even the harsh ruined landscapes of war have a strange ethereal beauty to them. Scroll down to the pictures at the bottom to see some examples of the brilliant cinematography of this film.
This is one for the cinephiles who read the blog. This is a heavy film and is not the most fun watch. But it is an important look at a war that is often represented in cinema. However most of us probably only see the war through the eyes of Hollywood. That's fine sure but it's nice to have other view points as well. On a side note there are some great German films about the war, like Das Boot, which shows the human side of the German army. No Nazis, just young men fighting for their country. Ivan's Childhood is a Criterion release so if you're a collector of those I highly recommend adding it to your library.
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