Guest guest Posted July 16, 2004 Report Share Posted July 16, 2004 Hi M6: Thanks for the great film review. I also like Tarkovsky a lot. I hadn't thought of the scene you mentioned in years, but it is a very powerful one. I lived and worked in Russia for a while in the early 90's, and still have strong connections there (tho' I am not Russian or of Russian descent myself) -- and an old film like this still captures the essential spirit of the place better than hours of CNN reports, or even Moscow-based channels like RBC, NTV etc, can ever hope to approach. BTW, if that revolutionary Russian approach to a more broad-minded embrace of spiritual truth appeals to you, I'd very highly recommend that you seek out and read Mikhail Bulgakov's "The Master and Margarita" -- written in the 1930's but not widely available until Gorbachev's glasnost period in the mid-80's (though some crappy 1960's translation is said to have inspired the lyrics of the Rolling Stones' "Sympathy for the Devil," because spacey Anita Pallenburg was raving to Mick and Keith about it during recording). In the book, Satan and several odd associates visit Moscow during the height of the Stalin purges, and wreak mystical havoc on Soviet bureaucratic attempts to create an unquestioning, fear-based, atheistic state. At the same time, the Prince of Darkness (who turns out to be a pretty likeable guy) kindly enables a sublime love story to unfold between a poet being held by authorities for "re- education" in an insane asylum, and his great love, the Margarita of the title, who tries to maintain a level of human and spiritual grace as the society around her is consumed by dogmatic ideology, mutual suspicion and brutality. Meanwhile, a parallel novel-within-a- novel develops the Biblical meeting between Jesus of Nazareth and the Roman procurator Pontius Pilate into a passionate, nuanced philosophical confrontation between two great but opposed minds. It all culminates in a grotesque and awesome Grand Ball, in which all of the characters enter Eternity in accordance with the spiritual beliefs they've chosen to embrace. Wow. It is a linguistically complex and layered book; like James Joyce's "Ulysses" in a way -- so if you know some Russian, the original is best way to approach it. If not, beware English translations -- they are many and uneven in quality; the best in my opinion is that by Richard Pevear and Larissa Volokhonsky, which is just brilliantly rendered and annotated, and will take you very close to the feel and spirit of the original: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/- /0141180145/qid=1089984518/sr=8-1/ref=sr_8_xs_ap_i1_xgl14/002- 1861935-3491241?v=glance&s=books&n=507846 Finally, if you're a music lover, the amazing poet/singer Grebenshikov (for Russians, he's Bob Dylan, John Lennon and Lou Reed wrapped into one person) somehow manages to convey that Russian- Eastern spiritual cocktail through achingly beautiful songwriting. For what it's worth, I had a chance to interview him for a magazine a couple of years ago, and he named "Master and Margarita" as perhaps his favorite Russian novel. ;-) A great introduction to his work (with lyrics fully translated into several languages, and copious liner notes) is this one, released in 2003 by Naxos: http://www.rockpaperscissors.biz/index.cfm/fuseaction/current.press_r elease/project_id/65.cfm Have fun, and thanks again for a great post. Na zdorov'ye! DB , "m6" <megalith6@h...> wrote: > Hi, > > I was lucky enough to catch Andrei Tarkovsky's film 'Andrei Rublev' > the other evening - a believer in the Orthodox Church, then under > threat from a totalitarian state. I respect his beliefs, forbearance > and admire his films. > > There was a disturbing (i found) section in the film when a young > apprentice is commanded to read from 'The Scriptures'. The passage he > chooses describes things like all the reasons a woman must keep her > head covered, and all the reasons a man may leave his head uncovered, > because 'man is in the likeness of Diety but woman is from man', etc > and so forth. It sounded more like the Koran to me. How can people > accept this material? I find it astonishing that a huge proportion of > humanity will take this message on board - and i am not just talking > about the so-called 'Sister Faiths'. > > The reader is interrupted by 'God's Fool', a medieval Russian term > for the mentally handicapped - it is a dumb woman who stands mutely > before the reader and stares at him: he is unable to go on with the > reading. Although Takovsky was a Christian in the Orthodox sense, I > feel certain this was his comment on such passages within 'The > Scriptures'. > > It is a powerful film posing many deep and profound questions - as > all true art ought to. The post-Stalinist authorities suppressed it > for three years. Tarkovsky was eventually forced to flee his > homeland, and died in exile. > > Namaste - > > Krishna Das > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 18, 2004 Report Share Posted July 18, 2004 Hello DB, Many thanks for your interesting post and I shall thoroughly explore your kind recommendations. It is tempting to imagine what direction Takovsky's mysticism would have drawn him in; that he was in an on-going process of spiritual development is obvious to me: hence the doubt and uncertainty expressed within his art - questions and uncertainties leading to inner revelations. At least the world still has his films. I am also accutely aware of a centralised "unquestioning, fear-based" mindset which appears to be being disseminated in this country (uk), but insidiously using the state religion as a repressive element within this increasingly right wing culture, instead of repressing spirituality per se. We need more great art, great thinkers and open, tolerant cultures. Namaste! KD , "Devi Bhakta" <devi_bhakta> wrote: > Hi M6: > > Thanks for the great film review. I also like Tarkovsky a lot. I > hadn't thought of the scene you mentioned in years, but it is a very > powerful one. I lived and worked in Russia for a while in the early > 90's, and still have strong connections there (tho' I am not Russian > or of Russian descent myself) -- and an old film like this still > captures the essential spirit of the place better than hours of CNN > reports, or even Moscow-based channels like RBC, NTV etc, can ever > hope to approach. > > BTW, if that revolutionary Russian approach to a more broad-minded > embrace of spiritual truth appeals to you, I'd very highly recommend > that you seek out and read Mikhail Bulgakov's "The Master and > Margarita" -- written in the 1930's but not widely available until > Gorbachev's glasnost period in the mid-80's (though some crappy > 1960's translation is said to have inspired the lyrics of the > Rolling Stones' "Sympathy for the Devil," because spacey Anita > Pallenburg was raving to Mick and Keith about it during recording). > > In the book, Satan and several odd associates visit Moscow during > the height of the Stalin purges, and wreak mystical havoc on Soviet > bureaucratic attempts to create an unquestioning, fear-based, > atheistic state. At the same time, the Prince of Darkness (who turns > out to be a pretty likeable guy) kindly enables a sublime love story > to unfold between a poet being held by authorities for "re- > education" in an insane asylum, and his great love, the Margarita of > the title, who tries to maintain a level of human and spiritual > grace as the society around her is consumed by dogmatic ideology, > mutual suspicion and brutality. Meanwhile, a parallel novel-within- a- > novel develops the Biblical meeting between Jesus of Nazareth and > the Roman procurator Pontius Pilate into a passionate, nuanced > philosophical confrontation between two great but opposed minds. It > all culminates in a grotesque and awesome Grand Ball, in which all > of the characters enter Eternity in accordance with the spiritual > beliefs they've chosen to embrace. Wow. > > It is a linguistically complex and layered book; like James > Joyce's "Ulysses" in a way -- so if you know some Russian, the > original is best way to approach it. If not, beware English > translations -- they are many and uneven in quality; the best in my > opinion is that by Richard Pevear and Larissa Volokhonsky, which is > just brilliantly rendered and annotated, and will take you very > close to the feel and spirit of the original: > > http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/- > /0141180145/qid=1089984518/sr=8-1/ref=sr_8_xs_ap_i1_xgl14/002- > 1861935-3491241?v=glance&s=books&n=507846 > > Finally, if you're a music lover, the amazing poet/singer > Grebenshikov (for Russians, he's Bob Dylan, John Lennon and Lou Reed > wrapped into one person) somehow manages to convey that Russian- > Eastern spiritual cocktail through achingly beautiful songwriting. > For what it's worth, I had a chance to interview him for a magazine > a couple of years ago, and he named "Master and Margarita" as > perhaps his favorite Russian novel. ;-) A great introduction to his > work (with lyrics fully translated into several languages, and > copious liner notes) is this one, released in 2003 by Naxos: > > http://www.rockpaperscissors.biz/index.cfm/fuseaction/current.press_r > elease/project_id/65.cfm > > Have fun, and thanks again for a great post. Na zdorov'ye! > > DB > > , "m6" <megalith6@h...> wrote: > > Hi, > > > > I was lucky enough to catch Andrei Tarkovsky's film 'Andrei > Rublev' > > the other evening - a believer in the Orthodox Church, then under > > threat from a totalitarian state. I respect his beliefs, > forbearance > > and admire his films. > > > > There was a disturbing (i found) section in the film when a young > > apprentice is commanded to read from 'The Scriptures'. The passage > he > > chooses describes things like all the reasons a woman must keep > her > > head covered, and all the reasons a man may leave his head > uncovered, > > because 'man is in the likeness of Diety but woman is from man', > etc > > and so forth. It sounded more like the Koran to me. How can people > > accept this material? I find it astonishing that a huge proportion > of > > humanity will take this message on board - and i am not just > talking > > about the so-called 'Sister Faiths'. > > > > The reader is interrupted by 'God's Fool', a medieval Russian term > > for the mentally handicapped - it is a dumb woman who stands > mutely > > before the reader and stares at him: he is unable to go on with > the > > reading. Although Takovsky was a Christian in the Orthodox sense, > I > > feel certain this was his comment on such passages within 'The > > Scriptures'. > > > > It is a powerful film posing many deep and profound questions - as > > all true art ought to. The post-Stalinist authorities suppressed > it > > for three years. Tarkovsky was eventually forced to flee his > > homeland, and died in exile. > > > > Namaste - > > > > Krishna Das > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 19, 2004 Report Share Posted July 19, 2004 Namaste May I just recommend one more movie by Tarkowski I see this movie as a way of spiritual traveler ,search for the treasure of the unknown truly a master piece the movie is " Stalker " . regards, Joanna PS Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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