The debut feature from the great Andrei Tarkovsky, Ivan’s Childhood is an evocative, poetic journey through the shadows and shards of one boy’s war-torn youth. Moving back and forth between the traumatic realities of WWII and the serene moments of family life before the conflict began, Tarkovsky’s film remains one of the most jarring and unforgettable depictions of the impact of violence on children in wartime. —The Criterion Collection
One of the most important artists of the second half of the twentieth century, Tarkovsky was one of the few unqualified masters in the history of film. While he certainly wasn’t the only great director of his generation of Soviet filmmakers, he was, like Eisenstein was to an earlier generation, its most renowned and most influential.
The son of artists- actress Maria Ivanovna and poet Arseni Tarkovski— he studied both Arabic and geology before turning to film. He enrolled at VGIK in 1959, directed the acclaimed short The Steamroller and the Violin in 1960 and won the Golden Lion at the Venice International Film Festival for his first feature, Ivan’s Childhood, in 1962. By the time he completed his second feature, Andrei Rublev, he was regarded by many as “a poet of the cinema” – and by the Soviet censors as dangerously esoteric. Unreleased in the Soviet Union until 1971 (and then only in a truncated version), Andrei Rublev was seen first at international festivals and widely… read more
I was not a fan of Martha's subplot at first, but I appreciate it a lot more. The scene with Martha shows there is still beauty and serenity in the war, whereas the only beauty that Ivan finds, is in his dreams.
Adding on to that comment, I feel that it provides a glimmer of hope in the war, as it has not been affected yet. Until gunfire interrupts the peace.....
My first experience with Tarkovsky was one of a mesmerizing, war-time nightmare. A very interesting take on the 'coming of age' film, Tarkovsky explores small Ivan's experience as a front line scout in WWII. The use of shadow and the black-and-white photography is mind-warping and perfect here. There are many scenes in this film that will stick with you, especially those at the end. Andrei is a masterful auteur.
A dazzling debut, Tarkovsky was already a master at vivid imagery and haunting atmosphere.
Andrei Tarkovsky's first feature film is a devastating portrait of a childhood ruined by war. Told through the eyes of Ivan, a young boy who has joined the Soviet army as front line scout, IVAN'S CHILDHOOD is a chilling tale of innocence lost. The stark black and white, and sharp, angular mise-en-scene create an evocative atmosphere amid a haunting descent into madness and chaos. A tremendous debut to a great career.
A selection of striking posters by a little-known East German designer.
On the occasion of what would have been Andrei Tarkovsky’s 80th birthday, Adrian Curry looks back on the best posters for his films.
Suddenly this weekend, generous samplings from a slew of new issues from some of the best film magazines around have appeared online. In
The ironic part about Ivan’s Childhood is that the film to me really isn’t about Ivan’s childhood, its about a depicting a certain time of the war that was seen through not only Ivan’s eyes but also… read review
First off let me say I love Tarkovsky. Phew, now that I’ve said that I can say, I was extremely disappointed with this film. As the first feature film from the auteur, you can tell he was still finding… read review
Tarkovsky´s first feature film (of a small length, just 93 minutes) feels like a mystical continuation of the first short: The Steamroller and the Violin (in reality it felt more like a prequel, ivan´s… read review
(Friday / March 19, 2010 / 3:45pm)
I’m glad that “Ivan’s Childhood” was my first Tarkovsky experience. I was so touched by this film that I compassionately sympathized for the protagonist. The… read review