It begins in Bergmanesque fashion on a small, remote island, where friends and family gather for a birthday celebration. The revelry is interrupted by a radio announcement that World War III has begun, and Mankind is only hours away from utter annihilation. As the roar of the overhead missiles is heard, each of the guests reacts differently to the news. The most dramatic response is the host's, who promises God that he'll give up everything he holds dear if war is averted.
The Sacrifice is so dependent upon its visuals and overall mood that any attempt at a detailed synopsis would be woefully inadequate. The willingness of Tarkovsky's protagonist to fore go all his possessions may well have sprung from the cancer-ridden director's awareness that he, too, would soon be giving up everything to face his Maker. The irony of the film is that the house in question was burnt down as the final act of the film but because the shots did not come out right Tarkovsky, ever the perfectionist, rebuilt the entire structure against the clock to get the final shot as he intended. The "Making of" film is every bit as nail biting as the main event.
No comments:
Post a Comment