Offret

Sacrificatio / Uhri. SE/FR (c) 1986 Svenska Filminstitutet. EX: Anna-Lena Wibom. P: Katinka Faragó. D+SC: Andrei Tarkovsky. DP (Eastmancolor, 1,66): Sven Nykvist. AD: Anna Asp. M selections: Bach: "Erbarme dich" from The Passion According to St. Matthew; Hotchiku flute music composed by Watazumido-Shujo; summoning calls from Dalarna and Härjedalen. ED: Tarkovsky, Michal Leszczylowski. ED consultant: Henri Colpi. Starring Erland Josephson (Alexander), Susan Fleetwood (Adelaide), Valérie Mairesse (Julia), Allan Edwall (Otto), Gudrún Gisladóttir (Maria), Sven Wollter (Victor), Filippa Franzén (Marta), Tommy Kjellqvist (Little Man). Leonardo: The Adoration of the Magi. 149'. A VHS video cassette released by Showtime/Finnkino (1989), original in Swedish with Finnish subtitles, viewed at home, 16 August 2005, PAL duration 143', in preparation of the Helsinki Festival opening gala. A former actor celebrity famous as Richard III and Myshkin has retired to Gotland where his little mute son is the apple of his eye. On his birthday he is rather irritated by his family and his entourage. WW III breaks out, and a sacrifice has to be made. He spends the night with the Icelandic maid Maria. In the morning, the war is over. Alexander sets his house on fire while his entourage is taking a stroll, and is taken to a mental hospital by ambulancemen. In the last image the little mute son waters the barren tree in the hope that it will spring to life. This austere film is mostly conceived in long shots and long takes. Almost all the time there is talk, mostly it is the monologue of Alexander, the central consciousness of the film. There are a few visionary sequences in the mostly realistic film which takes place during ca 24 hours. The presence of the war is experienced mostly through the shattering sound of the fighter jets. On the other hand, there are swallows apparently having their nest under the roof of the house; they are also experienced through their song only. - When I saw this film 19 years ago I was irritated by what I felt as Tarkovsky Mannerisms. As much as I love Tarkovsky's Russian films, I felt he lost his vitality abroad. And yes, this is a film about death and loss of creativity, it's a film about the end of life, the end of the world. It's also an homage to Bergman (mostly to Såsom i en spegel and Persona). The powerful visualization with Sven Nykvist is great; it's Tarkovsky's study in Nordic light. There is no original score in the film, but the soundtrack is exquisite. Even on VHS, a moving experience; looking forward to seeing the restored SFI print.