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For religious mannature is never only natural; it

is always fraught [full] with a religious value the

cosmos is a divine creation; the world is

impregnated with sacredness (Eliade)

Every religion is an ontology: it reveals the beingof

the sacred things and the divine figures, it shows

forth that which really is(Eliade)

Nostalghiafor a new principle of montage through

which he would be able of follow the characters

thoughts in order to reveal their inner world.

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Tarkovskys heros always in conflict with external

world: inner and outer realms not in harmony

A principle of montage which would permit me to

show the subjective logicthe thought, the dream,

the memoryinstead of the logic of the subject.

Andrei is tormented by his nostalgia, which is a

longing not only for his homeland, but also for

something superior, almost transcendental, for a

global yearning for the wholeness of existence

(Tarkovsky )

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Domenicos self immolation is also a refusal of the

surrounding reality.

Dreams and memories constitute a world of

harmony, spirituality and happiness, while the

objective reality is chaotic, materialistic and full of

despair.

Poetic language is more appropriate in expressing

complex and hidden aspects of life itself: There are

some aspects of life that can only be faithfully

represented through poetry (Tarkovsky ).

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T --- Dostoevskys words: D. uses dreams for

developing thoughts for which ordinary language is

inadequate!!

Eliade: Dreams, waking dreams, images of his

nostalgias and of his enthusiasm, are so many

forces that may project historically-conditioned

human being into a spiritual world that is infinitely

richer than closed world of his own historic

moment. .. unconscious is far more poetic and let in add, more philosophic, more mythic

than conscious

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All of Tarkovskys heros struggling between two

worlds, objective reality and inner reality Strage

in the eyes of others

Tarkovsky comments about his character Alexander

from Sacrifice: he is a weak man but capable to act

he is conscious of his link with the ultimate reality,

with what could be termed world destiny

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Two paths to salvation: the path of

righteousness, for righteous, and the path of

grace, for sinners; and I am a sinner. I have againmade mistake of trying to achieve salvation

through righteousness (Hesse). (Tarkovsky)

Creation and sacrifice: creationcannot take

place except from a living being who is

immolated. nothing can be created withoutimmolation, without sacrifice. (Eliade)

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Greatness of modern man lies in protest. Thank

God for people who burn themselves alive in front of

an impassive, wordless crowd, or who walk out into

squares with placards and slogans condemning

themselves to reprisals, and all those who say No to

go-getters and godless(T)

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Tolstoy Herzens words: If only

instead of wanting to save the world,

people wanted to save themselves, if

only instead of wanting to free the

world, they wanted to freethemselveswhat a lot they could

do for the salvation of the world and

the liberation of humanity. (T.)

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If people around you are spiteful and callous and

will not hear you, fall down before them and beg

their forgiveness; for in truth you are to blame for

their not wanting to hear you. .And if two of you

are gathered togetherthen there is a whole

world, a world of living love. Embrace each other

tenderly and praise God, for if only in you two Histruth has been fulfilled.(Dostoevsky)

Ive dreamed of only two being left (Dostoevesky

in his Notebooks for The Brothers Karamazov)

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And even though your light was shining, yet you see

men were not saved by it, hold firm and doubt not

the power of the heavenly light. Believe that if they

were not saved, they will be saved hereafter. And if

they are not saved hereafter, then their sons will be

saved, for your light will not die even when you are

dead. The righteous man departs, but his lightremains. Men are always saved after the death of

the deliverer. You are working for the whole, you

are acting for the future. Love to throw yourselfon the earth and kiss it (p. 342).

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Russian writers who have been preoccupied by that

fundamental religious problem: how to overcome

evil and deify man and the world? They thought

that their most fundamental vocation is to bring to

the world, above all, the brotherhood of man and

freedom of the spirit.

They believed in the role of artist as a prophet, asthe revealer of tragic in our century, when humanity

has become more interested in material things than

in spiritual ones.

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The sacrifice, the suffering, is the supreme act

of faith.

The modern man does not want to sacrifice

himself, even if this is the only way for

affirming himself (p. 39).

Because for the religious man, and implicitly

for Tarkovsky, there is always a unique final

aim: salvation.

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Salvation from nothingness and death, and gaining

the immortality. Behind any existential crisis, which

determines mans struggle toward gaining access to

the world of spirit and attaining to the universal,

there is a non-confessed wish of acceding to

immortality.

After all, despite everything, despite the cynicism

and the materialism, man does believe in the

Infinite, in Immortality (Tarkovsky)

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Sacred place = parental house, dacha

The house itself losses its immediate significance

(Tarkovsky: he disappointed when he visited, after a

long time, the place of his childhood) -----

---- The place acquires cosmic dimensions; it is now

the center of the world.

Andreis dacha in miniature - Domenics house:

House in houseis a world in miniature, which the

scholar set up in his house in order to partake in its

concentrated mystical forces, in order, through

meditation, to re-establish harmony with the world

(Eliade).

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Oleg Yankovsky

'I had just arrived in Rome. I was met by Tarkovsky,

who I knew only slightly. That in itself was a miracle

in those days: I suddenly found myself in Rome

T: In fact the leading character promises a

deranged man he will carry a burning candle

through the waters of the Saint Catherine pool, and

in so doing heal him.

Why a candle?' I queried.

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'Because of the flame, the unprotected fire.

Remember the candles in Orthodox churches, how

they flicker. The very essence of things, the spirit,

the spirit of fire. . lights a candle it's a thin,

uncertain, weak flame and you cover this flame

with your hand, the hand of a strong, grown man.

And you walk across the foul bed of the pool, trying

not to slip or stumble, and all your will is

concentrated on one thing: to save this weak flame,to keep it burning.

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You return to the place you already set out from

twice before, light the candle again, cover it with

your hand and venture out on this endless journey,

carefully picking your way. You walk on and carry

the candle to the end. Then you leave it at the edge

of the pool, understanding that not only has a

human life been saved, but that now a hand willalways be found to protect the flame when you are

no longer there. This is when the leading character

understands he has carried out the most importanttask in his life. He slowly sinks to the foul-smelling

bottom of the pool and dies.'

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Y: T: 'You see,' and Andrei suddenly changed to the

familiar form of 'you' in Russian, 'if you can do that,

if it really happens and you carry the candle to the

end in one shot, straight, without cinematic

conjuring tricks and cut-in editing then maybe

this act will be the true meaning of my life. It will

certainly be the finest shot I ever took if you cando it, if you can endure to the end.'

Y: I could hardly speak: this was some 'simplescene'! 'Fine, I'll try, do my best.

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'You walk from over there, to that point there.' He

pointed down the rails. 'This is where the candle

goes out the first time. You go back, re-light the

candle, and get this far.' Andrei showed me the

place I had to get to the second time. 'Here the

wind blows it out again. Then you find the strength

to return yet again, and the third time you get tothe end. No need to rehearse it,' he said, and

kissed me. 'Of course I could help you by editing,

cut-ins but there's no need. I feel there's noneed. You'll do it. Good luck, good luck. And

remember: we've only got one take.'