100 Movie Challenge 2016 - # 33: Nostalghia

Director: Andrei Tarkovsky

Genre: Drama

Runtime: 125 minutes

Year: 1983

Starring: Oleg Yankovsky, Erland Josephson, Domiziana Giordano

Description: The Russian poet Andrei Gorchakov (Oleg Yankovsky), accompanied by guide and translator Eugenia (Domiziana Giordano), is traveling through Italy researching the life of an 18th-century Russian composer. In an ancient spa town, he meets the lunatic Domenico (Erland Josephson), who years earlier had imprisoned his own family in his house for seven years to save them from the evils of the world. Seeing some deep truth in Domenico's act, Andrei becomes drawn to him. In a series of dreams, the poet's nostalgia for his homeland and his longing for his wife, his ambivalent feelings for Eugenia and Italy, and his sense of kinship with Domenico become intertwined.

Review: “”Nostalghia” is the first Andrei Tarkovsky film I see and this ‘meeting’ was pretty heavy. It’s all pretty vague when this is your first Tarkovsky film. It’s a semi-intellectual and deep film.

There is a certain disconnection between the protagonist and his environment, his questions about life. I found that interesting. The shots in the film are beautiful, misty Italy, rain and the chill atmosphere. The first hour is gripping, but the second hour not so much.

There is a moment in the film where I thought the ending would have been perfect, but Tarkovsky takes us to Rome all of a sudden. Something he shouldn’t have done. The surrealism disappeared. It eventually did have a good ending, but the film is about a half hour too long.

I always want to be open to new things and it often works out well. But “Nostalghia” was a step too far for me at this point. A strong first hour and I can certainly see why people love director Andrei Tarkovsky, I’m just not one of them. Yet.

Rating: 3/ 5