as to Tarkovsky...
Re-reading his diary and it is frustrating that the volume covers only from 1970 onwards... do other versions contain earlier years - are these documented at all? Ivan's Childhood and so forth?
The diary always casts a spell - just reading about Stalker would be intense enough - though balanced (for Tarkovsky) by what he describes as 'enshrining the religious urge'. Later of course he went to Sweden - and his view of film production and working practices there (in the 80s) are as harsh as Bergman's at the time. "This must be the only place where the making of a film is treated as a job!" he wails - realising perhaps what a creative environment he had lost back at home (although in fact working there AT ALL was no longer an option).
Such a view always surprises me - as a Westerner we were always supposed to imagine that the British version of worker's rights, timing and responsibilities etc were a dilution of the 'Socialist' ideals put into practice within the USSR (Or so the Right would always claim). Indeed the contradictory and constricting rules and regulations surrounding TV and film production in the UK during the 70s and early 80s are now remembered by all as something of a nightmare, regardless of politics. So to see Tarkovsky's art-studio take on production is quite a surprise. He would have gone insane trying to get a film made here - or attempting to see a Dr Who adventure through to completion!
Anyway - apparently there was a recent (2011) documentary on Tarkovsky for Russian TV (i think) and i wonder if this is available to view?
As to Valentina Malyavina, it is interesting to read on-line that (according to her) Tarkovsky wanted marriage and for her only to act in his films - this could not be (despite their relationship) because of Valentina's then existing common-law marriage.
"And so i let him go," she says, "lightly, although we should have married, and even today the other women still fight over him."
This is a very strange thing to me, can anyone shed any light?
So yes - i am gathering ideas for some writing inspired by both of these powerful personalities - but i won't be doing so directly, in fact there will be as much influenced by Solaris as by 'real life' and by some earlier story of mine that's been waiting to get recycled!
This means that i have many writing and reading jobs on the go, as well as other projects.
if my journal here gets a little erratic that will only be because of my attempts to get my
head out of my ass (for a change) and get on with things!
"Do you believe that Andrei?" "Not for a minute Andrei!"
The diary always casts a spell - just reading about Stalker would be intense enough - though balanced (for Tarkovsky) by what he describes as 'enshrining the religious urge'. Later of course he went to Sweden - and his view of film production and working practices there (in the 80s) are as harsh as Bergman's at the time. "This must be the only place where the making of a film is treated as a job!" he wails - realising perhaps what a creative environment he had lost back at home (although in fact working there AT ALL was no longer an option).
Such a view always surprises me - as a Westerner we were always supposed to imagine that the British version of worker's rights, timing and responsibilities etc were a dilution of the 'Socialist' ideals put into practice within the USSR (Or so the Right would always claim). Indeed the contradictory and constricting rules and regulations surrounding TV and film production in the UK during the 70s and early 80s are now remembered by all as something of a nightmare, regardless of politics. So to see Tarkovsky's art-studio take on production is quite a surprise. He would have gone insane trying to get a film made here - or attempting to see a Dr Who adventure through to completion!
Anyway - apparently there was a recent (2011) documentary on Tarkovsky for Russian TV (i think) and i wonder if this is available to view?
As to Valentina Malyavina, it is interesting to read on-line that (according to her) Tarkovsky wanted marriage and for her only to act in his films - this could not be (despite their relationship) because of Valentina's then existing common-law marriage.
"And so i let him go," she says, "lightly, although we should have married, and even today the other women still fight over him."
This is a very strange thing to me, can anyone shed any light?
So yes - i am gathering ideas for some writing inspired by both of these powerful personalities - but i won't be doing so directly, in fact there will be as much influenced by Solaris as by 'real life' and by some earlier story of mine that's been waiting to get recycled!
This means that i have many writing and reading jobs on the go, as well as other projects.
if my journal here gets a little erratic that will only be because of my attempts to get my
head out of my ass (for a change) and get on with things!
"Do you believe that Andrei?" "Not for a minute Andrei!"