Stalker - the pool sequence (Tarkovsky-Artemiev)

[stevecav1138]

then why doesn't the S.T.A.L.K.E.R game have a Thompson submachine gun?

[dizzydelarge]

1 poor untermensch is deaf and blind....R.I.P. grandmaster Tarkovsky.

[Havezethario]

Es muy difícil definir lo que tiene esta escena, pero me resulta hipnótica. La música sin duda es preciosa, y por sí sola logra encumbrar algo tan ¿hermoso? ¿profundo? ¿extraño...? como este sencillos escenario: un lugar por donde mil cosas han ocurrido y han quedado desechos, ahora cubiertos de agua... con todos esos objetos, polvo, hojas y cosas que flotan unas sobre otras... ¿por qué nos parecerá tan "bello"? ¿Quizá porque, gracias a la obsesión de Tarkovsky por el agua, parece "vivo"...?

[Dinival1]

Am I the only to see two faces in one when the personage is awaking?

[pjherron]

Just an incredible long take. The entire long take is roughly 40 sec. longer than the one shown here. Of course watching the three actors wade through a neck-high vat of horrifically polluted water only minutes after the mind-blowing achingly gorgeous shot has its own brand of insanity. And it is all seemingly triggered by an amazing shot of a dust devil that sort of out-does Kurosawa's use of visual representation of wind. Strange stuff is starting up. One of the most amazing pieces of cinema.

[TheCyberShock]

One of the best movies i've seen in all my life...

[bradshawvincent]

all the objects in the water have meaning,the detritus at the end of the world that shows our sad journey through human folly.

[fernandopox]

is this the scene where image color changes from sepia to full color? (I haven't watched the movie).

[kcolpaer]

Perfect combination of Tarkovsky's images and Artemeyev's music!

[paranapoleon]

beyond religion

[Johnny68Sa]

Whenever I feel bad, whenever I can't feel the world, I watch this sequence, and I live, I breathe.

[spurtfather]

If you took a freeze frame every 5 seconds of the first 2 mins of this footage you'd have 24 well composed and beautiful photographs. You could do that with the scene in the print mill from Mirror when his mother rushes from room to room in the office. The appearance of the Black Dog in the film I always took to be an Egyptian myth reference: Anubis. The god who supervised the embalming and burial of the deceased and who, more to the point, guided the dead to the underworld.

[friedolin1263]

In "Solaris" (ed in "Stalker") immagini mai viste nella storia del cinema. /In "Solaris" never seen images in cinema history

[ateniense7]

great art. wonderful.

[purpdrank83]

This scene resonates with me so much ...the submerged coins, the icon, the firearm, physical objects and the abstract and immaterial of the human world all engulfed by the chaotic natural landscape of The Zone

I did myself a great disservice by not watching Tarkovsky's films sooner.

[baldzeiden]

This is the most relaxing music ever made.

[VitasWishList]

@baldzeiden Actually, it's Islamic folk music - Mugham :)

[madrereus16]

this film is beautiful

[MrJoviun]

this movie was brilliant it was a shame that Tarkovsky and some members of the crew died because of this film

[kirchikgmailcom]

cannot describe the feeling with words - this is just too good - I return to this youtube video again and again to calm down and do some sort of meditation ...

music is too good, the shots are too good...

[Madisonmofo]

I love these water shots. They give me chills.

[HiggsPat]

good shot but I fell do understand the genius in it. fell people dig to much deeper with that kind of movie. you guys look too deep like the water means somthing and the rest sometinhg else. good movie but over hype like most movie in the genre.when i hear some comments some people should get a life: the water signifies chaos and subconciousness. stop smoking guy you want to dig deep in the movie to brag how much you get it. its a good movie visually but the poetry and humanism is not there

[SovietWarrior]

@HiggsPat If there's no humanism and poetry in "Stalker", then there is no poetry existent in ANY other movie in the world. That must be a sad world you live in, my condoleances to you.

[SovietWarrior]

@HiggsPat If there's no humanism and poetry in "Stalker", then there is no poetry existent in ANY other movie in the world. That must be a sad world you live in, my condoleances to you.

[sotirisp16]

@HiggsPat Perhaps you haven't seen the whole film, so it is difficult to understand one shot, and the meaning of it. When I started seeing Stalker, I thought it was boring and dull, and I struggled to finish it. But when I saw the end, I understood how wrong I was. Stalker is definitely one of the best films ever made.

[Nimno74]

@HiggsPat The poetry and humanism may not be evident in some allegory about water, but is most definitely present in the film.

And yes.... it is a piece of art, so no one "gets it'. That's what art is.

[sky44david]

Note that at about 1:03 of the Magnificent Masterpiece the date 28th appears as a page floating in the water, the date that Tarkovsky is to pass many years latter and several great films latter.

[amineurin]

i can only agree ...this sequence is one of the most perfect i ever saw! brilliant just brilliant!

[mowler582]

FUCKEN AWSOME !!!!! This is Poetry on FILM!!!!

[mowler582]

FUCKEN AWSOME !!!!! This is Poetry on FILM!!!!

[evildogheretic]

wonderful absolutely wonderful!

[kirchikgmailcom]

I feel something post-apocalyptic in this scene...

Just a feeling - does somebody feel the same?

[kurono1988]

Yes, a little bit!

[HiggsPat]

everytinhg isso beautifully done but the story goes to nowhere and im srry if its becasue i cannot see all the intelligence in his film and cannot appreciate poetry. maybe it his but if it is i would say its more a project to explorer rather than a movie

[VitasWishList]

@HiggsPat True genius is timeless. Look at it from today's point of view.

Everything that MAN ever created - money, power (gun), drugs, religions - will end up rotting and rusting away. And only man, already semi-submerged himself, has a chance to wake up. Tarkovsky's films are Rorschach cards - everyone sees something different, unique and personal. I wish you to see it too someday :)

[22lltt]

@VitasWishList

cannot be told better than you had done.......

wonderful contibution

[HiggsPat]

great thing in it but it lacks dialogue. I mean each time I see a movie with beautiful picture sounds music and only character taht are thinking and out of that i have to see the greatness in it srry but I dont see it.Like you need a good soundtrack good effects and lightnin and has soon has we see character just thinking with long continuoous shot we scream genius

[ierofant1000]

Это он будущее видит..Когда он закончит служение людям и уйдёт туда уже навсегда...

[Dreamloka]

I love all his films, this is a favorite.

[janjankowski1979]

The piece is a powerful, visual puzzle.

[nsc86]

@SeriousIlya: 2 minutes feel like 5 because you just stepped into a trap laid out by the zone ;) better throw some bolts next time ;)

[seedwine]

Be watchful...

[ZeketheZeke]

Well, it appears to be a Thompson.

[goccioloni]

i also think it is a thompson

now we just have to discover why a tommy gun was in russia in 1979

[RyanRyzzo]

@goccioloni

Year late with the answer, but it's not in Russia... it's in Estonia; also the money you see is Estonian money of the 1st republic 1918-1940.

[sree964]

In one of the interviews with Knyazhinsky (cinematographer)he was saying Tarkovsky threw whole lot of stuff into the pool. I wonder if this particular gun has any significance?

[Strelok10]

Yeah...I wonder how I got there ???

[zmdeadelius]

that is probably the most piece of film director work i've ever seen! can't wait to watch the movie!

[SeriousIlya]

Seriously.... that was only 2 minutes? I thought it was 5.

Just as HarleryQuinn suggested, I felt totally hypotized

[willberain]

on of my favorite sequences ever!

[viveeks]

beautiful music

[eraserhead010183]

This scene is magic....

[DeLyPuffeR]

amk bÖLe müzüq oLur Mu ya :(((

[popaddict]

That look at 2:33 is so perfectly captured. It pierces right through the screen after the slow, near static sequence preceding it. Genius.

[ThomasRedfield]

No words can describe his films.

[fumatrix13]

I am charmed with this scene,me gusta esta escena

[neoveexan]

Hypnotized indeed.

[HarleryQuinn]

I felt hypnotized by this scene...

[SeriousIlya]

SO TRUE

agreed 100%

Ambient/Darkscape shall never end

[smokill91]

@HarleryQuinn yeah i was so focused by this scene.... amazing

[Ochsenburg]

stalker of knowledge

[Porgot138]

It's all an accident, an accident of hands. Mine, others, all without mind, from one extreme to another, but neither works nor will ever. Yet we stand here in the middle of no man's land.

- Sergeant Steiner (1)

[gillianx68000]

muy grande Tarkovsky i su arte dejo ese hombre secuencias asombrosas preciosas really great

[mirgavno]

probably the most meaningful movie ever made

[SeriousIlya]

Yeah, and it still was criticized :(

Critics should go to hell. Tarkovsky died pretty young

[shooroopski]

a bit off top, but mystic...

there is a scene in this movie, where a paper calendar is clearly visible. So, u can see 22 december on it. It is the day when Tarkovsky actually died...

[vaibach]

Bueno..al final estaba vivo! jeje...

Es intenso y chocanque! Que HdPs!! jaj

Muy bueno!

[ARTisRESISTANCEmLp]

solo era un sueño...

[Ceaerreoele]

Simplemente genial

[klaussigloxxv]

Genial !!! indescriptible poesia visual y sonora

[harrypartch]

Utterly fantastic scene. And the film quality is excellent too which makes a big difference. Thanks for adding this to the small percentage of inspired youtube content.

Personally as a whole film I thought Mirror was more magical than Stalker, but this sequence is stunning.

[Vandertop]

This is my favourite scene from all of Tarkovsky's films. I don't think he intended us to look for specific meanings or symbols in his work.

[khomatech]

i don't think you know what you're talking about then

[GraachAhim]

I'd love to understand the meaning of each of these objects, obviously icons (archetypes ?) of the inner world of the characters, or maybe the director's. My cultural references can't reach it.

[xxxaero]

Each object is a symbol for something, in reference to the human existance and beyond. It starts off by showing fish swimming inside some container, unaware that there is a greater world out there. Then there is a religious icon + money - should be an obvious one. Then a rusted gun, a symbol to wars and violence and their ultimate failure. After that follows some kind of a lock mechanism, lying upside down. Perhaps its a clue to search for answers within, not from outside.

[xxxaero]

Next is some barbed wire, and a spring. Both objects are metallic, except one is used for violence and suffering, and the other one for progress. Finally, there is a human hand, the hand that created everything listed prior.

If anyone can spot more symbols/references, or has other suggestions, please let me know. I'd love to discuss Tarkovsky's work with anyone who is interested!

[GraachAhim]

Thanks for your insights, and congratulations too. I'm reflecting about it all.

[GraachAhim]

I really don't think Tarkovski shoot this sequence in your bathtube, Mr. Hobo.

[SovietWarrior]

Yes, fuck off and "enjoy yourself", punk. Don't wear it out too soon.

Truly, in this World, there is a handful of humans, and an army of imbecilic cattle. Good to know we can at least use the cattle as cannon fodder.

[SovietWarrior]

If you've seen one, you've seen them all. If your views belong to general "public", then "cattle" is an apt name, yeah.

[petrisz]

And also water is very important. It represents chaos or subconscious formlessness and so on. In my opinion that is why all the caracters interact with water in their (inner) journey. Also submerging in water (chaos) and then emerging from water means the recreation of the structured and now cleansed world. It's a cycle you end up at the same location but cleansed and full of insight. Like a culture-hero's journey to the underworld.

[noniimutku]

This is grand.

[68est]

Stalker is an epiphany. Tarkovski a prophet. His art a ressurection. Thanks for sharing!

[faraz1729]

Quiet easily the most brilliant scene of all of Tarkovsky's work. Tarkovsky's art is not entertainment. It is a religion.

[leprechaun2011]

@faraz1729 PLEASE tell me you were on acid when you wrote this.

[deathwarmedup73]

@leprechaun2011 Hi,

I'm curious why you contested faraz1729's opinion?

[zulu789456]

@faraz1729 your comment was good until the religion part.

[eoyg]

genial esta pelicula, excelente corto

[krazyk82]

does anyone know what instruments are used? besides maybe a pan flute?

[Koantum]

may be sakuachi...

[BigBuddha3]

not shakuhachi, i think this is a Indian Flute: Bansuri

[Melissamart]

The zither-like background is some sort of analog synth - they existed in the Soviet Union too - and run through an echo unit. The piece is oddly reminiscent of the opening of Floyd's "Shine On You Crazy Diamond" but this kind of dronelike, disoriented styff was around in Soviet classical music long before psychedelia in the West (which was not accepted in the USSR of course) - Shostakovich uses a good deal of drones, open chords and odd string techniques.

[lsdmadman]

thankyou muucho,,,this is my favorite coupla minutes in film...bravo tarkovsky

[jenyik]

thanks for posting this

[Movietrax]

Yes, Artemiev's music for Tarkovsky is a dream.