Review of Nostalgia (1983) by Tony E — 12 Oct 2018

Nostalghia is my favourite Tarkovsky film. There is something magical about its slowed-down memory and dream sequences, its moments of epiphany, reflection and beauty and its overriding sense of loss and detachment.

Andrei Gorchakov travels to Italy to research the life of Pavel Sosnovsky, an exiled composer who studied in Bologna before returning to Russia and hanging himself. Gorbachev, himself an exile, meets Domenico, a former inmate of a lunatic asylum who locked up his family for 7 years in order to avoid the apocalypse. Domenico believes that if he is able to cross the St Catharine Pool with a lighted candle, he will save the world. He gives the candle to Andrey who agrees to carry out the task on his behalf. Domenico later sets fire to himself in Rome to the 4th movement of Beethoven's ninth symphony. Andrey returns to the pool which has now been drained of water.

There follows one of the greatest moments in cinema. In a single unbroken take lasting over ten minutes, Andrey climbs into the now dry pool, lights the candle and starts to cross from one side to the other, shielding the candle from the wind. Twice the candle blows out and Andrey is forced to return to the beginning. At the third attempt he reaches the other side with the candle still alight and promptly collapses. It is impossible to do justice to this scene simply by recounting what happens. It is unbelievably beautiful. Just thinking about it makes me shudder with awe.