Ivan's Childhood

Ivan, a twelve-year-old boy, works as a spy. He easily crosses the enemy's boundaries in order to collect information. Three Soviet officers take good care of him.

Ivan's Childhood Directed  by Andrei Tarkovsky is his gift to Cinema.The movie depicts the horrors of war how it had shattered many Russian lives.His style is seen depicting war through the eyes of a 12 year old child and his dreams which were about his past normal life shattered by the death of his mother.Monochrome delights deal with the tragedy of the war.

The elements of Tarkovsky's films like nature , religion, dreams are all captured beautifully by the camera.the film depicted the war through his memories at one moment he is with his mother and the next shot he is stalking some nazi soldier.The film says about Ivan's childhood  is depicted largely by his memories.It has shown that how Ivan has survived the war Physically but Mentally he was changed forever.The movie is the screen adaption of the book Ivan by Russian writer Vladimir Bogomolov although a fictional story but based on facts.

For Tarkovsky's picture one has to know that what one doesn't work doesn't matter as the one does.The picture is staggering in the depictions of brutality on the mind and consciousness through Ivan and his adult counterparts and about how a time in life can be taken away in an instant.The movie examines a contrast difference between a idyllic past and present front line life.
It's truly one of the great works of Tarkovsky to watch.

The Face of Another

A burn victim begins developing a dark personality after procuring a mask that covers his burns. Meanwhile, a young woman with a scar-ridden cheek tries to deal with neglect and insult.

Directed by Japanses Film maker Hiroshi Teshigahara The Face of Another ( Japanese name - Tanin no Kao) and released in the Year 1966. This film along with his another work Woman in Dunes has made the director earn praises.

Teshigahara has worked to examine unsettling dimensions of Human experience.after seeing this film the question that arises are What is Identity? How is it established and their connections with identities,Personality and Physical appearance. Our common beliefs are challenged as we watch this film.

The influence of French existentialists like Kafka , Dostoevsky and their works like Crime and Punishment, Knots can be looming large in the movie. these works underline how little autonomy we have in creating our identities.Our Identities are often exists only as beings for others.The movie is Visually striking with great editing and the musical score works great in creating sharp contrast in happy, sad music which represent the reality of Faceless People.

Warning that this movie is not like a Science Fiction in no conventional way. It is a Psychological Drama to say truly and not a Sci-fi. Overall it's an excellent film to watch and understand.

Faith Connections

The Seventh Seal

The Seventh Seal

A medieval knight challenges Death to a chess game to save himself and his friends.

Directed by the Legend Ingmar Bergman and also written by himself in 1957 is the story of a Medieval Knight who return from crusades back to his home country during the the Plague.

Starring Max Von Sydow as Antonius Block ( The Knight) and Gunnar Bjornstrand as Jons ( His Squire)after returning from the Battlefield the Knight is greeted by non other than Death himself. he was informed that Death was always by his side
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He strikes a Bargain or we can also say he makes a challenge to Death about a game of Chess if the Death is defeated he will spare the lives of him and his squire. Although greatly amused by this challenge Death accepts it and the condition is that as long as the Game goes on they will continue to live.
He uses this time to look back at life and his decisions and also thinks about the crusades and the practices that were greatly influenced by Religion. 


This work of Bergman went on becoming one of the classics of Cinema.Bergman questions the meaning of Life, Death, Faith and existence of God The thought that Death is along with us always yet we fear to face it and thus live a life inconceivable of our fullest potential. 
Also the the very quest of Challenging Death to a game of Chess is very thought provoking. It derives a balance on existence and non - existence of a being. It brings a balanced outlook. Although there are many biblical references to the film for one to understand it  fully.

The cinematography is great. it has some stunning, powerful  and haunting images  which stays in mind.
One of the most iconic shot of the film the Danse Macabre or Dance of Death at the end of the Film at the crest of the distant hill is one of the breathtaking shot of the film.

Dance of Death

The Seventh Seal is one of the classics of world cinema and a must watch and experience film for everyone who wishes to understand the cinema.