The Mirror (Zerkalo)

1975 film from Tarkovskiy, this is known as his most difficult, and perhaps his most audacious film. We found it indeed very, very difficult, but at the same time a complete work, where greatness lies.
The image takes precedence in this movie. The shots of the wheatfield, the yellows and the wind and smoke that fly through them, supplies some moments of sublimity. The long, wide shots convey this well. As does a kind of emptiness, a kind of use of blank spaces and empty air. Their are moments of great beauty, as this technique really lets nature come out, without having to be drawn. In particular we remember the woodpile, and we remember the bird that floats. Again, we have two very difficult images to compute, which again may be better on re-watching.
The juxtapostions of memory, with the at time drawling alter-ego of the director giving us a tour (this is the closest Tarkovskiy will get to identifying witha character; his floating camera stops this largely).
Tarkovskiy's long scenes aren't particularly noticeable, because of these movements. His films don't intrude on one, despite the high levels of difficulty and symbolic/allegorical opaqueness.
This is another film we look greatly forward to seeing again, on the greatest size of screen we possibly can. It will reveal more, in its propulsive imagery and multi-layered manner. We remain curious.