Considered by many, myself included, to be one of the finest films of all time, Andrey Rublev is a stunningly epic film, with a story that meanders through history, focussing predominantly on the life of the icon painter, Rublev, as well as a conflict between rival twin Princes and Tartar invasions.
It was only Tarkovsky's second film but was hugely ambitious, featuring grand battles, thousands of extras and a whole 15th century town alongside a personal artistic vision that saw early signs of Tarkovsky's style of visual poetry that came to dominate his later films.
The ever-changing focus of the plot can be a little disorienting, as are the jumps in time, but the ambiguity of the elliptical narrative makes this far more interesting than the Hollywood version would be. There's a healthy balance between introspective exploration and exciting action that can only be found in the big budget art films made in the Soviet Union.
For me, the best part of the film is the final half hour, which could easily stand alone as its own film. By this point Andrei Rublev has drifted into the background as we see the young Kirill, son of the greatest bellmaker who was killed in the Tartar attack, charged with the responsibility of casting the replacement bell for the rebuilding of the city. Here we see the young, insecure man attempting to assert himself over his more experienced crew, promising them the secret of bell-clay. It's such an interesting premise for a film, and a great analogy, within this context of Russian history, of the strength and conviction with which the young nation united its various warring factions to create the beauty and culture of the modern Russia - as Tarkovsky saw it anyhow.
The breathtaking cinematography, intense performances, unique narrative, challenging length and theological and philosophical content make this an incredible and engrossing cinematic experience.
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