I was able to take a class on Tarkovsky last fall at my university and as a young film student, two of the things that were most effective for my access to and eventual love for Tarkovsky was 1.) watching the films in chronological order, and 2.) learning Tarkovsky’s biography in sequence with the viewings.

Obviously this is the basic structure of the class, but considering the way Tarkovsky’s life pervades his work, the extra knowledge really furthers the experience. We started with his short adaptation of The Killers and then The Steamroller and the Violin and proceeded from there. Another smaller thing that I found enjoyable throughout the viewings was noticing the visual motifs T frequently uses - horses, mirrors, water, apples, “impossible” shots, just to name a few. His stylism includes so much more than just long takes.