205 minutes of symbol-laden, elliptical tableau. Long stretches without a central character anywhere in sight. Micro-essays concerning creativity, work, faith and doubt posing as dialogue. Some things I’d never seen before watching this film: a cow on fire, a horse falling down a flight of stairs, a drowned swan, a dog beaten with a stick and no label from the ASPCA declaring no animals harmed. But I also found out how to make a giant bell ca.1400 (it involves burying it in the ground and lighting the mound on fire.) I can’t say I fully grasped every moment of this film – I can’t even say I stayed awake for every moment of this film – but there are some wild moments and, in terms of general themes and mood, I think Tarkovsky got his point across. Just slowly.