The Sacrifice

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Cast & Crew

Erland Josephson
Alexander

Allan Edwall
Otto

Susan Fleetwood
Adelaide

Valérie Mairesse
Julia

Guðrún Gísladóttir
Maria

Sven Wollter
Victor

Filippa Franzen
Marta

Tommy Kjellqvist
Little Man

Andrei Tarkovsky
Director

Andrei Tarkovsky
Writer

Anna-Lena Wibom
Producer

Sven Nykvist
Cinematographer

Henri Colpi
Film Editor

Michal Leszczylowski
Film Editor

Andrei Tarkovsky
Film Editor

Anna Asp
Production Design

Inger Pehrsson
Costume Designer

Florence Fouquier D'Herouel
Makeup Artist

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Critic Reviews for The Sacrifice

Audience Reviews for The Sacrifice

• Jul 01, 2014

  Beautifully acted, directed and told The Sacrifice is a brilliant final work from legendary Russian filmmaker Andrei Tarkovsky. I've given my fair share of praise of his work, and with good reason because every picture that he has made has had the scope of fine filmmaking that only a select few could replicate. The only filmmakers that come to mind when comparing his work is Sergio Leone and Stanley Kubrick, because Tarkovsky tended to make truly spectacular films, films that made a significant impact on cinema. With The Sacrifice, being his final work before his death the same year of its release, Andrei Tarkovsky crafts a fine final film that is just as good as all his previous films. The picture is poignant, beautiful, well crafted and everything about it resonates with the vibe that Tarkovsky has been known for. Crafting a stunning feature with a simple, effective story, yet he takes his time for the plot to unfold and he uses the images to really tell the story and in doing so, The Sacrifice is elevated in terms of a fine work of filmmaking by a pure craftsman that was always able to make masterful, brilliantly shot picture that stood out. How does this film rank among his masterpieces such as Solaris and Stalker, it's definitely up there, and for me anyways, it's a film that is almost perfect, and Tarkovsky again displays storytelling with the basic ideas but he uses the power of vivid, captivating performances along with the powerful imagery to really engage the viewer and suck him into a highly memorable picture that is a brilliant way to end a stunning, legendary career. The Sacrifice is a great picture, and Tarkovsky and it's hard to believe that this was his final film before he died. However, if you're wondering, Andrei Tarkovsky ended his career on a high note, and The Sacrifice is a poignant, evocative and unforgettable drama that is a must watch if you've enjoyed most of his work.
  Alex r Super Reviewer
• Nov 10, 2012

  The perfect poet's farewell is an astonishingly insightful reflection on mortality, an edifice in flames crumbling down, yet entirely sepparated from the disturbing evils of modernity. With all due respect to the master, Tarr did better in the 80s, but his intentional borrowing from Bergman's hallucinatory discussions on religion and God is perfectly understandable and justified, without that sense of doomed euphoria, yet with an existentialist tone invading the walls nonetheless. 96/100
  Edgar C Super Reviewer
• Oct 29, 2011

  First Andrei Tarkovsky movie I've seen, and his final feature. Will definently be looking forward to seeing more of his movies in the near future.This one concerns a theatre critics birthday party amongst close family and friends. When a news broadcast announces that WWIII has begun and nuclear holocaust is imminent. the attendees at the part react in various ways. Most extreme is Alexander who offers to sacrifice his family, his house and his son for this to reverse itself. So much of why this film works is based on its extreme minimalist approach and the mood it evokes, making a plot synopsis that is much more descriptive of what this movie is irrelevent. Apparently there are only 115 shots in this movies 2.5 hour run time, with shots that go on from 6-8 minutes commonplace. The opening shot lasting 9+minutes. So if you don't want to watch a movie that moves really slowly you might want to avoid this one. The cinematography is perfect though, and the minimalist approach i found really emotive. Definently a must see for more adventurous film fans.
  Ed Fucking H Super Reviewer
• May 31, 2007

  I loved it. It has a great point and a great ending. It's very slow moving though, so be warned.
  Morris N Super Reviewer

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