Ivan's Childhood Blu-ray - Andrei Tarkovsky

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S E A R C H D V D B e a v e r

(aka " Ivan's Childhood" or "Ivanovo detstvo" or "Childhood of Ivan" or "My Name Is Ivan" or "The Youngest Spy")

Soviet Union 1962

The debut feature from the great Andrei Tarkovsky, Ivan’s Childhood is an evocative, poetic journey through the shadows and shards of one boy’s war-torn youth. Moving back and forth between the traumatic realities of WWII and the serene moments of family life before the conflict began, Tarkovsky’s film remains one of the most jarring and unforgettable depictions of the impact of violence on children in wartime.

***

Andrei Tarkovsky presents an austere, bleak and haunting portrait of lost innocence in Ivan's Childhood. Tarkovsky uses sharp, contrasting scenes of light and darkness to visually delineate between the idealization of a normal life and its seeming elusiveness in the hopelessness of war: the brightness of the sunshine during Ivan's dream sequences and Kholin's courtship of the nurse, Masha (Valentina Malyavina) at a birch forest provide a jarring transition from the dark trenches, murky swamps, and poorly lit barracks of the battlefield. Nevertheless, within the daylight sequences, Tarkovsky continues to reinforce a pervasive sense of entrapment and helplessness: the spider web on the opening shot; Ivan bathing in the well; Kholin's stolen kiss from Masha while straddling a trench. What emerges is an ominous and incongruent coexistence of nature and frontiers, humanity and cruelty, youth and nihilism - a reflection of the austere and unnatural landscape of war.

Excerpt from Acquarello's comment on the Strictly Film School website located HERE

Posters

Theatrical Release: April, 1962 - Soviet Union

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Comparison:

Criterion - Region 1 - NTSC vs. MK2 - Region 0 - PAL vs. Artificial Eye - Region 0 - PAL vs. Spectrum (Korean) - Region 3 - NTSC vs. Criterion - Region 'A' - Blu-ray

Thanks to Kevin Parent for the Korean Screen Captures

1) Criterion - Region 1- NTSC TOP LEFT

2) MK2 - Region 0 - PAL - TOP RIGHT

3) Artificial Eye - Region 0 - NTSC - BOTTOM LEFT

4) Spectrum - Region 3 - NTSC - BOTTOM MIDDLE

5) Criterion Collection - Region 'A' - Blu-ray - BOTTOM LEFT

Box Covers
Distribution	Criterion Collection (Spine # 397) - Region 1 - NTSC	MK2 (France) Region 0 - PAL

Artificial Eye (UK)

Region 0 - PAL

Spectrum (Korea)
Region 3 - NTSC

Criterion Collection - Spine # 397 - Region 'A' - Blu-ray

Distribution	Criterion Collection (Spine # 397) - Region 1 - NTSC	MK2 (France) Region 0 - PAL	Artificial Eye (UK) Region 0 - PAL	Spectrum (Korea) Region 3 - NTSC	Criterion Collection - Spine # 397 - Region 'A' - Blu-ray
Runtime	1:35:09	1:30:48 (4% PAL speedup)	1:30:54 (4% PAL speedup)	1:30:51 (4% PAL speedup)	1:35:13.082
Video	1.33:1 Original Aspect Ratio Average Bitrate: 6.79 NTSC 704x480 29.97 f/s	1.37:1 Original Aspect Ratio Average Bitrate: 6.39 mb/s PAL 720x576 25.00 f/s	1.37:1 Original Aspect Ratio Average Bitrate: 6.40 mb/s PAL 720x576 25.00 f/s	1.37:1 Original Aspect Ratio Average Bitrate: 6.80 NTSC 704x480 29.97 f/s	1.37:1 Original Aspect Ratio 1080P / 23.976 fps Dual-layered Blu-ray Disc Size: 43,107,439,534 bytes Feature: 27,895,498,752 bytes Video Bitrate: 34.98 Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video
	NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes
Bitrate: Criterion
Bitrate: MK2
Bitrate: Artificial Eye.
Bitrate: Spectrum
Bitrate: Blu-ray
Audio	Russian (Dolby Digital 1.0 mono)	Russian (Dolby Digital 5.1), Russian (Dolby Digital 1.0 mono) DUB: Russian (Dolby Digital 5.1)	Russian (Dolby Digital 5.1), Russian (Dolby Digital 1.0 mono)	Russian (Dolby Digital 5.1), Russian (Dolby Digital 1.0 mono)	LPCM Audio Russian 1152 kbps 1.0 / 48 kHz / 1152 kbps / 24-bit
Subtitles	English and none	Russian, English, Deutsch, French, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, Dutch, Swedish, Arabic, Hebrew, Mandarin, Japanese, None	English, Russian and none	English, Russian, Korean and none	English and none
Features	Release Information: Studio: Criterion Aspect Ratio: Original Aspect Ratio - 1.33:1 Edition Details: • Video appreciation of filmmaker Andrei Tarkovsky and Ivan's Childhood, featuring Vida T. Johnson, coauthor of The Films of Andrei Tarkovsky: A Visual Fugue • Video interviews with cinematographer Vadim Yusov and actor Nikolai Burlyaev • 30-page Liner booklet featuring an essay by film scholar Dina Iordanova and new translations, by Robert Bird, of "Between Two Films," Andrei Tarkovsky's essay about Ivan's Childhood, and "Ivan�s Willow," a poem by the director's father, Arseny Tarkovsky DVD Release Date: July 24th, 2007 Keep case Chapters 18	Release Information: Studio: MK2 Aspect Ratio: Original Aspect Ratio - 1.37:1 Edition Details: • Archive Section with two short films: Children of War (18:28), and Scenes from Tarkovsky's "The Steamroller and the Violin" (4:56) with removable white subtitles • 3 Interviews, Yevgany Zharikov (18:26), Vyacheslov Ochinnikov (33:19), Vadim Yusoz (33:20) - with removable white sub-titles • Bios of 14 Production staff over 43 static pages • Photo Gallery with 8 restored Photos DVD Release Date: May 25th, 2002 Think slip case with no sleeve Chapters 15 English subs on all Extras	Release Information: Studio: Artificial Eye Aspect Ratio: Original Aspect Ratio - 1.37:1 Edition Details: • Archive Section with two short films: Children of War (18:28), and Scenes from Tarkovsky's "The Steamroller and the Violin" (4:56) with removable white subtitles • 3 Interviews, Yevgany Zharikov (18:26), Vyacheslov Ochinnikov (33:19), Vadim Yusoz (33:20) - with removable white sub-titles • Bios of 14 Production staff over 43 static pages • Photo Gallery with 8 restored Photos DVD Release Date: August 26th, 2002 Keep Case Chapters 15 English subs on all Extras	Release Information: Studio: Spectrum Aspect Ratio: Original Aspect Ratio - 1.37:1 Edition Details: • Archive Section with two short films: Children of War (18:28), and Scenes from Tarkovsky's "The Steamroller and the Violin" (4:56) with removable white subtitles • 3 Interviews, Yevgany Zharikov (18:26), Vyacheslov Ochinnikov (33:19), Vadim Yusoz (33:20) - with removable white sub-titles • Bios of 14 Production staff over 43 static pages • Photo Gallery with 8 restored Photo DVD Release Date: June 11th, 2003 Keep Case Chapters 15 English subs on all Extras	Release Information: Studio: Criterion Aspect Ratio: 1.37:1 1.37:1 Original Aspect Ratio 1080P / 23.976 fps Dual-layered Blu-ray Disc Size: 43,107,439,534 bytes Feature: 27,895,498,752 bytes Video Bitrate: 34.98 Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video Edition Details: • Video appreciation of filmmaker Andrei Tarkovsky and Ivan's Childhood, featuring Vida T. Johnson, coauthor of The Films of Andrei Tarkovsky: A Visual Fugue • Video interviews with cinematographer Vadim Yusov and actor Nikolai Burlyaev • 30-page Liner booklet featuring an essay by film scholar Dina Iordanova and new translations, by Robert Bird, of "Between Two Films," Andrei Tarkovsky's essay about Ivan's Childhood, and "Ivan�s Willow," a poem by the director's father, Arseny Tarkovsky Blu-ray Release Date: January 22nd, 2013 Transparent Blu-ray case Chapters 17
Alternate Version				There is an Region 0 PAL Italian version of Ivan's Childhood on DVD with dubs of Italian 5.1 Dolby Digital , Italian mono Dolby Digital and Russian 5.1 Dolby Digital. It has a bit arte of 5.5 mps and a Review (in Italian) can be found HERE.

Comments:

NOTE: The below Blu-ray captures were taken directly from the Blu-ray disc.

ADDITION: Criterion - Region 'A' Blu-ray - January 2013: The Criterion 1080P is brilliant. It seems like we have waited so long with the 2007 Picture-boxing a less satisfying stop-gap to the ultra-impressive image produced on the Blu-ray. The layered contrast and tighter detail significantly make this image quality rise to its most appreciated level. Tarkovsky's film has so many beautiful shots - just rolling one after the other - and the black and white hi-def image is extremely pleasing.

The audio is rendered in a lossless linear PCM track - clean and resonably crisp with optuional English subtitles. Extras duplicate the 2007 DVD; 'Vida T. Johnson (coauthor of The Films of Andrei Tarkovsky: A Visual Fugue) gives a 30 minute video appreciation entitled 'Life as a Dream'. She discusses the significance of Ivan's Childhood in relation to the body of Tarkovsky's oeuvre. There are also two important interviews - one with the actor Nikolai Burlyaev (Ivan) - it is divided into chapters (lead role, screen tests, finding tears, the shoot and true patriot) and runs about 10 minutes in total. We have another with cinematographer Vadim Yusov - longtime Tarkovsky collaborator (Andrei Rublev, Solaris). It is also divided into chapters (visual language, preparation, dream and texture). They also run about 10 minutes in total and have some important information - very valuable. Finally we are given a nice bound 30-page liner notes booklet featuring an essay by film scholar Dina Iordanova and new translations, by Robert Bird, of "Between Two Films," Andrei Tarkovsky's essay about Ivan's Childhood, and "Ivan's Willow," a poem by the director's father, Arseny Tarkovsky.'

Some directors films are so visual (Antonioni) and it seems they were meant to be viewed in the pristine-levels of this new format. I was pretty blown-away by my viewing. Bravo Criterion - our strongest recommendation.

***

ADDITION - Criterion - Region 1- NTSC - July 07': The Criterion DVD is pictureboxed (see our description of 'pictureboxing' in our Kind Hearts and Coronets review), so it immediately gives up some resolution to the compared PAL DVDs - (than simply the standard difference). But as with existing PAL comparisons of Three Film By Hiroshi Teshigahara , the Criterion transfer is superior - sharper and cleaner - vastly improved contrast and detail. They just keep upping the bar! With the framing - I don't see the Criterion losing much, if any.

It's funny, not too long ago, I remember being ecstatic about the MK2 edition but next to the Criterion it looks like a weak sister. The French release appears a shade blown-out (see large capture set # 2). The Criterion is in original mono audio (Russian) with optional English subtitles that seems more complete than the French DVD translation, but I better say I really no which is more accurate - just that Criterion is a bit more detailed.

Criterion have included some wonderful extra features - Vida T. Johnson (coauthor of The Films of Andrei Tarkovsky: A Visual Fugue) gives a 30 minute video appreciation entitled 'Life as a Dream'. She discusses the significance of Ivan's Childhood in relation to the body of Tarkovsky's oeuvre. There are also two important interviews - one with the actor Nikolai Burlyaev (Ivan) - it is divided into chapters (lead role, screen tests, finding tears, the shoot and true patriot) and runs about 10 minutes in total. We have another with cinematographer Vadim Yusov - longtime Tarkovsky collaborator (Andrei Rublev, Solaris). It is also divided into chapters (visual language, preparation, dream and texture). They also run about 10 minutes in total and have some important information - very valuable. Finally we are given a nice bound 30-page liner notes booklet featuring an essay by film scholar Dina Iordanova and new translations, by Robert Bird, of "Between Two Films," Andrei Tarkovsky's essay about Ivan's Childhood, and "Ivan's Willow," a poem by the director's father, Arseny Tarkovsky. Grand indeed and more than hopes could have wished for on all fronts. How could I not recommended?

***

ADDITION - MK2 - May 2005 - Well I don't know why but the MK2 - seemingly also a RusCiCo port - is vastly superior to the AE and the Spectrum. It is tighter, although still sports a think black border around the edge, is sharper and has much better contrast. The blown-out contrast boosting of the Artificial Eye and the Spectrum are quite evident. The MK2 offers the same extras as the other two and also an optional French 5.1 DUB. It does still include the mono option. It is very surprising that both Mirror and Andrei Rublev are unimproved ports yet Ivan's Childhood has gotten significantly better from its initial RusCiCo publishing.

****

On the AE and Spectrum: Both discs are attributed to RusCiCo. As the Extras appears to be duplicated and the picture quality is just about the same, I can't tell you to avoid the Spectrum disc, BUT it presently only comes in a Boxset with inferior duplications of RusCiCo - Tarkovsky films ( see our Mirror comparison). So, what I am saying is don't buy the Boxset. It could be a fancy bootleg, or they could have purchased the rights from RusCiCo. I really don't know, but as far as duplications go, this one is very exact. I do notice some cropping down the left edge of the Spectrum as well as some contrast boosting so we go with the Artificial Eye.

- Gary W. Tooze

Recommended Reading (CLICK COVERS or TITLES for more information)


The Cinema of Andrei Tarkovsky (British Film Institute) (Paperback) by Mark Le Fanu	Biography - Tarkovsky, Andrei (1932-1986): An article from: Contemporary Authors by --Sketch by Les Stone	Tarkovsky by Jean-Paul Sartre (Contributor), Marc Forster (Contributor)	Instant Light: Tarkovsky Polaroids by Giovanni Chiaramonte and Andrei A. Tarkovsky	Tarkovsky: Cinema as Poetry by Maya Turovskaya	Andrei Tarkovsky: Elements of Cinema by Robert Bird


The Sacred Cinema of Andrei Tarkovsky by Jeremy, Mark Robinson	Andrei Tarkovsky (Pocket Essentials S.) (Paperback) by Sean Martin	The Films of Andrei Tarkovsky: A Visual Fugue by Vida T. Johnson and Graham Petrie	Andrei Tarkovsky: Interviews (Conversations With Filmmakers Series)	Sculpting in Time: Reflections on Cinema by Andrei Tarkovsky
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