Search - Ivan's Childhood [Criterion Collection] on DVD

Content Advisory: Violence, Not For Children, Adult Language Movie Release: 1962 DVD Release: 07/24/2007 Format: DVD Edition: Restored/Remastered Audio Tracks: Russian Subtitles: English SwapaDVD Credits: 1 Number of Discs: 1 Run Time: 1 hrs 35 mins Studio: Criterion Members Wishing: 18 Genres: War, War Drama, Childhood Drama, Resistance Film

This debut feature-length wartime drama by noted Russian director Andrei Tarkovsky was a remarkable introduction to a remarkable career. The poetic touch of Tarkovsky's hand and his measured pace is already evident as the tale of the young, twelve-year-old Ivan (Nikolai Burlyayev) evolves. Ivan is orphaned after his village is wiped out by an invading Nazi army and as a consequence, he ends up in a prison camp. The inventive lad escapes and is adopted by Captain Kholin (Valentin Zubkov), whose intention is to send the boy away to school. But Ivan is determined to help the Russian army and so he starts spying on the German forces. Because of his tender years he manages to pass freely back and forth behind enemy lines -- at least for awhile. This exemplary film won the top prize, the Golden Lion award at the 1962 Venice Film Festival and also won the Grand Prize at the 1962 San Francisco Film Festival. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide

Nikolai Burlyayev - Ivan
Valentin Zubkov - Capt. Kholin
Yevgeny Zharikov - Lt. Galtsev
Nikolai Grinko - Col. Gryaznov
Valentina Malyavina - Masha
Stepan Krylov - Katasonych

Andre Tarkovsky's poetic and visually striking screen adaptation of Vladimir Bogomolov's short novel about a young boy's journey through a land devastated by war receives a definitive DVD release in this edition from the Criterion Collection. Ivanovo Detstvo (aka Ivan's Childhood has been given a beautifully detailed transfer to disc in its original Academy aspect ratio of 1.33:1, and the rich scale of grey tones in Vadim Yusov's cinematography has been rendered with stunning clarity. The audio has been mastered in Dolby Digital Mono, and sounds particularly clean for a film of this vintage, with Vyacheslav Ovchinnikov's score especially well served. The dialogue is in the original Russian, with optional English subtitles. As a bonus, the disc includes an appraisal of Tartovsky's films from biographer Vida T. Johnson, as well as new interviews with actor Nikolai Burlyaev (who plays Ivan) and cameraman Yusov. The handsome booklet included with the disc includes an essay and a short poem by Tartovsky, as well as a piece about the film from Dina Iordanova and a number of photos from the film. Ivanovo Detstvo is a crucial early work from one of Russia's most unique cinematic talents, and it's doubtful the film will ever be given a better home video presentation than this. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide