The Steamroller and the Violin
Encyclopedia
The Steamroller and the Violin , is a 1960 short film directed by Andrei Tarkovsky
and from a screenplay written by Andrei Konchalovsky
and Andrei Tarkovsky. The film tells the story of the unlikely friendship of Sasha (Igor Fomchenko), a little boy, and Sergey (Vladimir Zamansky), the operator of a steamroller. The film was Tarkovsky's diploma film at the State Institute of Cinematography (VGIK), but was made at the Mosfilm
studio.
. He is learning to play the violin. Every morning he has to cross the yard to go to the music school, trying to avoid some other children who are bullying and harassing him. This day he is lucky as Sergey (Vladimir Zamansky), the operator of a steamroller, tells them to leave Sasha alone.
At the music school he plays beautifully, but his teacher, who is more interested in form and order, is stifling his creativity with a metronome. On his way back home Sasha meets Sergey again, who allows him to help him on the steamroller. The two have lunch together and face a number of adventures as they walk around Moscow. They watch a wrecking ball demolishing a decrepit building, reavealing one of the Seven Sisters
in the background. Sergey tells stories about the war, and Sasha play the violin for his new friend.
They part with the plan to see a film together, but the plans are foiled by Sasha's mother. Sasha attempts to sneak out of the apartment, and in the final scene we see Sasha running after the steamroller in a dream like sequence.
and Andrei Konchalovsky
, a fellow student of Tarkovsky at the State Institute of Cinematography (VGIK). They worked on the script for more than six months in 1959 and 1960. According to an interview with Polish journalist Zdzislaw Ornatowski, Tarkovsky wanted the film to be a poetic film, based on mood and atmosphere, not on sharp conflicts or traditional dramaturgy.
Apart from a couple of minor scenes, two scenes from the first script versions were not included in the final shooting script. First, a scene showing a rehearsal for the May Day parade showing tanks rolling along the street. In the final shooting script this scene is left out in favor of the demolition scene. This scene was intended to reference the war experience of Sergey. The second change involved the final scene of the film. In an earlier variant Sasha waits for Sergey to arrive at work. Sergey ignores Sasha, until Sasha climbs on the steamroller. An alarm clock rings, revealing this to be a dream.
For the role of the operator of the steamroller, Sergey, Tarkovsky cast Vladimir Zamansky, an actor at the Sovremennik Theatre
. For the role of Sasha he cast Igor Fomchenko, a seven-year-old music school student. Although Tarkovsky was at this time only an unknown film student, he wanted to hire the well-known Sergey Urusevsky
as cinematographer. As Urusevsky turned down the offer, Tarkovsky hired Vadim Yusov
, who would also be the cameraman for Tarkovsky's Ivan's Childhood and Andrei Rublev
.
Although the film was Tarkovsky's diploma film, it was produced at the Mosfilm
studio at the production unit for children's films. The film was completed in 1960. For his diploma film, Tarkovsky earned the grade of excellent , the highest possible distinction.
Andrei Tarkovsky
Andrei Arsenyevich Tarkovsky was a Soviet and Russian filmmaker, writer, film editor, film theorist, theatre and opera director, widely regarded as one of the finest filmmakers of the 20th century....
and from a screenplay written by Andrei Konchalovsky
Andrei Konchalovsky
Andrei Mikhalkov-Konchalovsky is a Soviet-American and Russian film director, film producer and screenwriter....
and Andrei Tarkovsky. The film tells the story of the unlikely friendship of Sasha (Igor Fomchenko), a little boy, and Sergey (Vladimir Zamansky), the operator of a steamroller. The film was Tarkovsky's diploma film at the State Institute of Cinematography (VGIK), but was made at the Mosfilm
Mosfilm
Mosfilm is a film studio, which is often described as the largest and oldest in Russia and in Europe. Its output includes most of the more widely-acclaimed Soviet films, ranging from works by Tarkovsky and Eisenstein , to Red Westerns, to the Akira Kurosawa co-production and the epic Война и Мир...
studio.
Plot
Sasha (Igor Fomchenko) is a boy who lives with his mother (Marina Adzhubei) and his sister in an old house in MoscowMoscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
. He is learning to play the violin. Every morning he has to cross the yard to go to the music school, trying to avoid some other children who are bullying and harassing him. This day he is lucky as Sergey (Vladimir Zamansky), the operator of a steamroller, tells them to leave Sasha alone.
At the music school he plays beautifully, but his teacher, who is more interested in form and order, is stifling his creativity with a metronome. On his way back home Sasha meets Sergey again, who allows him to help him on the steamroller. The two have lunch together and face a number of adventures as they walk around Moscow. They watch a wrecking ball demolishing a decrepit building, reavealing one of the Seven Sisters
Seven Sisters (Moscow)
The "Seven Sisters" is the English name given to a group of Moscow skyscrapers designed in the Stalinist style. Muscovites call them Vysotki or Stalinskie Vysotki , " high-rises"...
in the background. Sergey tells stories about the war, and Sasha play the violin for his new friend.
They part with the plan to see a film together, but the plans are foiled by Sasha's mother. Sasha attempts to sneak out of the apartment, and in the final scene we see Sasha running after the steamroller in a dream like sequence.
Production
The script for The Steamroller and the Violin was written by Andrei TarkovskyAndrei Tarkovsky
Andrei Arsenyevich Tarkovsky was a Soviet and Russian filmmaker, writer, film editor, film theorist, theatre and opera director, widely regarded as one of the finest filmmakers of the 20th century....
and Andrei Konchalovsky
Andrei Konchalovsky
Andrei Mikhalkov-Konchalovsky is a Soviet-American and Russian film director, film producer and screenwriter....
, a fellow student of Tarkovsky at the State Institute of Cinematography (VGIK). They worked on the script for more than six months in 1959 and 1960. According to an interview with Polish journalist Zdzislaw Ornatowski, Tarkovsky wanted the film to be a poetic film, based on mood and atmosphere, not on sharp conflicts or traditional dramaturgy.
Apart from a couple of minor scenes, two scenes from the first script versions were not included in the final shooting script. First, a scene showing a rehearsal for the May Day parade showing tanks rolling along the street. In the final shooting script this scene is left out in favor of the demolition scene. This scene was intended to reference the war experience of Sergey. The second change involved the final scene of the film. In an earlier variant Sasha waits for Sergey to arrive at work. Sergey ignores Sasha, until Sasha climbs on the steamroller. An alarm clock rings, revealing this to be a dream.
For the role of the operator of the steamroller, Sergey, Tarkovsky cast Vladimir Zamansky, an actor at the Sovremennik Theatre
Sovremennik Theatre
Moscow Sovremennik Theatre is a theatre company in Moscow founded in 1956. "Sovremennik" means "Contemporary".-History:Sovremennik Theatre was founded by a group of young Soviet actors during Khrushchev Thaw...
. For the role of Sasha he cast Igor Fomchenko, a seven-year-old music school student. Although Tarkovsky was at this time only an unknown film student, he wanted to hire the well-known Sergey Urusevsky
Sergey Urusevsky
Sergey Pavlovich Urusevsky was a Soviet cinematographer and film director, renowned for his work with Grigori Chukhrai, Mikhail Kalatozov and Yuli Raizman....
as cinematographer. As Urusevsky turned down the offer, Tarkovsky hired Vadim Yusov
Vadim Yusov
Vadim Ivanovich Yusov is a Soviet and Russian cinematographer and a professor of the Gerasimov Institute of Cinematography, who worked with Andrey Tarkovsky on The Steamroller and the Violin, Ivan's Childhood, Andrei Rublev and Solaris, and with Georgi Daneliya on I Step Through Moscow...
, who would also be the cameraman for Tarkovsky's Ivan's Childhood and Andrei Rublev
Andrei Rublev (film)
Andrei Rublev , also known as The Passion According to Andrei, is a 1966 Russian film directed by Andrei Tarkovsky from a screenplay written by Andrei Konchalovsky and Andrei Tarkovsky. The film is loosely based on the life of Andrei Rublev, the great 15th century Russian icon painter...
.
Although the film was Tarkovsky's diploma film, it was produced at the Mosfilm
Mosfilm
Mosfilm is a film studio, which is often described as the largest and oldest in Russia and in Europe. Its output includes most of the more widely-acclaimed Soviet films, ranging from works by Tarkovsky and Eisenstein , to Red Westerns, to the Akira Kurosawa co-production and the epic Война и Мир...
studio at the production unit for children's films. The film was completed in 1960. For his diploma film, Tarkovsky earned the grade of excellent , the highest possible distinction.