Sculpting in Time: Reflections on the Cinema Paperback – 1 April 1989

Review: Sculpting in Time – Tarkovsky’s Masterpiece on Art and CinemaAndrei Tarkovsky’s 'Sculpting in Time' is more than a book on filmmaking—it is a philosophical meditation on creativity, memory, and the ineffable power of the moving image. Through a deeply personal and poetic lens, Tarkovsky dissects the artistic process, revealing a worldview in which cinema becomes not just a medium but a means of sculpting time itself.One of the book’s most fascinating aspects is Tarkovsky’s belief in artistic honesty; the idea that true creativity must stem from deep personal necessity rather than external influence. He argues that great art emerges from an artist’s inner world rather than market demands or trends, making this work an essential read for any creative mind, not just filmmakers.Another compelling thread in the book is his exploration of cinema’s relationship with theatre and music. Unlike theatre, which he sees as an inherently artificial space defined by its staging, Tarkovsky insists that film has the ability to capture the truth of time unfolding naturally. Similarly, he compares film to music in its ability to create emotional resonance through rhythm and movement rather than narrative alone.Perhaps most strikingly, Tarkovsky views time as the fundamental material of cinema, a radical idea that transforms how we perceive film. Rather than merely recording events, he believes cinema can shape time itself—stretching, compressing, and revealing it in ways no other art form can. His films are exercises in patience and poetic realism, demanding a contemplative engagement from the viewer.For anyone seeking to understand not only Tarkovsky’s films but also the deeper nature of artistic expression, Sculpting in Time is an essential and transformative read.

If you're a Tarkovsky fan this book is a delight!

It is an amount of single pages together making a book. The single pages have letters on them making words. The words make sentences and thus paragraphs. We k ow what the words are because we agree upon the meaning of them.God wrote a book. It isn't the Bible, its Tarkovsky and its sculpting in time.

Stunning portrait of an unforgettable director. Worth read!

this book is excellent. i love his films, and even more after reading this book. so many insights into his ideas.

Inspirational words from the master of film

Great book. Essential reading. Awesome paper.

Brand new acceptable paperpack