Chapter IV Summary and Analysis

Art forms are not developed randomly; they emerge as a response to a specific need in humanity. So, too, did cinema, at the turn of the twentieth century. Tarkovsky wonders if the rhythm of cinema, in its editing, mirrors the rhythms of modern life. Cinema itself has evolved. In the twenties and thirties, it played to the excitement of the audience in seeing life re-enacted on screen, the novelty of the moving image. Now (at the time of the writing of the book, in the mid 1980s), the audience is sophisticated and matured. It has tired of the novelty of cinema, and looks for cinema to fulfill other needs. Tastes have diverged, requiring more and more films for different types of audiences. One film can no longer be trusted to evoke the same reaction from all audience members. Cinema...