The Sacrifice

The Sacrifice (1986)

Genres - Drama, Horror, Thriller  |   Sub-Genres - Psychological Drama, Religious Drama  |   Release Date - Nov 7, 1986 (USA)  |   Run Time - 145 min.  |   Countries - France, United Kingdom, Sweden  |   MPAA Rating - PG
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Synopsis by Hal Erickson

The Sacrifice, director Andrei Tarkovsky's final film, begins in Bergmanesque fashion on a small, remote island, where friends and family gather for drama critic Alexander's (Erland Josephson) birthday celebration. The revelry is interrupted by a radio announcement: World War III has begun, and Mankind is only hours away from utter annihilation. Each of the guests reacts differently to the news: the most dramatic response is Alexander's, who promises God that he'll give up everything he holds dear--including his beloved 6-year-old son -- if war is averted. Allan Edwall, a local mailman with purported mystical powers, offers to intervene with the Creator on Josephson's behalf. The Sacrifice is so dependent upon its visuals and overall mood that any attempt at a detailed synopsis would be woefully inadequate. The willingness of Tarkovsky's protagonist to forego all his possessions may well have sprung from the cancer-ridden director's awareness that he, too, would soon be giving up everything to face his Maker. The Sacrifice won four awards at the Cannes Film Festival, including the Grand Prix.

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Keywords

supernatural, chase, extramarital-affair, family, fire, magic, nuclear-holocaust, party, post-nuclear-holocaust, prayers, sacrifice, vacation