Larisa Shepitko died young and this film is her signature work, a 24 carat gold classic.
She was married to Elem Klimov, who shares the script credits here. His film, 'Come and See', is of equal stature in the war movie canon (and it's available via Cinema Paradiso too).
'The Ascent' is mainly concerned with the moral choices that men and women are forced into making by the cruel circumstances of war. Shepitko added a layer of spiritual significance to the original novel, which brought her into conflict with the Soviet authorities, though the film was passed uncut.
This blu-ray edition boasts a magnificently sharp black-and-white picture. The Russian winter looks both ominous and beautiful. There are some fascinating extras thrown in for good measure.
There is no padding or digression here, just a stark, stripped down narrative with a sense of tragic inevitability.
It is also good to see Tarkovsky's favourite actor, Anatoliy Solonitsin, showing his skills at conveying the power of silence.
Great to see this landmark of world cinema.