Jeff Goldblum said Andrei Tarkovsky’s 1979 film *Stalker* was “truly mind-altering” after finally watching it as part of his effort to fill gaps in his cinema education. He described the Russian-language classic as poetic and said he was still processing its effect, highlighting the film’s ability to reshape viewers’ understanding of life, desire and faith.

Nearly three hours long, *Stalker* follows three men travelling through a dangerous wasteland towards a room believed to fulfil their deepest wishes. The production was extremely troubled: much of the original footage was lost, and several crew members, including Tarkovsky and his wife, later developed cancer after filming near toxic areas.