Yet Siberiade is more than an immense historical epic. It is a hauntingly beautiful spectacle reminiscent of the finest works of visionary filmmaker Andrei Tarkovsky (whose Andrei Roublev was co-written by Konchalovsky). Through cinematographer Levan Paatashvili's lens, the Siberian wilderness becomes a mesmerizing universe unto itself, whose forests and swamps are populated by near-mythical characters. Tied to ancient tradition, these spirits seek to protect the countryside from the ravaging forces of time and technology. Ultimately, the village is invaded by an oil-drilling crew that encroaches upon their hallowed burial grounds, generating a conflict between ancestral reverence and government-ordained industrialization that brings Siberiade to an explosive climax.

Siberiade (Special Edition) (Disc 2 of 2) (1979)