:
Sergei Dreiden,
Sergei Dreiden,
Maria Kuznetsova,
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:
Alexander Sokurov,
Alexander Sokurov
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: Fox Lorber
: Foreign, Russia, Scandinavia, Experimental/Avant-Garde
: 96 min.
: Russian
: English, French
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Russian filmmaker Alexander Sokurov broke boundaries with his dreamlike vision of the Hermitage in St. Petersburg, Russian Ark. It's the first feature-length narrative film shot in a single take (on digital video, using a specially designed disc instead of tape). Russian Ark is shot from the point-of-view of an unseen narrator, as he explores the museum and travels through Russian history. The audience sees through his eyes as he witnesses Peter the Great (Maksim Sergeyev) abusing one of his generals; Catherine the Great (Maria Kuznetsova) desperately searching for a bathroom; and, in the grand finale, the sumptuous Great Royal Ball of 1913. The narrator is eventually joined by a sarcastic and eccentric 19th century French Marquis (Sergey Dreiden), who travels with him throughout the huge grounds, encountering various historical figures and viewing the legendary artworks on display. While the narrator only interacts with the Marquis (he seems to be invisible to all the other inhabitants), the Marquis occasionally interacts with visitors and former residents of the museum. The film was obviously shot in one day, but the cast and crew rehearsed for months to time their movements precisely with the flow of the camera while capturing the complex narrative, with elaborate costumes from different periods, and several trips out to the exterior of the museum. Tilman Büttner, the director of photography, was responsible for capturing it all in one single Steadicam shot. ~ Josh Ralske, All Movie Guide
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| A truly unique cinematic adventure
by WZoller
August 20, 2004 - 11:49 AM PDT
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2 out of 3 members found this review helpful
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| I missed this movie when it was originally released, but an glad that I rented it through Green Cine, especially with all of the DVD extras that explained the movie (and Russian history) a little better to me. If not anything else, it is an interesting yet brief tour of the Hermitage leaving the viewer wanting to experience more first hand. |
| Enjoying this may take some effort
by squad
June 20, 2004 - 8:42 PM PDT
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5 out of 5 members found this review helpful
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| First the pluses: magnificent costumes, a liesurely stroll through the Hermitage, glimpses of oil paintings, statuary, vases, furniture, dinnerware, and also palace activities such as royal balls, theater, and diplomatic receptions. I also recommend the commentary track while watching. For me the minuses were: first the annoying monolog, the stranger, a Marquis, who is physically unappealing in gestures and appearance, and the lack of clear narration about what it is we are seeing. There are extras on the dvd describing what it is like to haunt the halls of the Hermitage as an employee or a cultee (a strange little man with a wind-up victrola). The other extra describes how the film was made. That said, I was finally able to enjoy to film by disabling the subtitles, ignoring the Marquis by pretending that he was neurotic and ignored "father time" wandering around through the history of the hermitage. I went so far as to mute the film and play a recording by the St. Petersburg Symphony, directed by Titov, which I had downloaded from the Classical Music Archives (http://www.classicalarchives.com/). I viewed it a second time with the commentary track, which was enjoyable. In sum, I would say that the costumes and enactments are a real plus to a tour through an art gallery. Lose the dialog, ignore the Marquis, and this film can really work for you. |
| Stunning
by Andover
November 22, 2003 - 6:58 PM PST
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3 out of 6 members found this review helpful
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A beautiful, allegorical testament to the influence of European culture on Russia and in particular Russian royalty. It comes to a meloncholic crescendo with the final scene that metaphorically ushers out the decadence of Czar Nicholas and ushers in the dark ages of Stalinism. In addition to the beauty of story, the production itself is nothing short of awe-inspiring. It is shot in 1 take (all 96 minutes) with a cast of over 4000 people (including extras).
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GreenCine Member Rating
(Average 6.53)
197 Votes
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