Dir. Aleksandr Sokurov, Russia/Germany, 2002, subtitles
Cast: Sergey Dreiden, Mariya Kuznetsova,
Leonid Mozgovoy
A filmmaker is magically transported back to the 18th Century and the Hermitage in St Petersburg. He meets a Frenchman (Sergey Dreiden)and together they embark on a trip through Russia's past, taking in the major events of the tsarist empire - Peter the Great, the family of the last tsar at dinner, blissfully unaware of their impending fate, and the last great Royal Ball. The most amazing aspect about Russian Ark is that the entire 96 minutes consists of one unbroken steadicam shot, filmed over the course of a single day. We never see the main protagonist, but only a world seen through his eyes. This technique actually works and at no point feels as gimmicky, or becomes as monotonous, as one might expect. Director Aleksandr Sokurov admits his use of the single shot is not entirely unique, but it is ambitious nevertheless. His work draws on the theories and practices of Andre Bazin and Jonas Mekas (champion of the New American Cinema of the 1960's), resulting in a studied, painstaking attempt to capture life as 'naturally' as possible on film. However, every action has been rehearsed and positioned for the camera, so the feel of the film is anything but natural. Sokurov's camera is also reminiscent of Renoir's, as it follows a central protagonist before wandering in and out of other people's conversations, stopping to eavesdrop for just a few moments. Russian Ark has many long periods of minimal dialogue, and this allows us time to take in the full beauty and cultural splendour of the Hermitage. Indeed, the museum is the real star. Sokurov delivers a technical and visual tour-de-force, but ultimately there seems to be a gaping wound at the heart of the film where some meaning or emotion should be. David Colenutt |
