Russian Ark [DVD]

Russian screenwriter and director Alexandr Sokurov`s eleventh feature film which he co-wrote with Anatoly Nikiforov, Russian screenwriter and director Svetlana Proskurina and Boris Khaimisky, is a Russia-Germany co-production which was shot entirely in the State Hermitage Museum in the federal city of St. Petersburg in Northwestern Russia. It premiered In competition at the 55th Cannes International Film Festival in 2002 and was produced by Russian producer Andrey Deryabin, German screenwriter, producer and director Jens Meurer and producer Karsten Stöter. It tells the story about a French aristocrat named Marquis de Custine and called the European who walks through an 18th century Winter Palace, formerly inhabited by Russian czars, in Saint Petersburg during the 19th century. While examining a world of historic art and culture and encountering various people from different periods in time, the European engages in a communication with an unnamed man who accompanies him through the giant museum. Distinctly and engagingly directed by Russian filmmaker Alexandr Sokurov who created the visual concept and principal image design for the film, this quietly paced and astonishing historic drama which alternates between the point of view of the narrator (Alexandr Sokurov) and his companion, draws a remarkable portrayal of an ongoing conversation between a French writer and a Russian while they are moving from one salon to another and one period to another. While notable for its somewhat surreal and colorful milieu depictions, stellar costume design by costume designers Tamara Seferyan, Maria Grishanova and Lidiya Kryukova, cinematography by German cinematographer Tilman Büttner and art direction by Russian production designer and art director Yelena Zhukova and production designer and costume designer Natalia Kochergina, this dialog-driven story has a fine score by Russian composer Sergey Yevtushenko. This visually exquisite, profoundly atmospheric and fairytale-like tour through history and time in one of the oldest and largest museums of the world, was shot in one single continuous take, contains a cast of 867 actors, some scenes of sheer cinematic magic and is impelled by Russian actor Sergei Dreyden`s vivacious acting performance. A meritorious achievement from a visionary filmmaker and a magnificent homage to humanity, art, culture and history which gained, among other awards, the Visions Award Alexandr Sokurov at the 27th Toronto International Film Festival in 2002 and the Nika Award for Best Production designer Yelena Zhukova and Natalia Kochergina at the Nika Awards in 2004.

An altogether surprising achievement in film making. Not every bodies cup of tea I should imagine, but very well made, all in one take almost, and well acted. I fail to give five stars simply because a lot of the main Russian characters are missed out, but hey ho, this is par for the film course these days it seems. Very good film though.

There's been enough said about how this film is shot in one take, and Sokurov justifies this by saying that the film is like one breath, taking in 300 years of Russian history, which it very much is. I was gripped throughout - the technique, with the drifting dream-like steady-cam absorbs you. You find yourself unconscious of the fact that you are actually watching a film. While this may appeal to any foreign-film fan, it's more likely to find favour with people who have an interest in Russian cinema, history and literature, and personally, I can't imagine watching this film without having been to Russia and to The Hermitage (where the film is set) in particular. I just don't think I would have felt the emotional tug of the film (which is quite a strong part of it, alongside the historical element) as much. To go to Saint Petersburg is to realise that Russia is an immensely cultured country, which is what Sokurov is getting at with the European guide in this film. People see Russia as un-European and somewhat barbaric, while they ignorantly assume the French to be the most cultured nation in the world. Sokurov goes some way to refuting that with this work. The extras on the dvd are perfect. There is a short film by Sokurov about the guide in Russian Ark - his past, who he was, why he is chosen to take us round The Hermitage. There is also a documentary about the making of the film, which shows not only how monumental the task of shooting and coming up with the idea for the film was, but gives some historical information and shows us some of the hidden historical figures who pass us by in the film. There is no other film that this can possibly be compared to. Everyone interested in avant-garde cinema or in Russia (and its relationship with Europe) should watch this immediately.

Let me say right away that I absolutely love this film - it is an amazing achievement by the director and crew, and an incredible experience for the viewer - rather like being immersed in a costume drama waking dream for 90 minutes. Technically it was a first, the longest single take ever made. But, the question is, is the blu-ray worth the extra investment? Warning: the answer is rather geeky (blame my working life in the film industry) and could involve you in additional costs. When Russian Ark was first released for the home, it was only available on dvd, which was fine, with (to me) one really annoying exception: the layer transition which occurs just before we enter the ballroom for the Grand Ball, gives a slight pause/jump effect. This totally destroys the trance of the single take and, hence, the raison d'etre of the whole film. With the blu-ray edition, there is no layer transition and thus the film is presented exactly as it should be: one smooth, single take with no annoying jump, and in beautiful HD, which could be bettered by today's standards, but is an improvement on the dvd and, I think, truly reflects the quality available for the original digital film. So the choice is yours: purists will want the blu-ray, even if they already have the dvd, and those who can live with a slight pause will not. One final note for real geeks: if you are upgrading from dvd, the blu-ray has the same extras but they are not in quite the right format (slightly stretched and cropped, compared to the dvd) so if, like me, you are similarly cursed, you will want to keep both copies. (I did warn you).

LOVED IT TO SCENE 10 BUT THEN IT STOPS. This happens on 3 DVD players and the computer says 'damaged tracks' at this point. Unfortunately this was bought as a present a couple of months ago and not played till today and that means the thirty day returns window has closed. I can't even reject it as not fit for purpose although clearly it is. So don't buy this there's a master fault.

Strange to describe film but a real tour de force charge around the Hermitage covering hundreds of years of Russian histroy. More than that, a serious dicussion / comment on Russian cultural identity The filming (all in one take, and perhaps not 'smooth') has been criticised though I thought it added enormous momentum to the film I found it extremely amusing but I gave it 4 stars as I can imagine it may not have enough of a 'story' for many people. Great but not a guaranteed treat for everyone perhaps (I confess to being biased as I recently visited Hermitage - though I suspect this film is a great promotion for the same)

Much is made of the one-take steadicam technique used to film this, a re-enactment of some notable people and events throughout Russian history while an actor playing the Marquis de Custine walks through the Hermitage in St Petersburg as a 'fly on the wall', in conversation with a narrator (the director himself). It is indeed a masterpiece and a visual delight. Really you need to know something about Russian history to appreciate it properly. Having watched it and the accompanying making-of documentary, you'll probably want to read about it and then watch it again. The 1913 grand ball at the end of the film is a spectacular climax, with hundreds of actors in beautiful period costume. Apparently nearly 1,800 actors participated in the whole film.

My favourite foreign film. Totally engrossing. Following a couple of ghosts as they walk at leisure through the palace of Russia's past is a simple idea which might easily have been overdone or underdone but the director gets the balance just right. The dialogue (often just a succession of monologues) is, alternately, profound, eccentric, intellectual and (occasionally) downright weird as the ghostly visitors wander from room to room and era to era, interacting with artists, curators, servants, sailors and (often reluctantly) each other as they explore and try to understand Russia's history, art and people. The final shot, revealing that nothing exists beyond the palace windows but the vast, misty sea of time itself, sends shivers up your spine. An incredible achievement.