Oleg N. Yefremov Movies

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, Rovi

Reviewers considered this film to be more of a collection of raw material for a more tightly crafted film than a film in itself. It consists of footage shot by the Russian dissident (now an Israeli citizen) Moisei Kalik before 1971, when he left Russia, as well as more recent material. It combines autobiographical material with commentary on Russian history and clips covering the evolution of Russian cinema. The autobiographical material starts by showing a rebellious boy who is eventually exiled to one of the gulags. When he is freed, he enters a state-run cinematography school. There again, his rebelliousness and insistence on speaking the truth get him into trouble. The director's own story is broken up with newreel footage, clips from his films, and clips from Russian classics. ~ Clarke Fountain, Rovi