Rent Russian Ark (2002)
3.5 of 5 from 167 ratings
1h 36min
- General info
- Available formats
- Synopsis:
A groundbreaking feat of filmmaking, Alexander Sokurov's amazing journey through 300 years of Russian art and history is the first ever feature to be shot in a single, unedited take - the ultimate director's cut. Magically transported to St Petersburg's Hermitage museum in the early 1700s, a contemporary filmmaker and a cynical 19th Century French diplomat become accomplices in an extraordinary voyage through Russia's turbulent past to the present day. As they explore the splendid corridors and salons of the Palace, the two men witness prominent historical figures enacting startling scenes from the Tsarist Empire. Digitally shot with a state-orf-the-art high definition steadicam and featuring a masterfully orchestrated cast of 2,000, 'Russian Ark' is destined to stand as a defining moment in cinema history. - Actors:
- Sergey Dreyden, Mariya Kuznetsova, Leonid Mozgovoy, Mikhail Piotrovsky, David Giorgobiani, Aleksandr Chaban, Lev Eliseev, Oleg Khmelnitsky, Alla Osipenko, Artyom Strelnikov, Tamara Kurenkova, Maksim Sergeyev, Natalya Nikulenko, Elena Rufanova, Yelena Spiridonova, Konstantin Anisimov, Aleksey Barabash, Ilya Shakunov, Anna Aleksakhina, Vladimir Baranov
- Directors:
- Aleksandr Sokurov
- Voiced By:
- Aleksandr Sokurov
- Writers:
- Boris Khaimsky, Anatoli Nikiforov
- Aka:
- Russkiy kovcheg
- Studio:
- Artificial Eye Film Company Ltd.
- Genres:
- Drama
- Collections:
- A Brief History of Galleries and Museums in Film: Part 1, A Few More Screen Princes, A History of Soviet Silent Cinema, A Brief History of Film..., The Last Laugh: The Film That Changed Cinema
- Countries:
- Russia
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Reviews (3) of Russian Ark
Great intro to Russian history - Russian Ark review by CP Customer
I really enjoyed this and would reccomend it to anyone who is interested in Russian history and the relationship between Russia and the West. It can be a bit hard to follow at times but then again it was all shot at the same time. A great introduction to Russia's history, wealth, art, music etc.
2 out of 2 members found this review helpful.
Just the Once - Russian Ark review by griggs
One continuous shot, 96 minutes, no cuts — through the Hermitage. It shouldn’t work, and in a purely technical sense, it does. Tilman Büttner hauled 80 pounds of custom Steadicam rig across 33 rooms and didn’t drop the shot. That’s not nothing.
The trouble is, once you’ve absorbed the stunt — maybe ten minutes in — there’s not much else holding you. The European Stranger who guides us through the centuries is arch and faintly insufferable, and the pageant-without-plot format means scenes blur past each other without ever building into anything. I spent large stretches watching in the same way you’d watch a tightrope walk: impressed, slightly anxious, not exactly moved.
The final ballroom sequence earns it, though. For a few minutes, spectacle and feeling actually meet, and Russian Ark becomes, briefly, something else. Just the once.
1 out of 1 members found this review helpful.
Amazing! Captivating! - Russian Ark review by CP Customer
What a fantastic visual delight. I must say I wasn't expecting to enjoy this film so much but it is utterly captivating. We are so used to watching films that jump between scenes and points of view of the camera that it is quite a strange experience to see a whole film glide effortlessly before your eyes. The whole effect is dreamlike. The performances are great, the costumes wonderful and the location stunning. Makes me want to go to St Petersburg!
I thoroughly recommend this.
0 out of 0 members found this review helpful.