anyone else seen russian ark?

[Mike70]

if you haven't, you should make the effort. even if you don't like russian history, the film making expertise/creativity on display is fooking amazing.

the entire movie, 96 mins, was done in one long continuous shot. it follows an unnamed and unseen narrator (who strongly hints that he is a ghost) through the hermitage. as he moves from room to room scenes from russian history unfold. the history isn't told in a linear manner either, it flits back and forth from the 17th to the 20th century. the film covers 33 rooms of the hermitage and involved 2,000 actors. the movie culminates in a gigantic ballroom scene(involving literally hundreds of people) that has some of the most incredible cinematography ever done.

[EvilNed]

Yeah, I haven't seen the whole of it. But **** man, one single take. It's an amazing feat.

[AcesandEights]

This sounds familiar. I'm going to have make an effort to see it now. Thanks for the heads up and possible reminder :)

[Publius]

And they got it done on only the fourth take (technical faults in the first three). That's amazing. I'll definitely have to look for this one.

[Mike70]

And they got it done on only the fourth take (technical faults in the first three). That's amazing. I'll definitely have to look for this one.

it is even more impressive given how giant in scope the film is and how seamlessly the camera weaves in and out of scenes that can involve hundreds of actors.

be warned though: this movie is about as non-linear as it gets. there is really no "plot", no overall story line, only scenes from russian history that flow from one into another without a break. it is more a film about themes, culture and how history lives on in the places where it happened and in the memories of those who follow.