"A bad film, an aggressive one, takes several centuries of life from humanity."
- Alexander Sokurov. In two thousand and two, renowned Russian cinematographer Alexander Sokurov directed the award-winning film Russian Ark. This film is set in Saint Petersburg's State Hermitage Museum and explores the glorious history of Russia through the perspective of an unseen narrator who encounters multiple historical figures from the last three hundred years in his visit. Sokurov's magnificent directorial skills were revealed during the production of Russian Ark where he had to "direct, police and contain the effluence of his assembled masses" (Beumers, B, & Condee, N., 2011, p.156) during "four hours and no more" (Beumers, B, & Condee, N., 2011, p.155) in order to create the first full-feature narrative film shot digitally in a single take.
Figure Nº.1 - Russian Ark - One of the official movie's poster.
Theorist Anna Lawton proposes in her work that Sokurov is rejecting Soviet historical, cultural and artistic ideologies taking in consideration that during the "Stalin era, (...) artistic creation was frozen into nationalistic (...) propaganda" (Lawton, 1992, p.303) and after the "liberalization of society after 1953" (Lawton, 1992, p.303) the new generation of filmmakers shifted their attention considering the new model of "cinematography presupposes replacement of the system of state subsidies by a system of profit and loss accounting, in fact a kind of freedom inside out, the abolition of ideological censorship, which will naturally deal a heavy blow to non-prestigious kind of film - popular science, animated cartoons and documentaries" (Lawton, 1992, p.335). However, an analysis of Sokurov's pioneering film shows he's not rejecting Soviet historic and filmic culture, he's re-shaping it. The cinematic world of Sokurov is heavily influenced by painter Doménikos Theotokópoulos' concept of "Grace". The renaissance Spanish artist, popularly known as El Greco, explores in his artistic creations the doctrine that the supreme quest of art can only be achieved if the artist is able to solve, through grace, complex humanistic problems. Doménikos' ideals notably marked Sokurov's creative vision considering his interview with Poisk Magazine where he mentioned "I think I got my first very powerful artistic impression from El Greco. When I first saw him, (...) I thought I was truly born" (Sokurov, A., 2018) and this request for grace is clearly seen in the next scene of Russian Ark. Furthermore, in Russian Ark, there isn't a disregard for history since Sokurov displays his interest in Russian key historical figures considering "Historical actors (...) play major roles in Sokurov's conceptions. (...) The director offers his own vision of history, probing the sources and limitations of power through cinematic exploration of his heroes' private surroundings, their emotions and compulsions" (Nisnevich, A., 2010, p.43) and the next scene with Nicholas II of Russia and his family dinning together demonstrates this idea.
Clip Nº.2 - Russian Ark - The demonstration of Nicholas II of Russia's family life.
If the link doesn't work, click here. Alexander Sokurov revealed in an interview with Fergus Daly and Katherine Waugh for The Art of Time that "In that film, I attempted to answer some questions that Einstein asked during his lifetime, (...) the problem of space and time. With Russian Ark, we learn, step by step, that space and time are inseparable. One does not exist without the other" (Sokurov, A., 2009) and he explores this intertwined relationship of these two elements by having a metaphysical connoted long shot. The shot intends to convey the message that "the museum, its art and cinema, transporting the past so evocatively into the present and beyond, can all merge to affirm a nation's cultural longevity" (Harte, T., 2005, p.44). Russian Ark's final scene shows the audience that the museum is in fact floating on the sea, a symbol of eternity, to exhibit the idea that "Sokurov's juxtaposition of human transience and art suggests, the existence of Russia's celebrated museum, this Russian vessel of world art, will help ensure the survival of the country's own cultural values and its permanence in the face of persistent historical turmoil" (Harte, T., 2005, p.44).
Figure Nº.3 - Russian Ark - The revelation of the Museum's location.
To conclude, Sokurov's masterpiece Russian Ark proves that, as a member of a new generation of cinematographers, he is not interested in rejecting the history, culture and art of the Soviet Union but instead he wants to simply re-shape it by incorporating new elements, like Istoriia, to tell the stories that Stalin-era filmmakers couldn't. Word Count: 454. Reference List: - Beumers, B. (ed. and introd. ., & Condee, N. (ed. and introd. . (2011). The Cinema of Alexander Sokurov. London, England: Tauris. Retrieved from https://bit.ly/2NBFCDD. - Harte, T. (2005). A Visit to the Museum: Aleksandr Sokurov’s “Russian Ark” and the Framing of the Eternal. Slavic Review, 64(1), 43. Retreived from https://bit.ly/2IH3APm. - Lawton, A. (1992). The red screen. [electronic resource] : politics, society, art in Soviet cinema. London ; New York : Routledge. Retrieved from https://bit.ly/2UcIk5j. - Nisnevich, A. (n.d.). Temporary floods, eternal returns: Opera, technology, and history in two films of Alexander Sokurov. Opera Quarterly, 26(1), 42–62. Retrieved from https://bit.ly/2HcgEtH. - Sokurov, A. (2002). Russian Ark [DVD]. Russia: Seville Pictures.
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