In Aleksandr Sokurov's new masterpiece "Russian Ark", a man known only as the Stranger (Sergei Dreiden) examines a painting not only by staring at it, but by viewing it at all angles from all distances, feeling its texture, even smelling it to truly absorb it.  Within the spectrum of films I have been lucky enough to see, there are very few which I have been able or had the desire to know in this manner.  One obviously can't touch or smell a film (good luck trying), but to know a film so intimately as to absorb its meaning and essence is to do what the Stranger has done with that painting.  Very few films are deserving of such attention.  Over the coming years, I hope to come to know "Russian Ark" in such a way.

We see the entire film from the point of view of one man voiced by Aleksandr Sokurov.  Although he is nameless, we find out that he has been in some kind of car accident.  However, it is safe to presume he is dead, for as he enters the famous Hermitage Museum, he begins to realize that figures from the past are congregating around him.  Confused, he continues forward and meets a man who seems to be as lost as he is (Sergei Dreiden's Stranger).  The Stranger is even surprised to be able to communicate with him in Russian, a language he claims he has never known.  We learn that the Stranger is a French diplomat from the 19th century, who knows his way around the Hermitage better than he first let on, and becomes a sort of narrator for the trip through the museum and through time.

There is much that makes "Russian Ark" unique, but the highly touted aspect of this film is the fact that it is all filmed in one shot.  Throughout the entire history of film, no one has ever successfully been able to do this, and with good reason.  All I can imagine when thinking of what it must have been like to prepare such a creation is one big migraine for everyone involved, not the least of which is stedicam operator Tilman Buttner (who also worked on "Run Lola Run").  Knowing what it takes just to film one short shot in a regular film (several hours of deliberation over lighting, camera focusing, etc), one cannot even imagine what was gone through to film this.

It would all be different if Sokurov set out to make a tight, small film.  But no, he set out to make an epic.  The fact that he decided to cover 300+ years of Russian history in a mere hour and a half is yet another hurdle.  But consider this: there were 2000 actors, three live orchestras, and one of the largest museums in the world to organize into one comprehensive film.  If you've heard some of the stories I have, you are in awe of the actors who appear more than once.  In addition to the route that had to be planned for the Tilman Buttner to film, there had to have been ways for the actors who are seen more than once to make it to their next scene without crossing paths with the camera (I am sure that nearly the entire, if not the entire cast was used for the final scene which recreates the Great Royal Waltz of 1913). 

This kind of operation would be impossible with regular film, which at most can capture 20 minutes at a time before changing reels.  Therefore, "Russian Ark" was shot on high definition digital video, which can last much longer before a change is necessary.  Although digital video is in general supposed to offer a lower picture quality than film, one wouldn't know it looking at this film.  "Russian Ark", one of the most innovative uses of the digital video medium so far, looks stunning.

Of course, I wouldn't be going so gaga if this was merely some gimmick film only showcasing the achievement of being able to make a one-shot movie.  Realizing what topics the film stands to cover, it only makes sense that the one-shot approach could be the only way to film it.  For if this was shot conventionally, one would not truly be able to appreciate the beauty of what Sokurov is trying to capture.  The single shot sets a mesmerizing spell that completely and totally hooks the audience in.  It helps make it so that what Sokurov is trying to say is passed on easily to the viewer, without the slightest trace of force.  Possibly most importantly, it also allows for a natural passage of time.

"Russian Ark", through some mastery, is able to ponder a great deal of issues in its short runtime.  It deals with royalty's quest for immortality and what that may be worth, the degradation and lack of recognition of beauty over time, the cyclic and destructive nature of history, the hypocrisy of government and the significance (if any) of its metamorphosis, and even film itself.  There is so much here that one viewing will not be nearly enough to comprehend it all.  But what all the themes listed above have in common is they are all connected to time.  In a way, one could argue that the two protagonists of "Russian Ark" represent time itself, and as they move about the museum are spreading its effects.  Whatever the interpretation, it is admirable to see a film deal with such issues maturely, without pretension, yet also with a grasp on what it is talking about.

It's not at all required for one to know much of Russian history to understand what Sokurov is getting at here.  I myself knew next to nothing, but it didn't matter.  This could be French, American, Chinese, or any number of countries' history; the specifics of what events the film is portraying is only one small piece of the whole.  Sokurov grasps successfully at so many themes and ideas that if I ever learn more about Russian history, that will be just one added layer to my viewing experience.

"Russian Ark" is a great film symphony with Sokurov as its conductor.  Along with being one of the best historical epics I have ever seen, it is an important piece of modern art, film or not.  But don't be mistaken: "Russian Ark" contains pure beauty, and is a fully engaging experience from start to finish.  But as with all art, the full impact has not yet fully been explored.  This will no doubt be scrutinized and put under the microscope by film schools and critics some time in the not-so-distant future, and I probably will do the same.  To witness "Russian Ark" is to witness a true work of art whose influence has only begun to be born.