# Anybody seen Russian Ark? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 24, 2003, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-seen-russian-ark/150606 "2003-01-24T15:47:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 4\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![CyberPundit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/76d3ee/32.png) [@CyberPundit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CyberPundit)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2003, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-seen-russian-ark/150606/21 "2003-05-05T18:21:29Z")
I saw it yesterday. It was a remarkable cinematic achievement though I thought the script was a little lacking and the sequences didn’t really fit together very well IMO. Of course a more elaborate script would have increased the chances of a mistake and IIRC they only had one day to shoot in the Hermitage. Another trade-off was that the digital video-recording couldn’t do full justice to the magnificent interiors, paintings and costumes on display. Anyway I am looking forward to the DVD and I hope there is a good commentary and making-of feature which explains how they pulled it all off. ---
**Author:** ![photopat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e95f7d/32.png) [@photopat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/photopat)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2003, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-seen-russian-ark/150606/22 "2003-05-05T20:50:00Z")
I saw it a couple of months ago at the **Music Box** in Chicago, one of the truly great theaters. I enjoyed it and it was fascinating to watch, but I have to admit the story was confusing at times and did seem to take a back seat to the concept. It was beautiful though and the interaction of characters from different eras was well done. One thing I realized watching it was how used I have become to scene cuts. I kept expecting a sudden shift in the POV and there weren’t any, so for the first few minutes it actually made my eyes ache. ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2003, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-seen-russian-ark/150606/23 "2003-05-05T21:25:48Z")
I thought it was magnificent, if not a bit disorienting to those of us not up-to-snuff on Russian historical nuances (which is why the Interloper character is an excellent device). I also found it to be an irresistable film–1/2 scifi (in that it’s about a time traveller who tries to make sense of his situation as well as tries to find a way back home), 1/2-pure period spectacle (with one amazing setpiece–the theater, the mazurka, etc.–after another). Exquisite, more than a little curious, not for all tastes, but tremendously beautiful. ---
**Author:** ![lissener](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lissener/32/6139_2.png) [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2003, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-seen-russian-ark/150606/24 "2003-05-05T22:10:21Z")
I was benumbed by _Russian Ark_: it was a yawn. On the other hand, some of the most magnificent filmmaking ever accomplished is by Andrei Tarkovsky, credited as a source of inspiration by the maker of _RA_. Tarkovsky made more of an art out of the long take than anyone before or since, Welles and Hitchock included. The opening sequence to _The Sacrifice_ is beautiful, and the meditative takes at the beginning of _Solaris_ are awe inspiring. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-seen-russian-ark/150606.md?page=1)