Hidden Gems - Russian Ark

In 2002, Alexander Sokurov created the first ever full-length, single-take feature film. The movie walks us through St. Petersburg's Hermitage Museum. The film makes use of 33 different 'sets' (rooms in the Hermitage Museum), each one lit to allow the camera 360 degree movement. The filming required months of rehearsal, 867 actors, hundreds of extras, several live orchestras, dozens of technicians, a Steadicam with a digital camera that could record more than 1.5 hours of film, and 96 minutes of complete luck with the equipment, sets, actors, and winter weather.

The film follows two men on their journey through three centuries of Russian history. I'm sure the film's premise was more interesting to Russian viewers, but I was quite bored by the 'plot' and characters of the movie.

In the end, Russian Ark is a far greater technical achievement than it is of art, but the photography, sets, and progressive cinematography alone are worth at least one viewing. If you get the DVD, you'll be treated with extras detailing just how difficult and involved the process of making such an ambitious film really was. One thing is certain: Sokurov has balls.