Russian Ark

I picked up Русский ковчег (Russian Ark) from Blockbuster the other day, with my friend Kelly (thanks for putting it on your tab, Kelly).

I watched it, and I was bored stiff.

Don't get me wrong! It's a beautifully crafted film and its credentials are amazing! But as I have been told before, it tries the patience of Americans. People who are from Russia, have taken a Russian history class, or have been to the Hermitage Museum might find it far more interesting, but in my point of view, it was like sitting in a historical art lecture for three hours.

People who loved it, people familiar with Russian culture, have said that we've seen two different movies.

Why this movie is amazing:
It has 2000 actors and is shot in 33 rooms of the Hermitage Museum. The costumes are simply amazing. The most impressive part is knowing that it is the longest single shot in film history, and on top of that, it is the first movie EVER to be shot in one single take! Three hours in one take! Traveling from room to room, from a modern set to a historical scene... You have to see it to believe it!

Why this movie is dull:
It's 3 hours of walking around an art museum, and not everything was translated, so sometimes, you have no idea what they're saying.

I give this movie a 4/10 for interesting, and a 10/10 for impressive costume design and 100/10 for the amazing feat of shooting the movie in only one take!