what I like about Russian Ark
by Monika Cooper
Russian Ark feels a little bit like “Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead.” You follow two characters—crusty old Europe and the unseen man behind the camera—through rich scenes from Russia’s history. They edge along the margins of the action, eavesdropping on the great. They move from room to room, creating a sense of rambling, inexhaustible space, full of twists and surprises. Time itself branches and shimmers in the halls and corridors of the Hermitage.