Only one man (Sergei Donstov) seems able to see the narrator, and he himself is sometimes invisible to those around him. He appears to be a European, either French or Italian, and he and the narrator spend �Russian Ark� in an on-again, off-again verbal sparring match about Russia�s relationship with Europe. When they hear music, the European insists it must be Italian, performed by German musicians, despite the Russian narrator�s protests. The European is paternal and head-patting when it comes to the European-influenced Russian art. The European regards Russian politics with the same combination of admiration and condescension. Like in a dream, the narrator and the European are unable to concentrate on their discussion for very long at a time. The European captures his continent�s characteristic arrogance when it comes to being civilized, cultured, and politically progressive, while the narrator embodies the Russian stereotype of being simultaneously resolved and resigned.
I know only four things about Russian history, I�m sad to say. That figure will probably double after I watch �Andrei Roublev.� Those things are as follows: 1) the Revolution, 2) the fall of Communism, 3) their intermittently successful but always determined space program, and 4) a remark my dad once made about Russia�s relationship to the world: �the Russians have been playing �catch-up� ever since Peter the Great.� This last comment seems to be the most helpful when watching �Russian Ark� meditate on Russia�s identity crisis and game of catch-up. True, because my knowledge of Russian history is limited, many of the scenes in �Russian Ark� were absolutely baffling to me, but I don�t think that is to the movie�s detriment. Just like in a dream, we know something is happening, even if we�re not sure what.
Which brings us to the third hypothetical viewing of �Russian Ark:� go the library. Your assignment for this semester, students, is to go read some books about the largest country in the world before watching �Russian Ark� again. Many of us don�t like to think of movies as work, but if �Russian Ark� sparks your curiosity like it sparked mine, a trip to the library will be a pleasure and not a chore.
Of course, this kind of research is far from essential, and by using too much left-brain we may undermine some of �Russian Ark�s� attraction. This is first and foremost a movie for the eyes and the unconscious, and that is where we can find the �Ark�s� meaning. Am I encouraging viewers to turn off their brains while watching �Russian Ark?� Quite the contrary; I�m encouraging them to turn on that sleepy part we usually keep switched off.
Finished March 10th, 2003
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