The Movie: A nameless 19th century French diplomat leads the viewer through the vast halls and corridors of St Petersburg Hermitage, a lavish, extravagant building replete with countless artworks. As the tour progresses, the narrative moves through time, covering three centuries of Russian history. What Makes It Original: The cast of thousands of extras in sumptuous period costumes itself is impressive enough, but the real coup Aleksandr Sokurov pulls off with Russian Ark is to film the entire journey through history in a single take, a feat that would surely test the endurance of any film crew. This is no dry exposition of history, either - the past unfolds with a dream-like quality brings out a feeling of nostalgia for a time and place we've never known.
