Directed by Chris MarkerMy rating: 2.5 stars out of 4
IMDb
(DVD, Icarus Films)
Chris Marker's documentary on Russian filmmaker Aleksandr Medvedkin is probably best appreciated by film students or Russian historians. I'm neither, so my reaction was not too enthusiastic. Marker embellishes the documentary with his trademark video manipulation, to the point where it becomes debatable if this is a film about Medvedkin or Marker. At one point, we are treated with an "entr'acte" shot on home video of Marker's cat stretched out on a keyboard while piano music plays. I'm sure it was some appropriate period Russian piece. This goes on for a couple of hours, and while I had some knowledge of Russian film beforehand, I did pick up some interesting tidbits. I just wish Marker would get out of the way of his own subject matter.
IMDb
(DVD, Icarus Films)
Chris Marker's documentary on Russian filmmaker Aleksandr Medvedkin is probably best appreciated by film students or Russian historians. I'm neither, so my reaction was not too enthusiastic. Marker embellishes the documentary with his trademark video manipulation, to the point where it becomes debatable if this is a film about Medvedkin or Marker. At one point, we are treated with an "entr'acte" shot on home video of Marker's cat stretched out on a keyboard while piano music plays. I'm sure it was some appropriate period Russian piece. This goes on for a couple of hours, and while I had some knowledge of Russian film beforehand, I did pick up some interesting tidbits. I just wish Marker would get out of the way of his own subject matter.
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