Russian Ark is a 2002 film from (obviously) Russia, directed by Alexander Sokurov. The film — which follows an unseen narrarator through the Russian State Hermitage Museum in Saint Petersburg as he talks about the history of the city and the artifacts within the museum — is something of a miracle in filmmaking: the entire film (around 93 minutes, excluding the credits) was shot using a single Steadicam in one continuous, uninterrupted take. When you realize that this film has over 2,000 actors in it, this feat becomes even more incredible.
This film provides examples of:
- Blooper: When all of the people are pouring down the staircase, one of the women trips and is laughing when she gets back up.
- Costume Porn
- Dead To Begin With: The Narrator. It's implied he died in an accident before the film began and now his spirit is floating around the museum. Of course, the true state of affairs is a bit Mind Screwy, what with him being able to interact with people from various different times, some of whom can see him and some of whom can't.
- The Everyman: Nearly a Featureless Protagonist, since all we know is that he's a male, present-day Russian.
- Mind Screw
- Narrator
- Leave the Camera Running: The entire film can be considered a literal example of this trope.
- The Oner
- P.O.V. Cam
- Public Domain Soundtrack: A tune by Mikhail Glinka is used during the final dance.
- Real Person Cameo: The Marquis de Custine, albeit credited as the European, is the main one. We also see Peter I, Catherine The Great, Alexander Pushkin, and so forth.
- Scenery Porn
- Translator Microbes: Something is allowing the Marquis de Custine to speak and understand Russian— a language he apparently couldn't speak before the beginning of the movie. It may have something to do with him possibly maybe being a ghost himself. Probably. Maybe.
- Tsarist Russia
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