ThiswonderfulvisualpoemunitesmanyofSokurov’sbesttraits.Likemostofhisfilms,itislessaboutplotthantheunfoldingofaspecificsituation.Here,anobserverwhomerelyappearsasasilhouette(thoughitseemstobeSokurov)travelstoanoldJapanesetownonanisland.Itisanunearthlyplace,almostempty,oldbuildings,mist,probablytheafterlife.Theobservertalkstothreesoulsabouttheirformerliveswhichtheyseeasburdensomeandunhappy;buttheytalkinalight-heartedmanner.Thereisanocturnalfeeltoeverything,theimageshaveawashed-outquality,likevarnishedoldpaintings,andSokurovdeliberatelykeepsthemsometimesoutoffocus(alltrademarksofhis);thesoundtrackisamarvelouscompositionofgentlyhowlingwind,creakingwoodandremotemusic,someclassical,someRussianandJapanesefolk.Theentiremovieisadreamlikereflectiononlifeanddeathandtheviewofthedeadupontheliving.AbsolutelyrecommendedforallwholikeSokurovandEasternEuropeanpoeticfilm.(IMDB)
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