This is a rather curious movie. For all the bleak desolation and depression that present early on, as well as terrible images of war, intertitles and the very visuals within each seen feel peculiarly detached, uninvolved, and nearly surrealist. Each subsequent scene feels disconnected from what follows it - why, there's often a seeming sense of disagreement even from one shot to the next within a scene.. All this is so even as the feature does ultimately constitute a cohesive, coherent whole, a tableau of a particular time and place. I don't think I've seen any other movie to date that depicts wartime events while so emphatically carrying itself with the comportment of an art film, but without question that's what 'Arsenal' represents.
Scenes filled with crowds and extras contrast sharply with many others brazenly sparing of people, décor, or activity. Yet each is built with a keen eye for dazzling shots, and fine artistic arrangement, including marvelous use of light and shadow, unconventional angles, close-ups, and more. In his work as director, helming the production, and certainly in his sharp skills as editor as well, Alexander Dovzhenko exhibits immense capability bordering on outright genius. His screenplay is a little more thorny; I admit it's hard to parse, as the pervasive seeming disassociation between elements results in what feels like a distinctly disjointed narrative. The plot development appears not just uneven in its pace and broad progression, but slightly haphazard, leading one to wonder at points if there's not context or missing scenes that would help to complete the picture with smoother transitions. Even so, the scene writing is robust, with fabulous dynamics and some tremendous moments that play out. And while it's a bit of a bizarre cinematic experience, and difficult for that reason, it's also stupendous for the story that is told.
If you're looking for a straightforward movie, something to relax to or possibly enjoy without actively engaging, then this is most certainly not for you. The silent production and Russian intertitles are the least of an audience's possible obstacles, as the structure, composition, and fundamental content of the film is challenging even before taking into account the subject matter and violence. Still, 'Arsenal' is extraordinarily absorbing and satisfying even with its idiosyncrasies - or perhaps, depending on your perspective, especially in light of them. I will certainly say that a cleaner, more straightforward feature would be easier to watch and recommend - but at the same time, would it be as strangely captivating, and memorable?
Brash, daring, inventive, and defiantly poetic in the most unorthodox of ways, 'Arsenal' is as rich, engrossing, exciting, and rewarding as it is grandiose, ambitious, abstruse, and demanding. But if you're the type of viewer that appreciates the dense, artful side of the movies, then this is most assuredly going to e to your liking. Worth checking out wherever you may find it, albeit for select audiences, and highly recommended!
Scenes filled with crowds and extras contrast sharply with many others brazenly sparing of people, décor, or activity. Yet each is built with a keen eye for dazzling shots, and fine artistic arrangement, including marvelous use of light and shadow, unconventional angles, close-ups, and more. In his work as director, helming the production, and certainly in his sharp skills as editor as well, Alexander Dovzhenko exhibits immense capability bordering on outright genius. His screenplay is a little more thorny; I admit it's hard to parse, as the pervasive seeming disassociation between elements results in what feels like a distinctly disjointed narrative. The plot development appears not just uneven in its pace and broad progression, but slightly haphazard, leading one to wonder at points if there's not context or missing scenes that would help to complete the picture with smoother transitions. Even so, the scene writing is robust, with fabulous dynamics and some tremendous moments that play out. And while it's a bit of a bizarre cinematic experience, and difficult for that reason, it's also stupendous for the story that is told.
If you're looking for a straightforward movie, something to relax to or possibly enjoy without actively engaging, then this is most certainly not for you. The silent production and Russian intertitles are the least of an audience's possible obstacles, as the structure, composition, and fundamental content of the film is challenging even before taking into account the subject matter and violence. Still, 'Arsenal' is extraordinarily absorbing and satisfying even with its idiosyncrasies - or perhaps, depending on your perspective, especially in light of them. I will certainly say that a cleaner, more straightforward feature would be easier to watch and recommend - but at the same time, would it be as strangely captivating, and memorable?
Brash, daring, inventive, and defiantly poetic in the most unorthodox of ways, 'Arsenal' is as rich, engrossing, exciting, and rewarding as it is grandiose, ambitious, abstruse, and demanding. But if you're the type of viewer that appreciates the dense, artful side of the movies, then this is most assuredly going to e to your liking. Worth checking out wherever you may find it, albeit for select audiences, and highly recommended!