Hard to Be a God (2013)

☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ½

Hard to Be a God (2013) – A. German

This is truly “film-making as commitment” (to an alternate reality) and not for the faint-hearted.  Russian director Aleksei German, a contemporary of Tarkovsky, in his final film, uses another sci-fi novel by the writers whose work was filmed as Stalker (by Tarkovsky, 1979) to barf up an insane vision of Hell.  But oh! what a terrifyingly beautiful hell, if there be beauty in an image (in rich B&W) no matter how disgusting or degrading!  And Hell it is, because we are asked to observe (nay, almost participate in) a medieval culture undergoing a purge of its intellectuals, with an assortment of Churchmen and members of The Order swarming like ants over everything.  Above it all, sits Don Rumata (Leonid Yarmolnik), covered in less filth than the rest, and often wearing some cool looking armour -- and occasionally blowing a soulful saxophone. Yes, really, because it turns out that the Don is actually a scientist from Earth and, despite their resemblance, these medieval times are not on Earth but instead on another backwards planet.  What the Don is up to is hard to say.  Other reviews suggest that, despite the prime directive, he is actually hoping to bring on the Renaissance (or at least stop the purge of “wise guys” – the subtitles call them this). To me, he seems to roam royally through a mud-stained city, above the fray (as I said), but occasionally getting right into it, snorting some mud (no really), pushing his slaves around or joking with them, wryly bearing witness to the dozens of hanged men and piles of rotting corpses on the ground.  He is rumoured to be descended from gods himself, treated with awe and respect, and perhaps therefore immune from attack.  He is able to thwart all those who do harbour malice against him – and we are glad because he seems a rather charming fellow. But he is immersed in a surreal, sensuous, even nonsensical world – and clearly knows it – but he does not let on what it is all about, nor does the director, and all the helpless viewer can do is take in the sordid experience with astonished admiration for the intensity of the vision and craft behind it all. The Don doesn’t want to leave (back to Earth) and maybe neither do we, despite the three-hour length.  I kid you not.