The Last Bolshevik

Marker’s personal examination of his friend and colleague Medvedkin has all the hallmarks of the best cautionary tale, political thriller, and whimsical puff piece, but it suffers from most of his prototypical Markerisms: overwrought reminisces and curious visual tampering. Its moral, the idea that an artist and political idealogue are essentially the same magnetic pole - when you try to connect them, they repulse, because they come from the same attraction - has a curious hint of truth.

Interesting mix of biography and political documentary. Marker takes us through Medvedkin's life and work all while deliberating on the flaws of the Soviet Union and the trials of being an film director driven by a personal vision, and does it in a way that is interesting no matter where you're coming at it from.

Fascinating and complex; a portrait of both the titular filmmaker and the system under which he lived. Although I found the film engrossing despite having little knowledge of Soviet film, I think it definitely would have helped to have some basic familiarity with more of the figures mentioned. Hopefully some time in the future I'll be able to revisit this from a more informed position.

A deep, flowing meditation on an artist's existence over the course of the Soviet Union's, and art's existence within societal courses of power, ideology, and (inevitable) change. Powerful stuff collaged by Marker with energy and sincerity.

What appears to be an expose on Medvedkin is really a fascinating analysis of the Soviet Union through its cinema. Chris Marker lends his trademark eclectic narration to a compelling subject and makes gold.

"The catch is that the letters are addressing a dead man." - Eric Henderson

Sadly, i think there's a reason Sans Soleil and La Jetee remain Marker's most well known films. As beautiful as those films are, his other stuff is... kind of boring.