The Second Circle

Aleksandr Sokurov's films are polarizing works: either you are spellbound by his artistic compositions or bored witless by the funereal pacing and turgid subject matter. His 1990 The Second Circle will prove equally divisive. A young man visits his elderly father in the latter's Siberian village, only to discover that he is dead, and his attempts to bury the man are met with constant bureaucratic obstacles and endless scorn from village officials. In fact, even a death certificate cannot be issued because the father died at home, so the son needs to pack him in snow and transport him to a local hospital (since the son has limited funds, he is treated rudely by the undertaker, who is more interested in an itemized invoice than a decent burial). This harsh and artistically framed drama could be taken as a commentary on post-Soviet Russia, or a wider view of human nature in general (the title is a clear reference to Dante's The Divine Comedy), or maybe just another slow-moving, pessimistic, cumbersome Sokurov drama. In any case, the director's fans will cheer, his detractors will find more reason to highlight faults, and newcomers to the Sokurov canon may be confused as to which side they will choose in this ongoing cinematic debate. DVD extras include a stills gallery and a text segment on the restored director's cut. Optional. (P. Hall)