A transcendent confusion of color, composition, symbolism… scenes painstakingly constructed with detail reminiscent of meticulously staged photographs or paintings. The astonishing aesthetics of the cinematography alone might warrant this film a masterpiece, yet Parajanov extends its depth far beyond a simple parade of visually striking images, he ingeniously conjures a living, breathing inner world.

As I watched the film I could not help but recall Joyce’s Ulysses, the analysis of character is greatly enhanced by a completely original approach to narrative. We swim within the poet’s dreams and interpretative processes, their representation gorgeously rendered through a unique language of symbolic visual poetry. The effect provides an intensely personal glimpse in to the character’s experience, however, not unlike Ulysses, it is often times at the expense of concise depiction of event and setting. While challenging, this film ultimately provides the patient viewer with a unique and extraordinarily rich examination of character, a journey portrayed with breathtakingly artistic ingenuity.

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