Historical Time and the Image of the House in A. Sokurov’s Work

Abstract

Historical time is one of the key categories of artistic time in
Sokurov’s work is investigated in this article. The focus is on the complexity and
versatility of historical time as the basis for creating an artistic image. The author
is interested in the very method of representing the category of historical time
directly in the structure and substance of films.
The main goal of the work is to identify the ways of representing empirical
time characteristic of the director in fiction and non-fiction films. The author
strives for studying Sokurov’s films in terms of his treatment of history and
historical figures. The article analyzes the expressive means allowing the director
to convey historical time in the picture. From the very start, the specific character
of Sokurov’s portrayal of the time atmosphere and spirit through the creation of
a special life space for the main characters of his films - a house, hometown,
landscape, road and even the metaphysical space of historical memory, filled
with symbols of a particular era - is revealed. It is this complex discursive space
of the hero’s life that becomes the main way of representing historical time in
Sokurov’s films.
The author of the article dwells on details on “The Moscow Elegy” docu-
mentary devoted to A.Tarkovsky’s life abroad. Such a view makes it possible to
find out the ways of representing historical time through creating a complex space
embodied in the image of Tarkovsky’s house (almost all director’s apartments
and houses related to his life) and now deserted without the owner.
This research allows us to identify an important aspect in Sokurov’s cinema,
the director pays exceptional attention to, i.e. the connection of historical time
and the space of a person’s life as the reflection of his inner world, the life of a
human soul, their constant interaction and mutual influence.