In the endearing and chaotic film “Hard to Be a God,” the protagonist Don Rumata, played by Leonid Yarmolnik, is torn between intervening to save lives and preserving the repressive status quo in an alternate society that has stalled in the Middle Ages. Director Aleksei German’s unique style combines idiosyncratic camera work with immersive filth-filled visuals, posing philosophical questions.
The film is set on a distant planet, Arkanar, where a species identical to humans has evolved but remains stuck in the Middle Ages. The ruling authority murders anyone who attempts to educate themselves. The protagonist, an Earth scientist, is disguised as a local lord named Don Rumata and lives in a castle with a household of many slaves. He drinks throughout the day, has taken a lover from the local population, and plays long, sad jazz solos on his alien trumpet.
Leonid Yarmolnik in Hard to Be a God (Via IMDB)
Rumata has adapted to the chaotic society, but things can always get worse. When he travels to the city to rescue a doctor whom he enjoys talking to from prison, he learns that the Grays, a fascist police force, have overthrown the king and taken control. Rumata must decide whether to intervene on behalf of the slave revolt, though he fears that even if successful, the new regime will be just as repressive as the Grays.
German films are known for their idiosyncratic camera work and immersive visuals. His unique style presents information on camera, often using long takes on a steadicam to roam through chaotic events. The film’s dark and gritty visuals depict an alien analogue of peasant life, with constant bodily fluids and bodily functions. The camera frequently “notices” the characters, leaving the viewer wondering if the camera is present in the world or just a part of the narrative.
