Paradjanov's belated follow-up to The Colour of Pomegranates (after a
lengthy prison sentence) has a similar approach of painterly
composition in tableaux vivants. Focussing this time on Georgian
history, and set in ruined castles and villages amidst beautiful
landscapes, the plot concerns the efforts and sacrifices of the
Georgian people to build a lasting fortress. Less successful than
Pomegranates, partly because of its denser narrative, it is still very
watchable for its bewitching visuals.
