The Last Station (2009)

I could have told you absolutely nothing about the life and death of Russian writer Leo Tolstoy. For that matter, I could not have claimed to care. Yet Hoffman’s film, which deals precisely with the end of days for Russia first iconic writer, casts aside any prior knowledge or interest in the man. The film cares not for its viewer’s personal exposure to the writer and manages to make the film fascinating for both the educated and ignorant alike.

Towards the end of his life, appearing much like Charles Darwin, Tolstoy took to the woods. His commune, a populated and strict society, seems by today’s standards as another attempt at fair and equal living for all involved. Yet Tolstoy himself admits to not being a very good Tolstoyan, proof that an idea can be taken from its creator and mutated into something unrecognizable. The fact that he cared not makes his aged character more intriguing. His final days saw him turn his entire work over to the public against the pleading of his wife. (This constitutes the majority of the narrative.)

The strongest suite of the film, for someone unfamiliar with its historical accuracy, is (this feels so film school) the mise-en-scene. The costumes range from simple to rich, dirty to clean, lively to dull. The sets are beautifully furnished with aged and endured artifacts, each could certainly tell a story of its own. The vast and lush countryside meld into the warm and inviting forest that takes on an almost fairy tale perfection. Warm yellows, calm off-whites, and vivid greens dominate the film. Every environment, whether lit by flickering candles or filtering sunrays, is captured with such rich and inviting cinematography that the film ultimately becomes a foremost example of naturalist escapist fare. It would appear impossible not to die in peace when surrounded by such sights.

The Last Station is not a film I would have sought out for its content. Yet in its conclusion, it is hard not to want more of the musically heightened emotions, enchanting photography, and thought provoking themes of death and family. For someone so young, it is yet another point of support for my anticipation of old age. And for someone so surrounded by film, it is a refreshing and exciting discovery far from the expected and customary areas of exploration.