Letter Never Sent
Directed by Mikhail Kalatozov
Written by Grigori Koltunov, Valeri Osipov and Viktor Rozov
Starring: Innokenti Smoktunovsky, Tatyana Samoilova, Vasili Livanov, Yevgeny Urbansky

There’s something to be said about Criterion’s boutique releases and their in-depth extras and fancy packaging, but it’s the curatory nature of the label that allows for the discovery of some great films that might not have otherwise come across your blu ray/DVD player. I went into Mikhail Kalatozov’s Letter Never Sent blindly (outside of some knowledge about his films Soy Cuba and The Cranes Are Flying) and was absolutely blown away. As a fan of survival-thrillers, the classic man against nature story had me hooked and the filmmaking on display is absolutely mindblowing.

The film opens as four people — three geologists and a guide — are left in the Siberian Taiga. It’s spring time and they’re searching for diamonds. Their mission is one of great importance to the nation, with hopes that their success might lead to newfound wealth for their country. The leader of the expedition, Sabinin, has left behind a wife, Vera, to which he writes the titular ‘Letter Never Sent’. With the use of a beautifully rendered montage (that oddly reminded me of sequences in both Sam Raimi’s Evil Dead 2 and Francis Ford Coppola’s Bram Stoker’s Dracula), Sabinin talks about the irresistible force that compels him to leave his wife for these adventures, again and again. His unfinished letter serves as narration throughout the film. Meanwhile, two of the geologists, Tanya and Andrei, are a couple that find themselves in the middle of an unexpected love triangle when they discover that their guide Sergei has feelings for Tanya. The romance is short lived though, as the task of finding diamonds takes centre stage. Eventually, they succeed in their mission, but the joy is cut short when the crew wake up to find themselves in the middle of a raging forest fire. It’s almost like the Earth’s immune system kicks in and attempts to eliminate the geologists threatening its treasures. As Sabinin states, “Nature herself has turned against us.” Letter Never Sent is a celebration of human endeavour and discovery. Kalatozov dedicates the picture to the Soviet people, which I would imagine might refer to Russia’s role in the era’s “space race”.

Filmed in beautiful black and white, utilizing a 1.33:1 aspect ratio, Mikhail Kalatozov manages to create some truly stunning images throughout Letter Never Sent. Cinematographer Sergei Urusevsky makes good use of the wide angle lens, capturing gorgeous shots of the baron Siberian landscape. His camera is never far from the action, and at time feels like it’s physically tether to the actors. In one sequence, the characters dig frantically as the camera follows their motions in an almost dizzying fashion. The most memorable moment in the film involves a long, single take tracking shot as the characters attempt to make their way through the eye of the forest fire. Wading through water, under fallen tree trunks (which are on fire), and through the burning brush, the camera seems dangerously close to the action. The flames almost lick the lens. The resulting charred landscape is presented in silhouette, creating an almost German Expressionism look. In the final act, there’s a Herzogian moment in which one of the main characters drifts in the water on a giant piece of ice, dreaming of accidentally floating back into civilization. It’s a beautiful moment that’s not only technically impressive, but pretty harrowing for the actor who agreed to actually ride a block of ice down a fast moving, frigid river. The film is a bit of a revelation and has given me the motivation needed to begin wading through Kalatozov’s back catalogue. It’s a truly awesome, imaginatively realized adventure story that is a must see for cinema lovers.

Letter Never Sent is definitely a film you want to see on blu ray (unless you happen to have access to a pristine 35mm print). The black and white cinematography is crisp and natural, with no signs of digital manipulation or artifacts. A film this beautifully shot deserves only the best high definition treatment, and Criterion has certainly done a wonderful job here. As for extras, this is one of the few Criterion releases that’s completely barebones. There are zero extras on this disc. Not even a trailer. It does come with the standard booklet, including an essay by film scholar Dina Iordanova. I’m not entirely sure why they’ve decided to forgo bonus features, but at least the quality of the film makes this disc worth the purchase. Luckily, due to the lack of supplemental materials, the release is priced at a discounted rate. — Jay C.

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