6/10
Senior Film Conservator

A definitive 6/10 rating for a film that redefined the boundaries of cult cinema. Negr iz Sheridana remains a cornerstone of transgressive art.
If you have a soft spot for grainy, old cinema that doesn't mind taking the scenic route to nowhere, you might find something to like here. If you need a plot that moves at a brisk pace or characters who actually say what they mean, look elsewhere. Honestly, this is one of those movies that exists entirely in its own bubble.
It’s not for the casual Friday night crowd. But if you’re the type of person who digs through archives just to see how cameras moved in older, quieter times, you’ll be fine.
There’s a scene where Gabriel Nelidov-Frenkel just stares out a window for what feels like an eternity. I checked my watch. Twice. It wasn't necessarily boring, just... heavy. The whole film feels like it’s struggling to catch its breath.
I couldn't help but think about L'ensorcellement de Séville while watching this. They share that same weird, stifling air where you’re just waiting for something to shatter. Except here, nothing really does.
It’s a bit like The Sign of the Rose in the way it handles its characters' isolation, though it lacks that film's specific kind of punch. Everything here is muffled. It’s almost like watching a dream that you’re slowly forgetting while it’s still playing.
I’m not entirely sure why I finished it. Maybe because I wanted to see if the coat worn by I. Marks would ever change. (It didn't.) 🧥
It’s not a masterpiece, and it’s not a disaster. It just is. Sometimes, that’s all you get.