First impressions are always important and for this film it holds true. Director Parajanov has the eyes of a painter and this is clearly evident in the  generous splash of colors and patterns in this movie. There is also the use of sound effects and musical scoring that consists of traditional chants, among others. However, the storytelling element was quite inferior as opposed to the visual mastery and grandeur exhibited here. Nonetheless, this is a movie that holds its own mystique,  not clearly understood but loaded with allegories and hidden meanings for the viewer to decipher.