Cherez ternii k zvyozdam (1981)

Directors:

Richard Viktorov
Nikolai Viktorov

Writers:

Kir Bulychyov (writer)
Richard Viktorov (writer)

Release Date:

November 1982 (USA)

Genre:

Sci-Fi

Plot:

A female creature created in space tries to live on earth and has special (and sometimes dangerous) powers. |

Plot Keywords:

Humanoid | Spaceship Crash | Rescue | Dystopia | MST3K

Cast

Yelena Metyolkina	...	Niya
Vadim Ledogorov	...	Cadet Stepan Lebedev
Uldis Lieldidz	...	Sergei Lebedev
Yelena Fadeyeva	...	Maria Pavlovna
Vatslav Dvorzhetsky	...	Petr Petrovich
Nadezhda Semyontsova	...	Professor Nadezhda Ivanova
Aleksandr Lazarev	...	Professor Klimov
Aleksandr Mikhajlov	...	Dreier
Boris Shcherbakov	...	Navigator Kolotin
Igor Ledogorov	...	Ambassador Rakan
Igor Yasulovich	...	Torki
Gleb Strizhenov	...	Glan
Vladimir Fyodorov	...	Turanchoks
Yevgeni Karelskikh
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
G. Ivchenko
Armen Karapetyan
Vladislav Kovalkov		(as V. Kovalkov)
K. Nikolaev
Lyudmila Nilskaya
Kh. Osipyan
S. Padchenko
Nikolai Timofeyev
Aleksei Vanin

Also Known As:

Через тернии к звёздам (Soviet Union: Russian title)
Humanoid Woman (USA) (dubbed version)
Per Aspera Ad Astra
To the Stars by Hard Ways (USA)

Runtime:

148 min | Russia:123 min (restored version)

Country:

Soviet Union

Language:

Russian

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono | Dolby Digital (restored version)

Filming Locations:

Kiev, Ukraine

Company:

Goskino

Trivia:

The film was restored in 2001 by director's son using film clips, shooting scripts, original camera outtakes, director's notes and surviving 70mm positive print.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: When they are in the "weightless" space station, one can see bubbles coming from one of the actors, revealing that the scene was filmed underwater.

Movie Connections:

Featured in "Mystery Science Theater 3000: Humanoid Woman (#1.11)" (1989)

Excellent movie, the best of russian/soviet sci-fi

This movie belongs to the russian/soviet culture - this is the reason why so many negative comments are manifested here on IMDB. Besides, the Americanized version ("Humanoid Woman") was cropped and too much spoiled by nasty dubbing, that the whole film's concept has shifted. HOW COULD ONE SAY HERE: "there are some treasure hunters who want to use her at the archaeological dig, so they can become rich and famous"?!! There is nothing like that AT ALL!! And so on about other "comments" available here. The film has a very intelligent plot, written by the famous russian SF writer Kir Bulichev. The director's work is excellent. For example Niya's character is played by non-professional actress Elena Metyolkina, who actually was a model. It was the director's design just to introduce some elements of robot-like behavior. The director managed to make her play as good as possible. All other actors play their characters very persuadingly also. I just wonder how can one abuse the music - it is superb. Of course there should be correction for poor picture and sound quality, presented on the Americanized version. But this film deserves to be watched in its original version and with the TRUE dubbing - JUST TO UNDERSTAND IT. BTW now its remastered version on DVD exists, with both picture and sound quality being superb.

Summing up I want to say this film is not a cheap entertainment as some comments here suggest. It is a very kind, heartful, gentle, touching and thought-provoking movie. It is about love - love to people, love to the Earth. Of course there is certain naivity about the film, but it only adds positive to its atmosphere. I see everything quite balanced in it. Some may see flaws in film's imperfect setting (compared with "Alien" or "Star Wars" for example)- of course Holliwood was much more advanced in Sci-fi making (and a lot richer besides), than the Soviet cinema. But that does not seem too important.