Solaris (2002)

Director:

Steven Soderbergh

Writers (WGA):

Stanislaw Lem (novel)
Steven Soderbergh (screenplay)

Release Date:

27 November 2002 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Mystery | Romance | Sci-Fi

Tagline:

There are some places man is not ready to go

Plot:

A troubled psychologist is sent to investigate the crew of an isolated research station orbiting a bizarre planet.

Plot Keywords:

Space | Planet | Suicide | Space Station | Vision

Awards:

2 wins & 7 nominations

Cast

George Clooney	...	Chris Kelvin
Natascha McElhone	...	Rheya
Viola Davis	...	Gordon
Jeremy Davies	...	Snow
Ulrich Tukur	...	Gibarian
John Cho	...	DBA Emissary #1
Morgan Rusler	...	DBA Emissary #2
Shane Skelton	...	Gibarian's Son
Donna Kimball	...	Mrs. Gibarian
Michael Ensign	...	Friend #1
Elpidia Carrillo	...	Friend #2
Kent Faulcon	...	Patient #1 (as Kent D. Faulcon)
Lauren Cohn	...	Patient #2 (as Lauren M. Cohn)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Tony Clemons	...	Dinner Guest
Jennie Baek	...	Passenger (uncredited)
Annie Morgan	...	Nurse (uncredited)
Jude S. Walko	...	City Dweller (uncredited)

Directed by
Steven Soderbergh

Writing credits (WGA)
Stanislaw Lem		(novel)
Steven Soderbergh		(screenplay)

Produced by
Charles V. Bender	....	co-producer
James Cameron	....	producer
Gregory Jacobs	....	executive producer
Jon Landau	....	producer
Michael Polaire	....	co-producer
Rae Sanchini	....	producer

Original Music by
Cliff Martinez

Cinematography by
Steven Soderbergh		(as Peter Andrews)

Film Editing by
Steven Soderbergh		(as Mary Ann Bernard)

Casting by
Debra Zane

Production Design by
Philip Messina

Art Direction by
Steve Arnold
Keith P. Cunningham

Set Decoration by
Mike Malone
Kristen Toscano Messina

Costume Design by
Milena Canonero

Makeup Department
Cheryl Eckert	....	hair stylist
Linda D. Flowers	....	hair stylist
Kathrine Gordon	....	hair department head
Julie Hewett	....	makeup department head
Lori Rozman	....	assistant hair stylist
Waldo Sanchez	....	hair stylist: Mr. Clooney
Nikoletta Skarlatos	....	makeup artist
Christien Tinsley	....	key makeup artist
Buffy Zerefski	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Julie M. Anderson	....	production supervisor
Monica De Armond	....	post-production supervisor
Michael Polaire	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Trey Batchelor	....	first assistant director: second unit
Gregory Jacobs	....	first assistant director
Basti Van Der Woude	....	second assistant director

Art Department
Scott M. Anderson	....	set dresser
Adam L. Barker	....	lead plaster foreman
Brent W. Bell	....	set dresser
Scott Bobbitt	....	lead person
Dawn Brown	....	set designer
John Bullard	....	propmaker foreman
Bryan Corbett	....	propmaker
Kirk Corwin	....	property master
Andrea Dopaso	....	set designer
Monica Fedrick	....	graphic artist: video playback material
Mariano Fernandez	....	welder
Joey Genitempo	....	painter
Hank Giardina	....	paint supervisor
Wylie Griffin	....	art department coordinator
John Harrington	....	assistant property master
Sean Haworth	....	assistant art director
Guy Hietala	....	paint gang boss
Bill 'Kauhane' Hoyt	....	stand-by painter
Blair Huizingh	....	graphic designer
Helen Kozora	....	set decoration buyer
Steven Ladish	....	set dresser
Lance Larson	....	prop assistant
Tom Mahoney	....	graphic artist: video playback material
Mike Malone	....	on-set dresser
Geoffrey Mandel	....	scenic artist
Victor James Martinez	....	set designer
Ron Mendell	....	set designer
Jeff Ozimek	....	set designer
Edward V. Pannozzo	....	set dressing estimator
Ron Pekkala	....	construction medic
Eric Ramirez	....	set dresser
Richard Reynolds	....	set designer
Lori Rozzi	....	property and set dressing fabricator
Lissette Schettini	....	set decorating coordinator
Quentin Schierenberg	....	set dresser
Jeff Shewbert	....	propmaker
Bruce G. Smith	....	paint foreman
Easton Michael Smith	....	set designer
Chris Snyder	....	construction coordinator
Aaron Sowd	....	conceptual designer
Keith Stalker	....	foreman construction
Rick Sternbach	....	graphic artist: video playback material
Mark Robert Taylor	....	art department assistant
Suzan Wexler	....	set designer
Frank White	....	welder
T.C. Williams	....	mold maker foreman
Suzy Zarate	....	illustrator (as Susan Zarate)
Gustavo R. Ferreyra	....	digital set designer (uncredited)
Gustavo R. Ferreyra	....	propshop supervisor (uncredited)
Ryan Handt	....	construction propmaker (uncredited)
J. Bryan Holloway	....	sculptor (uncredited)
Ellen Lampl	....	graphic designer (uncredited)
Michele Mulkey	....	props (uncredited)
Sid Nicholson	....	props (uncredited)
George Sartiano	....	props (uncredited)

Sound Department
Larry Blake	....	sound re-recording mixer
Larry Blake	....	supervising sound editor
Derek Casari	....	adr engineer
Matt Coby	....	mix assistant
Mick Gormaley	....	assistant sound editor
Matthew Griffin	....	editing room assistant (as Matt Griffin)
Randall L. Johnson	....	boom operator
Mark Kenna	....	sound consultant: Dolby (foreign language versions)
Paul Ledford	....	production sound mixer
Kimberly R. McCord-Wilson	....	dialogue editor (as Kimberly McCord Wilson)
Brian McKinney	....	utility boom
Alex Names	....	sound utility
John Pospisil	....	sound editor
Eric Potter	....	sound effects recordist
Nicholas Renbeck	....	lead sound editor
Paul Urmson	....	sound editor
Shawn Holden	....	sound mixer: reshoots (uncredited)
John Soukup	....	sound transfer (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Garnet Baril	....	special effects technician
Oscar G. Castillo	....	special effects
Bill Cobb	....	special effects foreman (as William Cobb)
Manuel S. Epstein	....	special effects technician (as Manny Epstein)
David Escher	....	special effects technician
Lucinda Foy	....	special effects technician
Werner Hahnlein	....	special effects supervisor
Kevin Hannigan	....	special effects coordinator
Kevin Hannigan	....	special effects supervisor
William D. Harrison	....	special effects technician
Al Marangoni	....	special effects technician (as Albert Marangoni)
David A. Poole	....	special effects technician
Ron Rosegard	....	special effects technician
Michael Roundy	....	special effects foreman (as Michael D. Roundy)
David Satchwell	....	key lighter
Anthony Simonaitis	....	special effects technician
Ken Tarallo	....	special effects technician
Paul Vigil	....	special effects set foreman (as Paul E. Vigil)
Tim Walkey	....	special effects technician
Vaughn Williams	....	special effects supervisor (as Vaughn M. Williams)
Mark Yuricich	....	special effects foreman
Tim Ziegenbein	....	special effects shop foreman

Visual Effects by
Matthew Adams	....	rotoscope supervisor
Danny Albano	....	digital effects artist
Kenneth Au	....	Inferno artist: Rhythm & Hues (as Ken Au)
Randall Bahnsen	....	3D tracker: Cinesite (as Randy Bahnsen)
Randall Bahnsen	....	motion tracking supervisor: Cinesite (as Randy Bahnsen)
Chris Bailey	....	CG animation supervisor: Cinesite
Richard 'Dr.' Baily	....	digital planet animation: Image Savant
Jeffrey Edward Baksinski	....	3D manager: Cinesite (as Jeff Baksinski)
Scott Ballard	....	CG character setup: Cinesite
Jil-Sheree Bergin	....	visual effects production coordinator: Rhythm & Hues (as Jill-Sheree Bergin)
Chris Bergman	....	digital compositor: Rhythm & Hues
Douglas Bloom	....	CG effects: Rhythm & Hues (as Doug Bloom)
Brigitte Bourque	....	composite supervisor: Cinesite
Brooke Breton	....	visual effects supervising producer
Melissa Brockman	....	visual effects producer: Cinesite (as Melissa Brockman Kalmus)
Billy Brooks	....	CG lighter: Cinesite
Thomas Burkhart	....	visual effects
Brian Burks	....	CG animator: Cinesite
Jesus Castillo	....	systems operations: Rhythm & Hues
Oscar G. Castillo	....	CG technical director: Cinesite (as Oscar Castillo)
Daniel Aristoteles Collins	....	systems/operations: Rhythm & Hues
Brandon Craig	....	render supervisor
Chris Dawson	....	motion control camera operator
Michelle Deniaud	....	texture painter: Rhythm & Hues
Ralph Denson	....	visual effects production manager
Scott Dougherty	....	executive producer: Cinesite
Anders Ericson	....	CG effects: Rhythm & Hues
Adam Francis	....	motion control technician
Vijoy Gaddipati	....	technical director: Rheya face sequence
Bill Georgiou	....	digital compositor: Rhythm & Hues
Jonathan Gerber	....	CG supervisor: Cinesite
Glen Gustafson	....	3D texture painter: Cinesite
David Gutman	....	digital compositor: Rhythm & Hues
Erik Hakanen	....	scanning & recording coordinator
Michael S. Harbour	....	digital compositor: Cinesite (as Michael Harbour)
John Heller	....	CG planet supervisor: Rhythm & Hues
Nicole Herr	....	3D tracker: Cinesite
John Hewitt	....	CG supervisor: Cinesite
Phil Holland	....	scanning & recording operator
Richard E. Hollander	....	visual effects supervisor: Rhythm & Hues (as Richard Hollander)
Shaina Holmes	....	digital compositor
Arkay Hur	....	digital painter: Cinesite
Patrick D. Hurd	....	production coordinator
Chris Jensen	....	digital imaging operations
Jimmy Jewell	....	digital compositor: Rhythm & Hues
Nori Kaneko	....	texture painter: Rhythm & Hues
Michael Karp	....	3D matchmover: Cinesite
Michael Karp	....	3D tracker: Cinesite
Frances Kumashiro	....	CG lighter: Cinesite
Bill LaBarge	....	CG technical director: Cinesite
Kevin LaNeave	....	video editor
Vincent Lavares	....	digital asset manager: Cinesite Hollywood
Sonserae Leese	....	texture painter: Cinesite
Kenneth Littleton	....	2D manager
Mike Makara	....	CG animator: Cinesite
Valerie McMahon	....	digital painter: Cinesite
Sean McPherson	....	2D supervisor: Rhythm & Hues
Sal Migliore	....	high def digitizing
Kama Moiha	....	digital compositor: Cinesite
Carl S.G. Moore	....	visual effects associate producer: Cinesite (as Carl Moore)
Andrew Mumford	....	Inferno artist: Rhythm & Hues
Bill Murphy	....	visual effects coordinator
Ofer Nave	....	render coordinator
Tony Noel	....	compositor: Planet Creation/Rhythm & Hues
Gary Nolin	....	visual effects producer: Rhythm & Hues
Sean O'Connor	....	digital compositor: Cinesite
Mike O'Neal	....	digital artist
Nathan Ortiz	....	render coordinator
James Parris	....	visual effects concept artist
Corinne Pooler	....	digital paint supervisor: Cinesite
Travis Price	....	texture painter: Cinesite
Dante Quintana	....	technical director: CG modelling & rendering, Cinesite
Jon Quon	....	technical assistant: Cinesite
Steve Rhee	....	visual effects editor: Cinesite
Olun Riley	....	CG previsualization: Cinesite
Jonathan Robinson	....	digital compositor: Rhythm & Hues
Christopher Romano	....	CG effects: Rhythm & Hues (as Chris Romano)
Tomás Rosenfeldt	....	CG effects: Rhythm & Hues
Justine Sagar	....	texture painter: Cinesite
Joe Salazar	....	digital compositor: Rhythm & Hues
David Satchwell	....	CG lighter: Cinesite
Kino Scialabba	....	visual effects artist
Rasha Shalaby	....	compositor: Rhythm & Hues
Mark Shoaf	....	CG lead technical director: Cinesite
Cybele Sierra	....	digital compositor: Cinesite
Suzanne Smith	....	texture painter
Thomas J. Smith	....	visual effects supervisor: Cinesite
Robert Stromberg	....	planet designer: Rhythm & Hues
Kenji Sweeney	....	3D CG supervisor: Cinesite
Rob Trent	....	Inferno artist: Rhythm & Hues
Andrew Ryan Turner	....	assistant visual effects editor: Cinesite
Renée Tymn	....	digital compositor: Cinesite (as Rene Chamblin)
Marla Valentine	....	systems operator: Rhythm & Hues
Nico Van den Bosch	....	pipeline setup: Rhythm & Hues
Wayne Vincenzi	....	CG lighting supervisor: Cinesite
Dan Wanket	....	CG modeler: Cinesite
Eric Weinschenk	....	digital compositor: Rhythm & Hues
Steve Wright	....	digital compositor: Cinesite
Serkan Zelzele	....	digital compositor: Rhythm & Hues (as Sherkan Zelzele)
Patrick Zentis	....	matte artist: Digital Backlot
Bjorn Zipprich	....	CG modeler: Cinesite
Scot Byrd	....	publicist: Rhythm & Hues (uncredited)
Wally Chin	....	3D technical assistant (uncredited)
J. Todd Constantine	....	technical assistant: Cinesite (uncredited)
Robert Coquia Jr.	....	3D technical assistant (uncredited)
Fred Jimenez	....	3D technical assistant: Cinesite Hollywood (uncredited)
Stuart Mintz	....	digital effects artist (uncredited)
Monty Phillips	....	digital artist (uncredited)
Sean Rourke	....	visual effects editor: Cinesite (uncredited)
Kevin Tengan	....	systems administrator (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
James W. Apted	....	assistant camera
Russell Ayer	....	electrician
Dana Baker	....	best boy grip
Kent Baker	....	key rigging grip
James Barrett	....	electrician
Bobby Brown	....	first assistant camera: "b" camera
Brek Cooney	....	grip: re-shoot
R. Michael De Chellis	....	rigging gaffer
Will Dearborn	....	camera loader
Andrew Dumas	....	second assistant camera
Raymond Gonzales	....	electrician
Barry Idoine	....	assistant camera: "a" camera
Christopher Just Weaver	....	assistant camera
Al LaVerde	....	key grip
Jonathan Leary	....	grip
Michael L. Lewin	....	rigging grip
Duane Manwiller	....	camera operator: "a" camera
Duane Manwiller	....	director of photography: second unit
Damon Marcellino	....	assistant chief lighting technician: rigging crew
Larry Markart	....	lead playback technician
Bob Marshak	....	still photographer
Ken Metz	....	grip
James Plannette	....	gaffer
Eric Sagot	....	best boy electric (as Eric Wolfson-Sagot)
Alex M. Cacciarelli	....	motion control video assist (uncredited)
Yuri Karjane	....	assistant camera (uncredited)
Mark Mele	....	stage rigging gaffer (uncredited)

Casting Department
Rich King	....	extras casting
Terri Taylor	....	casting associate
Erin Toner	....	casting assistant

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Corey Bronson	....	set costumer
Eduardo Castro	....	associate costume designer
Jordanna Fineberg	....	assistant costume designer
Sarah Jane Gardam	....	costume production assistant
Betsy Glick	....	costumer
Joby Harris	....	costume concepts
Shoshana Rubin	....	set costumer
Aya Tanimura	....	wardrobe
Catherine Wall	....	cutter/fitter
Beverly Woods	....	costumer
Annie Yun	....	costume production assistant

Editorial Department
Brian Patrick Chalk	....	negative cutter
Greg Curry	....	dailies colorist (as Greg 'Curly' Curry)
David Kirchner	....	first assistant editor
Susan Littenberg	....	associate editor
Vincent Mourou	....	assistant editor
Dan Muscarella	....	color timer
Aaron Scully	....	editorial assistant
Tim Streeto	....	assistant editor
Norman R. Walker	....	assistant editor
Dava Whisenant	....	editorial assistant
Harold Lee Yen	....	post-production assistant

Music Department
Slamm Andrews	....	additional score mixer
Tom Boyd	....	musician: oboe soloist
Bruce Fowler	....	conductor
Bruce Fowler	....	orchestrator
Shiro Gutzie	....	soundtrack producer
Sadik Hakim	....	composer: song "Eronel"
Charles B. Kim	....	music programmer (as Charles Kim)
Jason Lloyd	....	scoring crew
David Low	....	scoring contractor
Alan Meyerson	....	score mixer
Alan Meyerson	....	score recordist
John Rodd	....	orchestral scoring recordist
John Rodd	....	score recordist
Fredrik Sarhagen	....	additional score mixer
Tom Steel	....	scoring crew
Bill Talbott	....	scoring technician (as Bill Talbot)
Leanne Ungar	....	musician: steel drum

Transportation Department
Gina August	....	driver
Rich Bennetti	....	transportation captain
Chris Gorden	....	driver
Shane Greedy	....	transportation coordinator
Paul Tumber	....	transportation

Other crew
Alex Apple	....	key assistant location manager
Kate Burgess	....	production assistant: Chicago
Lisa Butala	....	assistant to producer
Wendy Chesebrough Lowe	....	assistant: Mr. Cameron (as Wendy Chesebrough)
Todd Cogan	....	assistant: Mr. Cameron
Amy Minda Cohen	....	assistant: Mr. Clooney
Kimberly Cooper	....	production executive: Fox
Renee D. Czarapata	....	first assistant accountant
Monica De Armond	....	assistant: Mr. Soderbergh, New York
Betsy Dennis	....	assistant: Steven Soderbergh and Gregory Jacobs
Virginie Drouot	....	office production assistant
Robb Earnest	....	production coordinator: additional photography
Brent Ekstrand	....	video and computer engineer
Tim Flattery	....	conceptual illustrator
Monica Frommholz	....	assistant production coordinator
Martin Garner	....	computer engineer (as Marty Garner)
Marc C. Geschwind	....	extras coordinator
Jenny Gienger	....	assistant to cast
Noelle Green	....	production office coordinator (as Noelle Chapin)
Jason Hinkel	....	first assistant accountant
Marisol Jiménez	....	construction accountant
Greg Kappy	....	assistant location manager
Christian Krieger	....	assistant location manager
James R. Maceo	....	location manager
Todd A. Marks	....	computer/video supervisor (as Todd Aron Marks)
Lynne Martin	....	set production assistant
Debbie Merritt	....	assistant production office coordinator: re-shoots
Debbie Merritt	....	production secretary
Kevin D. Reagan	....	computer consultant
Alice Ritscher	....	assistant accountant
Sonny Ritscher	....	production accountant
Andrea Roa	....	production assistant
Sarah Shackleton	....	assistant: Mr. Cameron
Monica Lee Steen	....	assistant: Mr. Landau
Spooky Stevens	....	unit publicist
Kim E.F. Troy	....	assistant: Ms. Sanchini
Danny A. White	....	medic
Jeff Winn	....	craft service
Mariusz Zych	....	assistant: Charles V. Bender, Stanislaw Lem (uncredited)

Thanks
Mike Nichols	....	special thanks

Production Companies

• Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation (as Twentieth Century Fox)
• Lightstorm Entertainment

Distributors

• Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation (2002) (USA) (theatrical)
• 20th Century Fox Italia (2003) (Italy) (theatrical)
• 20th Century Fox Netherlands (2003) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• 20th Century Fox (2002) (Canada) (theatrical)
• 20th Century Fox (2003) (Japan) (theatrical)
• 20th Century Fox (2003) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• 20th Century Fox of Germany (2003) (Germany) (theatrical)
• Fox-Warner (2003) (Switzerland) (theatrical)
• Gemini Film (2003) (Russia) (theatrical)
• UGC-Fox Distribution (UFD) (2003) (France) (theatrical)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (2003) (Brazil) (DVD)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (2003) (Brazil) (VHS)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (2003) (Canada) (DVD)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (2003) (USA) (DVD)
• 20th Century Fox de Argentina (2003) (Argentina) (all media)
• Gativideo (2003) (Argentina) (DVD)
• Gativideo (2003) (Argentina) (VHS)
• Odeon (2002) (Greece) (all media)
• RTL Entertainment (2006) (Netherlands) (TV) (first national airing) (RTL7)
• Svensk Filmindustri (SF) (2003) (Sweden) (DVD)
• Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment (2003) (Netherlands) (VHS)

Special Effects

• Cinesite (Hollywood) (visual effects and animation)
• Rhythm and Hues (planet development and effects)

Other Companies

• 20th Century Fox Studios  foley recording (as Twentieth Century Fox)
• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  cranes and dollies
• Custom Film Effects  titles and opticals
• DeLuxe Laboratories  prints
• FotoKem Laboratory  color (as Fotokem)
• J.L. Fisher  additional camera dollies
• Jo Anne Kane Music Services  music preparation (as Jo Ann Kane Music Services)
• Magic Film and Video Works  negative cutting
• Masterwords  cutting continuity
• NT Audio Visual  optical sound track negative
• Newman Scoring Stage, Twentieth Century Fox Studios, The  orchestra recorded at
• Panavision  cameras and lenses
• Pivotal Post  Avid editing equipment provided by
• Post Factory NY  post-production facilities
• Scarlet Letters  titles
• Superb Records  soundtrack
• Swelltone Labs  sound re-recording

Also Known As:

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 on appeal for sexuality/nudity, brief language and thematic elements (re-rating on appeal)

Runtime:

99 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS (8 channels)

Certification:

Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Canada:G (Québec) | Canada:PG | France:U | Germany:12 (w) | Ireland:15 | New Zealand:M | Norway:11 | Philippines:R-18 | South Korea:12 | South Korea:15 (special edition) | Spain:13 | Sweden:11 | Switzerland:12 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:12 (canton of Vaud) | UK:12A | USA:PG-13 (re-rating on appeal) | Brazil:14 | USA:R (original rating) | Finland:K-11 | Portugal:M/12 (DVD rating) | Iceland:12 | Singapore:NC-16 (original rating) (cut) (re-rating) (2007) | Singapore:PG (cut) (video rating) (2003) | Netherlands:12 | South Africa:13LS

Filming Locations:

7th & Hope Streets, Downtown, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation

Trivia:

On Stanislaw Lem's personal website, shortly before he passed away, he posted that he felt this adaptation had overemphasized the human relationship dilemma in his novel, when he had been trying to propound what an Encounter with something truly Alien might be like. The planet Solaris is about as far from any preconceptions of Alien life as you can get, so identifying with Rhea's Phi-Creature misses the point that all the Phi-Creatures are Solaris.

Goofs:

Anachronisms: George Clooney is shown traveling in a sleek slightly futuristic rapid transit train but the rear projection/blue screen out the window clearly shows the current day "Merchandise Mart" station of the Chicago CTA Subway. Also during his journey the train he passes going the opposite direction is a present day subway train.

Quotes:

[first lines]
[Chris's memories, in voiceover]
Rheya Kelvin:Chris, what is it? I love you so much. Don't you love me anymore?

Movie Connections:

Featured in "The Rotten Tomatoes Show: The American/Going the Distance/Machete (#2.31)" (2010)

Soundtrack:

Riddle Box

Absorbing, haunting and gorgeous.

Arthur C. Clarke and Stanley Kubrick decided to make the 'proverbial good sci-fi movie' when they jointly created the film and novel 2001: A Space Odyssey. There have been few comparably good sci-fi films since. Solaris is, however, one of them.

Whilst the Russian original is an epic and demanding film, Soderbergh's work should not be considered a remake. The director himself considers it his own interpretation of the book, quite apart from the earlier film. Because of this, the two should not be compared.

If you hated Alien 3 because it didn't have any guns or 2001 because the ending was confusing, do not waste your time with Solaris. It is not for you.

Conceptually, the story is standard psychological sci-fi fare, with simple but effective theological and philosophical themes. In this respect it breaks little or no new ground over the Tarkovsky predecessor. It has elements of romance, thriller, and drama, all necessarily set in sci-fi land, as the setting is integral to the storytelling.

Visually, the Solaris future is a conservative, believable vision, reminiscent in look to that of Gatacca. Solaris space is a minimal, beautiful place to be. Not dirty and used like the celebrated Alien 'space trucker' look, Solaris vessels are gleaming, intricate and stylish, but seem to have been designed by engineers rather than artists, such is the practical realism. Their design is complemented by some of the best CG spaceship effects I have seen (incredible that it has taken this long for computer graphics to look as good as the model-based technology of 2001, Star Wars and Aliens in the 1960s and 70s).

Solaris, the planet itself, is a clever piece of art, seemingly evidencing a degree of emotion by its colouring and detail, as no doubt was the intention. In the commentary to the DVD it is mentioned that many of the lingering shots of the planet were cut, which may have been necessary for the pacing of the film, but I found every shot an absorbing spectacle and would have enjoyed more.

The sets and costumes also retain the sense of engineering realism combined with beauty. Soderbergh's eye for detail is evident here, as everything has a purpose and look that fits perfectly with the overall feel. Somehow, this look is original and avoids many of the clichés we come to expect of sci-fi mise-en-scene.

Channel Four recently showed this on UK television and billed it along the lines of a 'George Clooney Sci-Fi Romance'. A tenuous interpretation, perhaps, but you can see why they did it. Whilst Clooney adds Hollywood star appeal, fans will be slightly disappointed, not because his work here is in anyway weak, but because he is understated, convincing and very un-Hollywood. With Solaris he adds another fine performance to an already commendably diverse filmography.

Natascha McElhone too plays a difficult, emotive role without resorting to melodrama. The small supporting cast doesn't put a foot wrong, with a delightfully odd but subtly creepy performance from Jeremy Davies worthy of note.

Solaris is slow, abstract, haunting stuff. The direction is subtle, dare I say almost Kubrick-esquire. The camera work is non-intrusive, solid stuff without gimmick (apart from a touch of shaky-cam in the restaurant scene where Kelvin meets Rheya) or overstatement.

Add to this a beautiful, timeless score by Cliff Martinez and you have one of the better psychological sci-fi movies ever made.

The majority of people will hate Solaris. Let them. Let them have instead the mindless Hollywood trash released every week and keep this treasure for yourself.