A dying man in his forties remembers his past. His childhood, his mother, the war, personal moments and things that tell of the recent history of all the Russian nation.
In WW2, twelve year old Soviet orphan Ivan Bondarev works for the Soviet army as a scout behind the German lines and strikes a friendship with three sympathetic Soviet officers.
Directors:
Andrei Tarkovsky,
Eduard Abalov
Stars:
Nikolay Burlyaev,
Valentin Zubkov,
Evgeniy Zharikov
Seven year old Sasha practices violin every day to satisfy the ambition of his parents. Already withdrawn as a result of his routines, Sasha quickly regains confidence when he accidentally ... See full summary »
Director:
Andrei Tarkovsky
Stars:
Igor Fomchenko,
Vladimir Zamanskiy,
Marina Adzhubei
Like the Russian poet of 'Nostalghia', who, accompanied by his Italian guide and translator, traveled through Italy researching the life of an 18th-century Russian composer, Andrei ... See full summary »
The Solaris mission has established a base on a planet that appears to host some kind of intelligence, but the details are hazy and very secret. After the mysterious demise of one of the three scientists on the base, the main character is sent out to replace him. He finds the station run-down and the two remaining scientists cold and secretive. When he also encounters his wife who has been dead for ten years, he begins to appreciate the baffling nature of the alien intelligence.Written by
Dan Ellis
Snaut mentions the legend of Martin Luther and the inkwell. Luther, who was the founder of the Protestant Reformation, is said to have thrown an inkwell at the Devil to drive him away, when he tried to annoy him in the night. This may, in fact, be a simple misunderstanding. Although there is an ink stain on the wall of Luther's room at the Wartburg, the notion that he had "driven the Devil away with ink", may in fact refer to his German translation of the Bible, and his writings, and so to be taken metaphorically. See more »
Goofs
The camera crew is reflected in the video screen as Chris watches Dr. Gibarian's message. See more »
Quotes
Hari:
It doesn't matter why man loves. It's different for everyone.
See more »
Alternate Versions
There are numerous differences between the Criterion Collection DVD and the DVD released by the Russian Cinema Council (RUSCICO) On the RUSCICO DVD The scene where Berton is driving on the highway in downtown Tokyo included a B&W shot which slowly and seamlessly fades into full color. This shot is entirely in color on the Criterion Collection DVD. The RUSCICO DVD ends part one right after Kris launches the rocket with Hari in it off the station. The Criterion Collection DVD ends part one right before the launch scene. There are also small changes in the subtitles most notably in the opening credits. The RUSCICO DVD translates a notation about Bach's Choral prelude being used in the film. On the Criterion Collection DVD this notation is not given subtitles. The RUSCICO DVD has an optional partially dubbed English language track. It includes English audio for dialog not subtitled in either version. There are also some minor changes in the audio itself the Criterion Collection DVD removes some of the sound reverberation for a few scenes. See more »
Two truths drive this film: the inadequacy of human-kind to understand the Universe, and the inadequacy of human-kind to understand the human heart.
As such, using Lem's original idea, Tarkovsky successfully, explores these themes.
We are drawn in, through hauntingly beautiful imagery, to the internal struggles of Kris Kelvin as he attempts to understand feelings of love for his suicided wife, who has been mysteriously resurrected, presumably as an attempt by Solaris to communicate, or torture.
Of course Solaris is probably the most original alien ever concocted, (no phone-homes here) and as must be, utterly enigmatic and beyond communication.
Be warned, this film is very long, and sometimes slow, but for those who consider themselves science fiction addicts, it is a must view.
One of the top 5 sci-fi films of all time.
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Two truths drive this film: the inadequacy of human-kind to understand the Universe, and the inadequacy of human-kind to understand the human heart.
As such, using Lem's original idea, Tarkovsky successfully, explores these themes.
We are drawn in, through hauntingly beautiful imagery, to the internal struggles of Kris Kelvin as he attempts to understand feelings of love for his suicided wife, who has been mysteriously resurrected, presumably as an attempt by Solaris to communicate, or torture.
Of course Solaris is probably the most original alien ever concocted, (no phone-homes here) and as must be, utterly enigmatic and beyond communication.
Be warned, this film is very long, and sometimes slow, but for those who consider themselves science fiction addicts, it is a must view.
One of the top 5 sci-fi films of all time.