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It took three viewings, but the artistic attributes of Andrei Tarkovsky's Solaris did finally manage to penetrate my psyche in ways which were probably intended. That I actually took the time (I'll refrain from saying that I "forced" myself) probably says as much about the film's "penetrability" by the general Western movie viewer as anything else. The narrative seemed clear enough, but how the film exposed its premises and eventual themes--slogging through various symbols, bizarre visual cues, and dense philosophical dialogue--took the multiple viewings to thoroughly assimilate. Thank goodness for home video!
Stanley Kubrick's 2001: A Space Odyssey, the film many want to compare with Solaris and whose reputation as an open-ended metaphysical meditation is now legendary, was not as purposely opaque. Kubrick's film was narratively gripping from beginning to end on initial viewing, even throughout its denouement with its lone human protagonist suddenly finding himself in a lush outre hotel suite, presumably "manufactured" via mind scan by a supremely intelligent extraterrestrial presence. It's a variation of this plot element which forms the extra-scientific basis behind the mystery of the planet Solaris. That Tarkovsky uses it as a narrative backdrop to explore and expose through various dialogues the collective psyche and universal motivations of the species called Man...well, I'll discount that as being a "Russian" thing. It's something perhaps warranting further study.
The major difference between the two films is that where Kubrick's dealt mainly with Man's evolution vis-a-vis his relationship with his technological inventions, Tarkovsky's deals with Man's relationships with his own existence, his memories, and his emotions--very self-involved and "earthbound" considerations. The science fictional milieu of Solaris compellingly allows for this through the devices of a closed isolated environment (the space station) and alien intervention within that environment (the "guests"). Another big difference is that 2001's narrative was essentially "visual", i.e. told in a language which can be said to be "universally" assimilated so that its themes and artistic motives can be explored "universally" by all who see the film. The narrative style put forth in Solaris is quite different; a previous reviewer described it as "very Chekhov". Not being familiar with Russian literature, I'll take her word for it. For American audiences, I believe this makes for a challenging viewing experience, but with effort, one not necessarily unrewarding. As I stated at the beginning, it took me three viewings.
The opening scenes at the rural house by the lake, presumably belonging to protagonist Kris Kelvin's father and where Kris grew up, practically reek of a Bergmanesque ambience. Essentially, that intimate and philosophical vibe extends throughout the film to its mind-bending and thought-provoking conclusion. As the film unfolds, however, several incongruities come to the fore which are most disconcerting to the viewer. I'm not convinced they should all be dismissed as products of budgetary/political concerns nor explained as legitimate creative decisions on Tarkovsky's part:
-While at the rural house, it begins storming heavily as deep shadows and sunlight are cast on the entire landscape. While the scene has meaningful echoes as the film winds down, clearly it's a natural non sequitur.
-Also at the rural house, the young son of former Solaris explorer Burton is inexplicably frightened at the sight of a horse. Had he never seen one before in this future world?
-There's the notorious Japanese freeway on which Burton and his son travel into some futuristic metropolis. Yes, we KNOW it's in Japan by the traffic signage. I have to ask, "Why?". Neither nations nor nationalities are ever implied or inferred in the film (main characters are named Kelvin, Burton, Snaut, Sartorius, first name Hari, and Gibarian). Though everyone speaks Russian, these characters could conceivably be from "any" nation, if nations do indeed exist. Yes, the freeway was probably meant to denote a futuristic motif as we also see a two-way video phone call placed from the traveling vehicle. However, the Japanese signage could have easily been edited out. I won't begin to argue the merits of the sequence's length, or even its presence in the first place.
-Kelvin arrives on the Solaris space station in plain street clothes. One would think he just hopped off a bus!
-Kelvin asks no obvious questions of Snaut and Sartorius upon first witnessing the "guests". His nonplussed demeanor, though in a way eerie, belies scientific curiosity.
-The intra-space station launch of a rocket-propelled capsule takes place with Kelvin in its immediate presence--and without him wearing a space suit! Fire ensues in what presumably "must" be a vacuum! This scene, while dramatically cogent, was definitely not thought through thoroughly. Didn't Tarkovsky have a rudimentary knowledge of physics and chemistry?
-The interspersing of color and black & white, whether required by the actual availability of film stock or by legitimate artistic considerations, comes off as pretentious and unnecessary.
Taken together in the context of the film's entire narrative, and combined with various props such as those leaning monolithic "Coke machines" adorning the outer corridor of the space station, the viewer certainly gets a sense of the film's intended disorientation, or perhaps that of director Tarkovsky himself! I'm happy to say American director Steven Soderbergh addresses and rectifies all of this in his fine remake of Solaris in 2002, a leaner depiction of essentially the same narrative and themes without the dense symbolism and arty pretensions. It was Soderbergh's film I saw first; it invited repeated viewings instead of forcing them. I realize this assessment may appear chauvinistic, but so be it. Both films merit thoughtful viewing and both certainly reward repeated viewings. Both should also definitely be in the collections of lovers of science fiction cinema.
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Customer reviews
Tarkovsky's Solaris @ 1080P = cinema nirvana
Reviewed in the United States on May 24, 2011
166 minutes of mesmerizingly metaphysical long takes in vivid 1080P.I've seen Solaris (1972) on VHS, then DVD, then a film-screening at a small art-house theater 12 years ago.Until today, I can honestly say that I've never seen this movie the way it was meant to be seen.PQ wise, the color, clarity, and detail in the HD image is astounding! The Criterion Collection delivers again.I'm not going to give a review of the film's narrative, as others have so eloquently described it in great detail.Works by Tarkovsky bring out strong emotions from viewers.His body of work ( only 7 films ) is either loved or hated with passion.I personally believe Solaris is a masterpiece , transcending time and culture. Tarkovsky is one of only a handfulof auteurs in cinema history to remain steadfast with their vision...never selling out to studio pressure, their own ego,or in his case, the communist regime. He was an artist first, filmmaking was just how he expressed himself.This film was created during a different time. It requires patience from the viewer due to Tarkovsky's signature long-take aesthetic.If you CAN'T turn off your smart-phone for 2 hours and 46 minutes without getting anxious becauseyou can't Facebook or Twitter, then this film may not be for you.But for those of us who can't get enough of Tarkovsky "sculpting in time", this Blu-ray edition is what we've been longing for.Tarkovsky's long time cinematographer Vadim Yusov's wonderful camera work gets to be seen at full 1080P for the first time with fantastic results.I generally watch a first pass of a BR on a 52" LCD screen, then move on to a 150" projection system.Both viewings were awe-inspiring ( especially during shots with the detail-rich interior of the space-station ).The early scene with Kris Kelvin staring at an outdoor table-top being rained upon really tells the story of the restoration.The blue from the tea set and the red from the apples pop vividly onto the wet wooden table surface.....BRAVO!!!!Also the B&W scenes have now been correctly tinted blue as Tarkovsky intended.The sound quality was beyond expectations: monaural soundtrack remastered at 24bit from a35mm optical soundtrack positive.In Russian with English subtitles.The Timeline option is quite informative with running commentary and bookmark options.Supplementary section contain deleted and alternate scenes as well as interviews with the main players.The animated main menu/screensaver of the swirling ocean is also a nice touch.As with other Criterion classic releases, color bars are included as the last chapterPresented at 2.35:1I experienced genuine wonderment re-watching this masterwork on BR.I hope the remaining 6 films of Tarkovsky's canon can be afforded such lush treatment from CC in the near future.
Reviewed in the United States on May 24, 2011
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Un capolavoro difficile e un po' maltrattato (soprattutto in Italia).
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"Solaris" è il terzo film di Andrej Tarkovskij, diretto nel 1972, adattamento del romanzo omonimo del polacco Stanislas Lem.Reviewed in Italy 🇮🇹 on July 9, 2019
Primi anni '70, siamo nel mezzo della Guerra Fredda e gli Stati Uniti e l'Unione Sovietica stanno cercando di diffondere la loro ideologia in alcuni paesi del Sud-est asiatico e nel Corno d'Africa. I territori politici della Guerra Fredda però non si limitano ai giochi di potere geografici ma si estendono anche all'arte cinematografica.
Nel 1968 era uscito il film di Kubrick, "2001 Odissea nello spazio", un'opera che non aveva lasciato nessuno indifferente; la compagnia di produzione sovietica Mosfilm vuole quindi replicare con un altro lungometraggio di fantascienza, producendo una sorta di "risposta russa", e chiama Andrej Tarkovskij (al suo primo film di fantascienza). Tarkovskij è indubbiamente uno dei registi più talentuosi dell'epoca, ma è anche il più ribelle nel blocco orientale. Questa scelta, quindi, si muterà in un errore tattico dal momento che il regista non fornirà l'oggetto atteso (dall'establishment sovietico), ma la dissertazione filmica di un viaggio interiore, di un interrogatorio metafisico, senza l'atteso significato politico.
La produzione di "Solaris" inizia nel 1969 e, inizialmente, Tarkovskij vuole realizzare un film autobiografico, ma ogni sceneggiatura presentata viene costantemente rifiutata dai funzionari sovietici. Tarkovskij sceglie quindi di adattare il lavoro dello scrittore Lem e i censori accettano questo progetto non considerando (a torto) la fantascienza come un genere potenzialmente sovversivo che può avere una cattiva influenza sulla gioventù. Alla fine la censura russa rimuoverà ben 35 scene dal montaggio finale.
Presentato in concorso al 25º Festival di Cannes, "Solaris" vince il Grand Prix Speciale della Giuria ma in generale, alla sua uscita, si rivela un fallimento di pubblico e viene aspramente osteggiato dalla critica (molti si aspettavano, per un film di fantascienza, una moltitudine di effetti speciali) che si è concentrata molto sulla lentezza e sulla sostanziale mancanza della visione del futuro espressa dal film.
Ma che film è "Solaris"? Sicuramente è tante cose: è un film sull'impossibilità del dimenticare, sul ricordo, sull'infanzia, sulla sopravvivenza dell'essere umano e delle sue opere (vedi i riferimenti tra gli altri a Brueghel, Dürer, Leonardo da Vinci), sulla Natura e sulla sua bellezza enigmatica e insondabile, sulla nostalgia, la fedeltà, la colpa, le metamorfosi psichiche. Ma "Solaris" è soprattutto un grande film d'amore, di un amore colpevole ma che può redimere, che rivela ciò che lega profondamente gli esseri: l'amato esiste per sempre nel pensiero, ma è anche sempre minacciato dall'oblio.
"Solaris" è certamente un'opera permanentemente enigmatica, spirituale e metafisica: -chi sono io?- questa è la ricerca esistenzialista dell'uomo dal momento che è in grado di pensare, osservare, riflettere e analizzare. Eppure la comprensione di questa esistenza, della natura terrestre e di quella che governa l'universo non è solo razionale, filosofica, psicologica, spirituale o scientifica. È anche cosmologica, sembra dirci Tarkovskij.
La mente umana è però troppo limitata; troppo limitata e forse troppo distruttiva (se non altro nella sua natura primaria) per comprendere e sondare un universo in perpetua mutazione.
L'uomo non solo è incapace di comprendere l'universo, ma è in gran parte incapace di capire se stesso e analizzare le proprie emozioni.
In "Solaris", Tarkovskij mette in scena la storia dell'incontro extraterrestre più misterioso e insolito nella storia del cinema di fantascienza. Non esiste una comunicazione prestabilita, né una reale immagine fisica dell'entità, ad eccezione dell'onnipresente sostanza oceanica che sembra essere il subconscio dell'umanità, sconvolto dalla schiuma dei desideri e dei rimpianti.
Nella prima parte del film il regista si concentra principalmente sulla natura e sull'elemento acqua, che rappresenta l'essenza della vita sulla Terra, e più in generale l'esistenza (probabile) di un'altra civiltà nell'universo.
Nella seconda parte invece il regista mette in discussione il nostro stesso inconscio mostrando un viaggio attraverso i meandri dello spirito, ma non solo.
Il tutto è avvolto in un ritmo particolarmente lento e rilassante che rende la narrazione spesso affascinante ma anche complessa ed esigente.
"Solaris" è stato definito un film troppo esoterico, troppo metafisico, troppo intellettuale o troppo filosofico; forse in parte è così: è un film molto sobrio, lungo e piuttosto oscuro, ma in esso è racchiuso tutto il genio di Tarkovskij, che porta al film tutta la sua forza, il suo mistero, la sua atmosfera incomparabile e la sua forma cinematografica unica.
Pur con la totale assenza di effetti speciali "Solaris" entra a tutto diritto tra le opere più significative della cinematografia di fantascienza.
La nota dolente.
In Italia l'uscita di "Solaris" fu affidata a Dacia Maraini, a Pier Paolo Pasolini e al gruppo che gravitava intorno a loro, che vi operarono profondi e discutibili cambiamenti: con il copione "riadattato", si è fatto uso di un doppiaggio dialettale e contadino tipico della filmografia pasoliniana (lo stesso Pasolini doppia anche un personaggio) costantemente tesa a ridurre la distanza intellettuale tra l'opera e lo spettatore.
Inoltre, gli iniziali quaranta minuti del film furono tagliati (eliminati!) e altre scene arbitrariamente rimontate, ovviamente senza il consenso di Tarkovskij, danneggiando ancor più un'opera artistica già oggettivamente complessa e di non facile comprensione.
Fortunatamente nel 2001, "Solaris" viene rieditato riportandolo alla sua versione integrale e originale e con le parti tagliate e reitegrate sottotitolate.
Nei contenuti speciali è presente un'introduzione al film del critico Enrico Ghezzi.
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