Stars:
Natalya Bondarchuk, Donatus Banionis, Yuri Yarvet, Vladislav Dvorzhetsky,
Nikolai Grinko, and Anatoly Solonitsyn
Writers:
Fridrikh Gorenshtein and Andrei Tarkovsky
Based
On The Novel By: Stanislaw Lem
Director:
Andrei Tarkovsky
Feature
length: 169 minutes
Extras:
Audio Commentary With Tarkovsky Scholars Vida Johnson and Graham Petrie,
Co-Authors Of “The Films Of Andrei Tarkovsky: A Visual Fugue,” Nine Deleted
And Alternate Scenes, Video Interviews With Lead Actress Natalya Bondarchuk,
Cinematographer Vadim Yusov, Art Director Mikhail Romadin, And Composer Eduard
Artemyev, Documentary Excerpt With Solaris Author Stanislaw Lem, Essays By Akira
Kurosawa and Phillip Lopate
Languages:
Russian Monaural Sound
Subtitles:
English Language Subtitles
Packaging:
Double Alpha Keep Case
Chapter
Stops: 33
Sound:
Monaural Sound
Year
of Theatrical Release: 1972/DVD Release: 2002
Theatrical
Distributor: Mosfilm Studios
Home
Video Distributor: Home Vision Entertainment
MPAA
Rating: Not Rated
Reviewer:
Mark A. Rivera
With
the theatrical opening of the American remake of “Solaris” just a couple of
days away, I was very excited and happy to receive and screen Home Vision
Entertainment’s DVD-Video release of the original Russian cinematic adaptation
of “Solaris” co-written and directed by Andrei Tarkovsky and based upon the
novel by Stanislaw Lem. Marketed unfairly as the Soviet “2001,” Tarkovsky
was not a fan of Kubrick’s science fiction classic, which he regarded as being
“Sterile” and made “Solaris” with a decidedly more intimate, but equally
enigmatic yet compelling dissertation into the nature of humanity,
consciousness, and truth. Ironically Stanislaw Lem was unhappy with Tarovsky’s
film adaptation of the novel. In particular he objected to the entire Earth
prologue and the film’s emphasis on the nostalgia or homesickness for the
Earth and the apparent disinterest in the scientific exploration of space. I
have never read “Solaris” so I cannot yield an opinion as to how close the
film is to the book though the extra materials found on this two-disc seem to
suggest that with some compromise, at least a portion of Lem’s book does exist
on the screen.
I
found “Solaris” to be completely engrossing and was very impressed by the
film’s production design, narrative, and even subtle humor whether or not it
is intentional. I think viewers have an advantage with viewing the film now
because after 30 years one can easily look online or in books and read all about
“Solaris” not to mention the advanced press on the upcoming American
theatrical remake and the packaging and contents of this new to DVD release.
Though I have no formal evidence that would support my feelings regarding the
influence “Solaris” has had on science fiction cinema since it was released
theatrically in 1972, I suspect it has made an impact in many areas, for
instance the interior of the space station corridors with the functional
production design reminds me of some of the interior corridors of the “Nostromo”
in “Alien.” There have also been films that appear to have similar
storylines and elements like the way the malevolent force uses the unconscious
fears of the crew of the rescue ship “Lewis & Clark” to manifest
increasingly nightmarish and dangerous apparitions after arriving aboard a now
deserted ship that has reappeared in decaying orbit around Neptune, where it had
disappeared 7 years earlier after attempting the first inter-dimensional jump as
depicted in the sci-fi horror film “Event Horizon.”
The
planet Solaris is a water covered world where strange phenomena has been
reported by scientists and cosmonauts studying the surface from a low level
orbiting space station and surface flybys. Once filled with a staff of over 80
personnel, now only 3 scientists remain. Psychologist Kris Kelvin journeys to
Solaris to determine the nature of the phenomena as well as the state of mind of
the remaining satellite staff and return with a decision that could not only
close down the continued study of Solaris, but even determine a more inhumane
approach to studying the planet’s wondrous oceans from which the increasingly
more human “visitors,” as they are called, are made from the oceans of the
planet below, which itself might be a sentient life form. This hypothesis is not
as “far out” as one might assume since how hard is it to not recognize that
the planet we live on is alive in one way or another and therefore represents a
form of consciousness regardless of whether or not we understand it as being
sentient.
Home
Vision Entertainment presents “Solaris” as a part of the highly acclaimed
“Criterion Collection” of films on DVD in the original anamorphic widescreen
(2.35:1) aspect ratio. This new high-definition digital transfer was created on
a Spirit Datacine from a 35mm low-contrast print, made from the original
negative. The soundtrack was mastered from a 35mm optical soundtrack positive.
To further enhance the image, the MTI Digital Restoration System was used to
remove thousands of instances of dirt, debris, and scratches. The soundtrack was
mastered at 24-bit; audio restoration tools to reduce clicks, pops, hiss, and
crackle. These results can be immediately appreciated by the clarity of the
picture and sound, which is also free of visual compression grain and color
bleeding. In fact one can see images of the unrestored “Solaris” during the
interview and documentary segments found on disc two and then agree that the
work done to bring “Solaris” to DVD-Video by Home Vision Entertainment is
among the best contemporary restorations to join the “Criterion Collection”
of films on DVD this year.
The
film features a clear Russian Language Monaural Soundtrack with new and improved
optional English Language Subtitles. With the exception of the documentary
excerpt on Stanislaw Lem, which is in Polish, all of the extra video features
are presented in videotaped and or filmed segments with a Russian Language
Soundtrack. Optional English Language Subtitles accompany off of the extra value
video features. There are two essays reprinted within the insert with one by
essayist and author Phillippe Lopate and acclaimed filmmaker Akira Kurosawa
inside the double alpha DVD keeps case. Tarkovsky Scholars Vida Johnson and
Graham Petrie, co-authors of “The Films Of Andrei Tarkovsky,” read from
their book to give an academic and somewhat deconstructive and screen specific
analysis of “Solaris” in a feature length audio commentary track recorded
exclusively for this DVD release. The commentary has an index that matches the
scene selections on the DVD.
The
remaining extra features include 9 widescreen (2.35:1) deleted and alternate
scenes that are labeled as an opening text (1:26), Berton’s Flight (3:06),
Kris Takes Off From Earth (4:25), Something To Eat (1:10), Beginning Of Part 2
(1:00), Kris & Hari’s Meal (2:22), Kris’ Delirium/The Mirror Room
(4:26), Mother (6:02), and Further Philosophy (1:04). The lengthy newly
videotaped interviews include lead actress Natalya Bondarchuk (32:22),
cinematographer Vadim Yusov (33:55), art director Mikhail Romadin (16:47), and
Composer Eduard Artemyev (21:44). The documentary excerpt with Stanislaw Lem
(4:57) wrap up the extra features on this two-disc set.
The
interactive menus are well rendered and easy to navigate. “Solaris” is a
film of ambiguities and artistic conceits, but never the less is truly an
inspired cinematic achievement of humanistic science fiction.
“Solaris: Special Edition Double-Disc Set: The Criterion Collection #
164” is available on DVD-Video now from Home Vision Entertainment.
©
Copyright 2002 By Mark A. Rivera
All Rights Reserved.
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