I was discussing Russian movies with a a good friend of mine who is Russian.
I told him I really liked "Solaris", and he recommended another movie by the same director called (his translation): "Picnic on the Side of the Road".
Good thing that he gave me the name of the director because I would never have come up with "Stalker" from my friend's description of the movie's plot.
The "Roadside Picnic" is the title of the novel this is (loosely) based on. The movie was always called Stalker both in Russian and in English. Apparently, your friend is a bigger fan of the book :D.
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Oh my god! They killed Angier!
YOU BASTARDS!!!
I am not questioning the name of the movie in either language.
What I don't understand is how they came up with "Stalker" (def.: form of mental assault, a crime, whereby one individual harasses and intimidates another, typically by following the victim, with whom they have no relationship.
How does that possibly relate to a "picnic"?
The word "Stalker" was taken directly from the novel, where it did not have the meaning you describe (I'm not sure whether it *was* associated with that meaning so exclusively at the time of the novel's creation - 1972 - as it is nowadays). Here's a direct quote from the novel:
"Is there anyone else after these treasures?"
"Yes."
"You probably mean stalkers!"
"I don't know what they are."
"That's what we in Harmont call the thieves who risk their lives in the Zone to grab everything they can lay their hands on. It's become a whole new profession."
Thanks for you explanation. I did not read the book so I could not have known this version of its origin.
I would never claim illegitimacy of the author's translation, however being the only American-born member of my family, I know there is wide latitude in the translation or intepretation of any foreign language story. (Just look at how some American movie titles were translated for foreign distribution).
G.I. Jane = Satan Female Soldier (China)
Grease = Vaseline (Argentina)
The Hangover = Very Bad Trip (France)
Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory = The Boy Who Drowned in Chocolate Sauce (Denmark)
Bad Santa = Santa is a Pervert (Czech Republic)
Top Gun = Love is in the Sky (Israel)
The Producers = Please Do Not Touch the Old Women (Italy)
... and my favorite:
Pretty Woman = I Will Marry a Prostitute to Save Money (China)
As I said, the movie was called Stalker both in Russian and international releases. It wasn't distributors' but director's choice to call it so. (There were also early script drafts called The Wish Machine, but they didn't meet director's vision... along with half-dozen of others.)
shareI think I can give you the answer (half a year later :) ). The book is about Earth after alien "visit/picnic". They were never seen (by survivors), but left some stuff in several "Zones". Some of it was valuable, some of it was deadly. The treasure hunters are called Stalkers, because they had to be very caucious in the Zone. They somethimes starred in one spot for hours, to see if it's safe to make a step. Hence the "stalking".
See some trailers for PC game S.T.A.L.K.E.R. It is more inspired by the book than the movie.
I recommend the book, especially as there is a new translation out, available on Kindle btw. The book exists less in the metaphysical realm than the film, a problem I personally have with all of Tarkovsky's works (though I do think Stalker is a great film). If you've ever read JG Ballard (Crash, Concrete Island, High Rise, Atrocity Exhibition), that's whose work the book by the Strugatsky brothers reminds me of. Viscerally very mind-bending.
shareThe film Stalker is based on the novel by the Strugatsky brothers. The strange thing is, however, that the Strugatsky brothers are also listed as writers of the screenplay of the film. It's hard to believe that the writers themselves cut so much from their novel. What probably happened was that the Strugatsky brothers wrote an early version of the screenplay (staying true to the novel), but Tarkovsky decided that most of it is unnecessary for his philosophical vision. So most of the "action" of the novel did not reach the film.
shareActually, they did write *all* versions of the screenplay. It's true, though, that Tarkovsky rejected them one by one, until they got what satisfied him. Still, even the earliest version, while having more elements taken from the novel and a much more resembling protagonist, already had the basic plot closer to the final movie rather than the source novel.
shareeven the earliest version, while having more elements taken from the novel and a much more resembling protagonist, already had the basic plot closer to the final movie
In Russian, it can be found easily enough, but I doubt it ever exists in English.
Basically, it has the plot of the movie already - three men, Stalker, Professor, and Writer (they still have their names, Victor, Phillipp, and Anton), walking into the Zone in search for Golden Circle that grants wishes. Stalker (who is a real tough guy here) is guiding his companions through dangers of the Zone (which are shown much more directly rather than vaguely hinted at in the movie), but eventually it becomes clear that he does it not for their money. He seeks the Circle himself and merely uses them as living minesweepers. After passing the "tube", Writer realizes that and refuses to go further - there's also a "mirage" artifact that encharms him and he stays in the Zone forever to wait for its reappearance. But first he explains the story of Vulture (Porcupine in the movie) who was the only stalker to reach the Circle and who mysteriously killed himself afterwards - the truth is, the Circle only grants *inner* wishes, not those voiced outloud.
Stalker and Professor reach the Circle, but in their way lies the final trap - the "mince grinder" that kills the first man passing through and lets another through. Stalker turns his gun on Professor and explains that the Circle is his only hope to cure his mutilated daughter and that he'll certainly kill him (while the grinder allows for 50/50 chance, as Stalker promises, though it's most probably a lie) and destroy his backpack's contents - a "mobile lab", as Professor claims - if he doesn't go first. Professor activates the device and walks into the grinder, which kills him.
Stalker comes back to his family. His wife and daughter - still uncured - are waiting for him. Dejectedly, he drops to the floor his backpack, full of gold. And then they see the light of Professor's nuclear device detonating.
I don't mean to denigrate Tarkovsky's work in any way, but just those few plot changes described by mad-weather make me think that I would like to see another version of the novel without the changes.
shareThanks a lot for this summary, mead_weather. That alternative script is just great. That goes to show how much potential the Roadside Picnic story really has. It served as basis for Tarkovsky's film, but it could easily be made into another movie.
shareWow, that sounds awesome! I much would have rather seen that movie than what came out.
sharehard to understand why he changed it...
shareHave you read the book? It's one of my favorites.
I like Stalker but would really like to see a great adaptation that sticks closer to the source material.
That would have been an awesome ending!
shareMy Russian-speaking friends here can correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe the word "stalker" in Russian means something closer to "pathfinder" or "guide" in English, as in the stalker guiding them through the dangerous anomalies in the Zone.
shareDid you watch the movie? The protagonist who guides the others is known as "Stalker." Like somebody following the trail of some prey or something, which makes sense as he is making his way through bizarre terrain that keeps changing. They call the guy "Stalker" several times throughout the movie. Seriously, there's no way you can possibly miss it. Obviously, that's how they got the word "Stalker" for the title.
share