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My Article on 'Solaris'

posted 10 years ago by john-hitchcock
3 replies | jump to latest

I've written a couple of articles on both versions of Solaris I thought I might share. I know a lot of fans of the Tarkovsky version are going to get really angry and they'll want to put a bounty on my head for the radical statements I make, but I think they're pretty good. One of them even ranks as one of my most popular articles:

http://hitchcocksworld.blogspot.ca/2014/02/the-tediously-slow-pacing-o f-andrei.html

http://hitchcocksworld.blogspot.ca/2014/02/the-pacing-of-andre-tarkovs kys-solaris.html

I might well be the only one who holds this particular view in regards to both films (or at least if there is anyone who shares it I have yet to find them).

David Lynch walks into a bar... he won't give me the punchline.

[–] gmoxie 9 years ago

Nicely written articles. Thanks for sharing. I liked how you analyzed two slower paced movies to identify why you liked one but not the other so much. For me, a slower paced movie that is focusing on visuals can hold my interest while one that is focusing on somewhat endless talking (without saying much) results in my mind wandering to other things; basically I'm saying I am in agreement regarding 2001 versus Tarkovsky's Solaris. In that I am a visual person, I am also enormously distracted and frustrated by having to read subtitles in movies heavy into conversation; even if people are just talking I want to look at their expressions.

It's been a while since I have viewed both Solaris versions. I saw the 2002 version first and was quite intrigued. I then had to see the 1972 version for comparison, since often the remake is not as good as the original. I think in this case that both versions are equally good in their own way, although I need to be in the mindset to watch and enjoy a film that I know will be slow paced.

[–] john-hitchcock 9 years ago

I can handle slow moments with characters talking, my problem with the film was that they kept extending every single scene longer than necessary. We had that whole conversation in which some people were talking about Solaris that basically amounted to "there's this alien planet, we've got some guys in orbit, and some weird stuff is happening to them there." I've actually timed it, that whole first hour of the 1972 film makes up five minutes of the Clooney version.

I had the same kind of deal. I saw the 2002 version and enjoyed it, but wanted to see the Russian version because everybody insisted that it was better. I'm not sure what film they were watching but it definitely wasn't the same one I saw.

As far as visuals go, I'd also argue that they alone can't drive a scene. After all, the 1972 version of Solaris literally had 15 minutes of random POV shots of automobiles driving down roads. It adds nothing to the story, and just left me begging the film to cut to something else. I didn't care what I just wanted out of that part of the film. It was like enduring the horror that is the grocery store scene of Tu Va Bien.

David Lynch walks into a bar... he won't give me the punchline.

[–] JstapR 9 years ago

Hi John,

having read the first article, I can say I am baffled to find no resonses here or there. Also, Thank you. I am with you 100%

edit: completely overlooked a response, my mistake!

Now I only need someone to 'explain' to me why this film is uniquely capable of causing near catharsis in me.