OFF: Misc. ranting...

[Paul Mather]

On Wed, 2004-09-22 at 13:48, Arin Komins wrote:
> On Wed, 22 Sep 2004, Nick Medford wrote:
>
> :Subject: Re: OFF: Misc. ranting...
> :
> :On Wed, 22 Sep 2004 17:39:09 +0200, Henderson Keith
> :<keith.henderson at PSI.CH> wrote:
> :
> :>Solaris intrigues me though...don't really know much
> :>about this movie (the original I mean, not the George Clooney remake, which
> :>I haven't seen either), and I can only find a version with German subtitles
> :>(or overdubs, can't remember), since it was done in Russia(n).  Is it worth
> :>searching out for next time I'm in the UK?
> :
>
> So how does either film version compare to the Lem original?

You can look back in the archives for my thoughts when this cropped up
as a thread previously (back when they were making the Clooney remake),
but basically, Tarkovski's film is a subset of the book.  I prefer the
book.

Someone mentioned _Stalker_, which is actually based upon the story by
Boris and Arkady Strugatsky.  Tarkovski only covered a tiny part of that
story, which, I feel would make a great film in its own right.  Again, I
prefer the book, but I do like the film.

Again, as someone pointed out, these Tarkovski films are loooong, but
reward attentive viewing.  The term "impressionistic film making"
springs to mind.  If you need lots of linear plot and narrative, look
elsewhere.

(Our university library has both films, which is where I saw them most
recently when I checked them out on VHS.  But I have seen _Solaris_ on
BBC 2 and _Stalker_ on Channel 4 before.)

Cheers,

Paul.
--
e-mail: paul at gromit.dlib.vt.edu

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