About Solaris

Solaris (1972) is a Soviet science fiction art film based on Stanislaw Lem's 1961 novel of the same name. The film focuses on the experiences of a psychologist, Kris Kelvin, sent to a space station orbiting the planet Solaris, where he encounters a mysterious phenomenon.

The plot unfolds itself through Kelvin's exploration of the strange occurrences on the space station, particularly the appearance of 'guests' that appear to be resurrected copies of deceased loved ones. Here, Kelvin encounters a replica of his own deceased wife and is forced to confront his guilt and unresolved feelings about her death.

Making / Production

Directed by Andrei Tarkovsky, Solaris presents a unique spin on the science fiction genre, offering an introspective and philosophical perspective. Filming took place at the Mosfilm studios in Moscow, and various innovative techniques were used to bring the extraterrestrial visions of Solaris to life, including the use of monochrome for scenes on Earth and color for those set in space.

Actors

• Donatas Banionis as Kris Kelvin: Banionis plays the tormented psychologist with a deep sense of vulnerability, capturing Kelvin's internal struggle perfectly.
• Natalya Bondarchuk as Hari: Bondarchuk gives an unnerving performance as Kelvin's wife, evoking a sense of eerie unknowability.
• Jüri Järvet as Dr. Snaut: Järvet provides the necessary gravitas, grounding the otherworldly events with his grounded performance.

Trivia / Interesting Facts

• The film was first aired at the 1972 Cannes Film Festival, non-competitively, during the Directors' Fortnight.
• Solaris is often compared with Stanley Kubrick's 2001: A Space Odyssey, another seminal science fiction film that came out a few years earlier.
• The film's original cut was over five hours long, but was trimmed down to just under three hours for its official release.

Awards

The film was awarded the Grand Prix Spécial du Jury at the 1972 Cannes Film Festival and was nominated for the Palme d'Or.

Quotes

• "We don't need other worlds. We need mirrors."
• "I think that when someone falls in love, they stumble upon something that they had forgotten."
• "The ocean's most important trait is that it can shift various forms into a single entity, a trait necessary for understanding other people."

Music, Soundtrack

• "Prelude in E Minor" by Johann Sebastian Bach
• Electronic music score composed by Eduard Artemyev