Solaris (1972) Movie Review

Starring: Natalya Bondarchuk, Donatas Banionis, Anatoli Solonitsyn

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Review Summary

Based on the Stanislas Lem novel, SOLARIS is a movie cowritten and directed by Andrei Tarkovsky in 1972. The picture earned the Grand Prize of the Jury at the Cannes Film Festival.

Kris Kelvin, a psychologist, is sent to Solaris in order to decide whether it is useful or not to continue to explore the planet. There are only three people left inside the Solaris base as the rest of the scientists have returned to Earth. When he arrives at the base, Kris is told by Snaut and Sartorius that Gabarian, the third member of the group, has just committed suicide. It appears that an alien intelligence, hidden in Solaris ocean, has the ability to materialize the thoughts or souvenirs of the members of the crew. Soon Kris must face Hari, his late wife who died seven years ago on Earth.
Daniel Staebler, Resident Scholar

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Ratings are on a 1-10 scale (Low to High)
Plot

Composition of Movie
Planning/preparing, gather info, debate puzzle - 40%
Feelings, relationships, character bio/development - 60%

**Fantasy or Science Fiction?** - science fiction story
Explore/1st contact Yes
Explore plotlet: - exploring a wondrous planet or phenomenon
Inner Struggle Yes
Plotlet: - search for identity/new understanding

Main Character
Identity: - Male
Profession/status: - scientist
Age: - 40's-50's
Eccentric: Yes
Hair color? - brunette (Black)
Hair type - (man) short/medium wavy
Body type - average (man)
Events of movie makes character more... - introspective
Ethnicity/Nationality - Russian
How sensitive is this character? - sensitive to others' feelings
Intelligence - Average intelligence
Physique - average physique

Secondary Main Character
Identity: - Female
Hair color - brunette (Brown)
Hair style - (woman) medium/shoulderlgn, straight
Unclothed? - very tight clothes
How much in movie? - 60%
Ethnicity/Nationality - Russian

Main Adversary
Identity: - An "It".
Has special powers? Yes
Magical/mental powers of main antagonist: - can change shapes - mind reading - can read emotions
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in: - 80%

Setting
Spaceship setting: - primative (present, near future) human spaceship - a space station
A substantial portion of this movie takes place on a non-Earth planetary body: - humans in a contemporary society - neutral aliens - empty, or nearly empty world
Planet outside our solar system? Yes
Takes place in spaceship? Yes
Water? Yes
Forests? Yes

Style
Accounts of torture and death? - generic/vague references to death/punishment
Tone of movie - spiritual
Sex/nudity in movie? Yes
What kind of sex: - kissing
Non-American film? Yes
What language? - Russian
Subtitles? - Yes
Kinds of F/X - exotic alien landscape
If Soundtrack VERY NOTICEABLE... - Orchestra/classical
Is this movie based on a - book

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