Tarkovsky: Solaris - the highway scene

[Des]

Some people I know say this classic scene is boring. BORING? Gedowdahere!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rswYl7RLRNE

[Adam Blake]

Nice one, Des - maybe we ARE going to go the pictures together one day after all.

[Ian M]

If the idea of a heavy metal version of Tarkovsky appeals to you, then check out Valhalla Rising. Some serious heavyweight angst and blasted landscapes. Great stuff.

[NormanD]

Little-known fact: Tarkovsky took his inspiration from a 1950s British propaganda film that circulated clandestinely amongst underground Soviet film makers, "Omsk To Tomsk In Four Minutes".
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P7GXWuTwkF8

I saw Solaris at The Academy Cinema in London. I went with my brother, a bigger sci-fi fan than I. To put it mildly, the film was slow in parts. At one point, a horse appears unexpectedly on screen. My brother said, in too loud a voice, "I didn't know this was a cowboy film".

Have you ever tried to stop yourself laughing for about an hour? It's painful. I must have missed a lot of this film, thanks for the reminder.

[howard male]

Yes, but have you ever done a Tarkovsky double bill? That's hardcore! The art students alternative to meditation. And wasn't that what the Scala used to be for?

These days however, Konono No 1 will be providing exactly the opposite kind of immersive Scala experience next week.

[joel]

Yes, but have you ever done a Tarkovsky double bill? That's hardcore!

Tarko all-nighters is properly hardcore. First person to fall asleep is a wimp. My best friend at school was mad for his work, but I totally didn't get Tarko until I was 40. Slow, I guess.

[Adam Blake]

Yes, but have you ever done a Tarkovsky double bill? That's hardcore!

Yes quite. It certainly stays with you for the rest of your life. I try and tell people they should see "Stalker" or "The Sacrifice" or "Andrei Rubleiv" or "Mirror" etc but I haven't got the stomach to lend them the DVD. You can't watch Tarkovsky on a bloody TV screen at home where you can press pause and go and make a cup of tea or check your f***ing mobile. You have to be ENGULFED by the ineffable hugeness of it.

God knows, it's easy to take the piss out of Tarkovsky. (By the way, Des, did you see that little comment under the clip you posted? Apparently Tarkovsky made the highway scene as long as he did in order to give idiots time to leave the cinema!) But who else these days takes on THE BIG THEMES?? The best of HBO TV ("The Sopranos" and "The Wire") look sideways at them with a kind of wistful longing, occasionally you see a movie with a few hints (like the end of "Gommorah" with the fork lift truck hauling away the bodies of the teenage boys) but Tarkovsky - he gets right down to business, every time.

[Hugh Weldon]

Adam

But who else these days takes on THE BIG THEMES??

Wim Wenders?

If Wenders in Wings of Desire could have extended the intensity of scenes like this, (rather than straying into Columbo cameos and Nick Cave gigs) he might be a candidate. It's a brave failure in the end perhaps, though the final scene is almost convincing.

(Apologies for the thread diversion, but you did ask..)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wi8sYY0pCdE

[Adam Blake]

I liked "Wings Of Desire" very much back in 1987, 23 years ago, when it came out. I meant who's dealing with sex, death, religion, revenge, redemption, the meaning and purpose of existence, the nature of faith, loyalty, betrayal, integrity etc etc etc nowadays???

[David Flower]

When Soderburgh remade Solaris he didn't do such a bad job and simply cut out the first hour, hour and a half , and cut to the space action...and of course it didn't have the bleak intensity of Tarkovsky , let alone the mind blowing final reveal shot. But it was a pretty good effort. You do need patience for Tarkovsky.
I've been recording a few Bergman films for viewing one sunny day....haven't got round to them yet... should I bother?

[DavidM]

When I was growing up in Melbourne the most popular repertory cinema frequently did a double bill of Kubrick's 2001 and Solaris. It was a cinema where they had removed many of the back rows of seats and put old sofas and armchairs in their place, so that the customers could "relax". Somehow the word Trip also seemed to get mentioned in the advertising. I confess I never took anything untoward, but, nonetheless, my memories of Solaris only pertain to the first half.

[AndyM]

I liked "Wings Of Desire" very much back in 1987, 23 years ago, when it came out. I meant who's dealing with sex, death, religion, revenge, redemption, the meaning and purpose of existence, the nature of faith, loyalty, betrayal, integrity etc etc etc nowadays???

Almodovar. But with added jokes, great frocks and ballsy women.

[Hugh Weldon]

Lars von Trier?

[Adam Blake]

I confess I never took anything untoward, but, nonetheless, my memories of Solaris only pertain to the first half.

Hi David, I confess that I DID and I remember every bloody frame! I have seen it several times since as well.

Von Trier? "Festen"? Helluvamovie. Saw it again recently. It had lost none of its power. "Breaking The Waves"?? Blimey. That was a hard two hours. I'm not sure I could face watching that one again. Not because it wasn't good, just because it was so bleak.

There's more to great Cinematic Art than bleakness though, and Andy I'm sure you're right about Almodovar but I just can't see him up there with Tarkovsky, Bergman, Bunuel and the other big boys. My problem, I'm sure.

[Rob Hall]

I liked "Wings Of Desire" very much back in 1987, 23 years ago, when it came out. I meant who's dealing with sex, death, religion, revenge, redemption, the meaning and purpose of existence, the nature of faith, loyalty, betrayal, integrity etc etc etc nowadays???

Well, I watched "Hidden" again last night and I still can't figure it out, but there's got to be at least a couple of those topics in there somewhere.