I Just Saw "Solaris" (2003)

[Alexander]

What an astonishing piece of cinema. Absolutely incredible. Possibly Soderburg's best film to date. Very little dialogue. All of the acting was superb. I remember hearing mixed things about this. Don't understand it. I was rivited from the first frame, as was my wife. When it was over, we both just stared...

Great music too. The whole thing had a very 70s sci-fi vibe. Must now see the Tartovski film and read the Lem novel, just for comparison's sake!

[BFrank]

They are different films, but I liked them both. I don't know why the new one was not well received. Too cerebral, no doubt.

[Soul Stream]

My reaction was Wow, this sucks. I didn't like it at all. I will say it LOOKED good on the screen.

[rockefeller center]

I'm with Dmitry, you can't compare. Didn't like the Solaris remake at all. Soderbergh reduced the material to a boring love story.

Tarkovsky on Solaris | Lem on Tarkovsky's film adaption

Stanislaw Lem

[jazzbo]

I saw this the day it came out and enjoyed it a lot. I haven't seen the original, maybe I will some day, but this was an intelligent film, so unlike the usual trash that gets good ratings. Maybe most don't want to think when they go to the movies, but I'm always delighted when I'm invited to.

[shawn·m]

I’m not sure the marketing department knew what to do with this DVD.

The theatrical trailers gave the viewer a reasonable idea of what the film would deal with, but the DVD TV spots emphasize the suspense/thriller elements of Solaris over the love story. Although I like the film, I think it’s a mistake to market the DVD in such a way.

[BFrank]

I think the studio had a hard time marketing a sci-fi film that wasn't full of sfx and explosions.

Having said that, I don't think you can compare the two films. They are very different in production, scope, intention and focus. I was glad to see an intelligent film - period.

[JohnS]

I've not seen the new "Solaris", haven't seen the old one for years but desperate to see "Stalker" again.

[Alexander]

And its spelled Tarkovsky.

I stand corrected.

[Simon Weil]

I've not seen the new "Solaris", haven't seen the old one for years but desperate to see "Stalker" again.

Oh, that's a great movie. If you really are desperate maybe you want to go the Video route (Amazon also do the DVD).

I've got all the Tarkovsky's on video.

Simon Weil

Edited August 4, 2003 by Simon Weil

[JohnS]

Thanks Simon, I've been meaning to find the video for months. No excuse for not doing so apart from idleness.

Edited August 5, 2003 by JohnS

[Claude]

Stalker is great on DVD, it comes with a few extras such as an early Tarkovsky student movie and a documentary on his home.

The movie itself is in Russian, with english subtitles.

It's expensive though ($45). I got the Region 2 version with the same features a lot cheaper, on amazon.co.uk

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detai...?v=glance&s=dvd

I prefer Stalker to Solaris.

Edited August 5, 2003 by Claude

[mgraham333]

I'd have to agree with Soul Stream on this one. I came close to walking out on this one. It just seemed like a hollow shell of a movie. Nothing in it really made me care for the characters.

[Alexander]

A lot of people say things like the above about Soderberg's work. I think that his work is intentionally "hollow" emotionally. He never lets you forget that you are watching a movie. He deliberately alienates his audience. I love it, personally, and I've enjoyed every film he's made. "Solaris" and "Oceans Eleven" were both remakes that managed to stand on their own, and Clooney is a big part of both film's artistic success.

[rockefeller center]

Since Soderbergh's film is called "Solaris" I expected that there's more of its (Lem's Solaris) content left. Clooney is part of its success? Why? Is there anything special about his performance in this film?

[BFrank]

Speaking of Soderberg, I thought "The Limey" was one of the best films of the past several years. Definitely NOT a big hit, either.