Overview
A psychologist is sent to a space station orbiting a planet called Solaris to investigate the death of a doctor and the mental problems of cosmonauts on the station. He soon discovers that the water on the planet is a type of brain which brings out repressed memories and obsessions.
Slowly, high-brow, with pretensions, long long plans of algae swaying in the water, the seething ocean, broken mirrors and flasks, thoughtful heroes.
This is more of a meditative psychological thriller drama than a film adaptation of Lem's Solaris.
So much has been said about this Tarkovsky film that I don't even want to say anything else, but since I decided to refresh it for myself after rereading Lem's novel, then I need to say something about Lem's most hated film adaptation.
Stanislav, of course, created Solaristics and he knows better where exactly his creation was abused, but I cannot agree with him. Tarkovsky may have rewritten the original into Dostoevschina, but he just perfectly got into the atmosphere of Solaris, even deepening it somewhat. Warmed by the light of two suns, but cold and detached, the station was filled with feelings of loneliness and deep-cutting loss so strongly that both the original novel and Tarkovsky's film can be called, if not a horror, then a psychological thriller for sure.
Yes, both authors have polar opposite opinions and ideas. One wanted people to strive to explore even those corners of space that are impossible to comprehend, and the other wanted people to turn their hearts to the Earth. One wanted to show the incomprehensibility of an unearthly mind, and the other looked into the souls of people. They didn't even realize how similar they really were and that the movie would have been even better if they had found a way to dialogue.
And even though I'm more on Stanislav's side in this, I can't disrespect Andrey's ideas and work, I have no right. For me, it's still one of the most beautiful films I've ever seen. Not just visually.
P.S. I would like to finish in the light, but there is also a Soderbergh film... I haven't watched it in full, but I remember seeing it on TV back in high school... Oh, I'm looking forward to this disappointment, but what can I do?