I just watched Stalker, which some consider to be the best science fiction film of all time, and I have some thoughts on it
Although it is not on our list of best science fiction films of all timeThere is a group of people who consider Andrei Tarkovsky’s film to be Stalkersone of the best science fiction films of all time.
Now I understand why it didn’t make our list. Because Stalkerswhich was published in 1979 during Soviet times, contains no cool opening moments like Terminator 2: Judgment Daynor are there any characters swinging around with lightsabers like in the star Wars Films.
Instead, it’s a deeply philosophical film with no frills or gimmicks, and… I kind of love it for that very reason. And here’s why.
Stalker is a science fiction film based only on ideas
I will be honest with you. Stalkers is one of the strangest science fiction movies I’ve ever seen, and that’s mainly because I wouldn’t even call it a science fiction movie. I mean, it definitely is, because the plot revolves around three men who travel to a mysterious place called “the Zone” and try to enter a room where all their wishes could come true. But… everything else about the movie (apart from the intriguing ending) isn’t really feel not science fiction at all.
For example, the zone itself, which colors this initially sepia-toned film, is not the least bit impressive. In fact, it looks like a nuclear waste dump (and was partly one, which may be why the director, his wife and some of the actors died prematurely (not too long after the filming of this movie). The three main characters traverse the Zone religiously and spend most of their time philosophizing about everything from the meaning of life to the meaninglessness of life, so it’s obviously not a movie that will appeal to audiences.
In fact, it took me two nights to watch the film, which is 161 minutes long. in full length. I watched one of them The best films by Denis Villeneuve, Dune: Part 2, in one session – and that is 166 minutes long – but it was not as mentally exhausting as Stalkersthat really demands a lot from its audience, both conceptually and in terms of patience (in true Tarkovsky fashion, there are literally minutes where the characters just walk around and say nothing).
Anyway, it definitely feels like a journey, but more of a journey of the mind than a journey to the stars. And you know what? That’s why I’m really into it.
Still, I would have hated this movie as a teenager
The is a really adult film, and that is the deepest compliment for me. While I like mature films like one of the the greatest war films, Apocalypse nowBack in high school, I mainly stuck to funny horror movies, like all Friday the 13th Films. So, 8½And The adventure (Or any Black and white filmsas far as that is concerned) I definitely was not I’m rewatching it from high school.
However, every now and then I am adventurous and try a “classic” film like Lawrence of Arabiaor Mutiny on the Bountyand… well, I would hate it! “Why is this soooo slow?” I would ask the ceiling and deeply regret having watched it at all. I know I would think that way about Stalkers if I had seen it when I was younger. I mean, damn, I saw Tarkovsky’s Film, Mirroras an adult, and I was extremely bored.
Still, I really loved Stalkers as an adult. It’s about discussions of morality and even the aggressive boredom that life can bring. It’s a film that its director probably never intended to be a commercial work of cinema, and for that reason it’s brave and brilliant. I really appreciate (and maybe even love) this film today, but I know that as a teenager I would have HATED it.
The images and sounds really appeal to me, even though they are so sparse
I also really appreciate the overall visuals and sounds of this film. At times I didn’t even notice there was music at all, but that’s only because it’s woven together so well that you kind of get lost in it, which is very impressive to say the least.
But I want to talk about the visual effects again, because although it doesn’t resemble any other science fiction film I’ve ever seen, it is still incredibly distinctive and unique. With the camera work of Aleksandr Knyazhinsky, the film draws a The Wizard of Ozby starting out in sepia, but then turning full color once our characters enter the zone.
Now, the colors really aren’t anything special, as they’re mostly dark blues and light greens, but the shock you get when you see the color change stays with you for most of the movie, especially as the colors sometimes revert back to a sepia tone as the movie progresses.
And that really appealed to me because it made the Zone seem beautiful but also alien, which makes sense since the room located somewhere in the Zone could possibly be an alien artifact (that’s not entirely clear and not really important given the story at hand).
There’s also the famous lumpy sand dune scene, known in the film as the “meat grinder.” Although the aforementioned “meat grinder” doesn’t actually seem dangerous, the strange imagery does capture the imagination, and I think that only works because of the subtle but imaginative imagery and sound in this film, sparse as they are.
Although it is really long, the slow pace works
I have already mentioned that Mirrorbut an important reason for this is the glacial pace. Stalkers is no different, as the film takes its time at every opportunity.
However, I felt like I couldn’t stand the long, slow cuts. MirrorI found it deeply engaging here. This could be because I genuinely didn’t know what was going to happen next, and the slow pace added to the general sense of dread I had throughout the film.
I’m not sure if the slow pace would work if I ever decided to watch it again, but I think it could work since I would appreciate the film for a reason other than just the general unease I felt the first time around. I mean, I haven’t stopped thinking about the film since I saw it, so I’m pretty sure I’d find a lot of other things to admire if I ever did watch it again.
Ultimately, I agree that it really is one of the best science fiction films of all time, but I wouldn’t recommend it to most people
Finally, I agree with the people who call this one of the best science fiction films of all timealthough I definitely wouldn’t recommend this movie to everyone.
That’s because the film ends up being completely unsatisfying. I won’t give away the ending, but you might end up thinking, “Really? That’s it?” But the thing is, I didn’t get that feeling, although I know I probably would have if I had seen it in one night. Because this is one of those films where it’s not about the destination, it’s about the journey, and I know there are quite a few people who can’t relate to that sort of thing.
And that’s okay! Stalkers is truly a great movie (and a great science fiction movie at that), but not every great movie is for everyone, and that’s okay.
But what do you think? Have you seen Stalkers? And if not, are you interested in watching it now? More news about upcoming science fiction filmsBe sure to stop by here often.
