Solaris
Director: Andrei Tarkovsky
Actors: Natalya Bondarchuk, Donatas Banionis, Jüri Järvet
PlotPsychologist Kris Kelvin travels to a space station orbiting a mysterious planet covered by a vast ocean, to evaluate the mental state of the crew. The planet, known for its enigmatic and possibly sentient ocean, has a disturbing effect on the human mind. As Kelvin arrives, he discovers that one of the crew members has died under mysterious circumstances, while the remaining crew exhibit signs of severe psychological distress. Strange and unexplained phenomena seem to occur regularly on the station, casting doubt on what is real and what is imagined. The planet's ability to manifest physical incarnations of a person's repressed memories and emotions brings Kelvin face to face with his own haunting past.
Kelvin encounters his long-dead wife, who mysteriously reappears aboard the space station. This unsettling reunion forces him to confront unresolved guilt and grief. As Kelvin struggles to discern the true nature of these apparitions and their connection to the mysterious ocean, he must also grapple with philosophical questions about human existence, the nature of consciousness, and the boundaries between reality and illusion. The unfolding events challenge Kelvin’s scientific rationale, leading him to question his own perception of reality as he attempts to understand the true essence of the planet and its ability to manipulate the deepest, darkest parts of the human psyche.
Writers: Stanislaw Lem, Fridrikh Gorenshteyn, Andrei Tarkovsky
Release Date: 26 Sep 1972
Runtime: 167 min
Rating: PG
Country: Soviet Union
Language: Russian, German
Home Video Reviews
Andrei Tarkovsky's 'Solaris' is a visually stunning and complex masterpiece of Russian cinema, with improved Blu-ray picture quality and very good audio.
Read our review of Solaris Blu-ray Солярис Solyaris to find out more