I own the original Russian version of Solaris on DVD. Its one of those rare sci-fi films that like 2001 really push the genre towards what it is supposed to do - take an idea out of our experience , try and present in is a realistic way integrated with the world as we know it, and then drive it to some sort of conclusion - not always one we are happy with. Its slow paced but worth watching. The remake isn't bad at all in my opinion - tells the story in a shorter time.
Some other goodies:
Dark Star is an early John Carpenter film and the cast&crew (including Ron Cobb and Dan O'Bannon) went on to be involved in Star Wars and Alien (a comical subplot in Dark Star is the original "Alien" storyline). A crew out in deep space prepares solar systems for colonisation by blowing up planets in unstable orbits. Its a dark comedy with a great downbeat ending.
Silent Running is about the last plant life on Earth being maintained on large spaceships off Earth - a project which is in danger of cancellation because of lack of funding. Excellent stuff. Stars Bruce Dern.
The Man Who Fell to Earth stars David Bowie as an alien who arrives on Earth in order to use his advanced technology to amass a fortune in order to fund the transportation of water back to his dying planet - but becomes corrupted by Earthly vices.
I own the original Russian version of Solaris on DVD. Its one of those rare sci-fi films that like 2001 really push the genre towards what it is supposed to do - take an idea out of our experience , try and present in is a realistic way integrated with the world as we know it, and then drive it to some sort of conclusion - not always one we are happy with. Its slow paced but worth watching. The remake isn't bad at all in my opinion - tells the story in a shorter time.
Some other goodies:
Dark Star is an early John Carpenter film and the cast&crew (including Ron Cobb and Dan O'Bannon) went on to be involved in Star Wars and Alien (a comical subplot in Dark Star is the original "Alien" storyline). A crew out in deep space prepares solar systems for colonisation by blowing up planets in unstable orbits. Its a dark comedy with a great downbeat ending.
Silent Running is about the last plant life on Earth being maintained on large spaceships off Earth - a project which is in danger of cancellation because of lack of funding. Excellent stuff. Stars Bruce Dern.
The Man Who Fell to Earth stars David Bowie as an alien who arrives on Earth in order to use his advanced technology to amass a fortune in order to fund the transportation of water back to his dying planet - but becomes corrupted by Earthly vices.