Stalker (1979)

[Ligeia]

Near a gray and unnamed city is the Zone, an alien place guarded by barbed wire and soldiers. Over his wife's numerous objections, a man rises in the dead of night: he's a stalker, one of a handful who have the mental gifts (and who risk imprisonment) to lead people into the Zone to the Room, a place where one's secret hopes come true. That night, he takes two people into the Zone: a popular writer who is burned out, cynical, and questioning his genius; and a quiet scientist more concerned about his knapsack than the journey. In the deserted Zone, the approach to the Room must be indirect. As they draw near, the rules seem to change and the stalker faces a crisis.

[trieffiewiles]

Hello Aggeliki, have you seen any other of Tarkovsky's films? Solaris is probably my favorite. Its strange, on another forum, just yesterday, the 'master' of the page so to speak, brought up Stalker and Tarkovsky in general, and there I felt compelled to mention Solaris as well. As I said on that webpage I will repeat here, an actor as seemingly intelligent as George Clooney is should know better than to have attempted a remake of this film. Remakes in general, unless we are talking about John Carpenter's The Thing and little else, uh. . . suck! It goes double for directors whose styles, subtleties, and talents in general are all but untouchable, much like the Russian in question here.

Have you seen Andrei Rublev, by Tarkovsky as well? I haven't, but I've been told it is very intense and is far more disturbing for most than either of the two already mentioned. Couple this with the fact that it is placed in a Midievial Slavic setting, and I damn well have to see this movie at some point in my life. I like movies with a spiritual context that don't preach it or pretend that it holds application to everyone, everywhere, and I've heard this movie manages to do this as well.

I HATE preachy bull####, every damn show over here is full of it. Either that, or they cater exclusively to ignorant, young, male alcoholics.

[waffles]

I haven't seen Stalker (but will add it to my Netflix queue). The Sacrifice is my favorite Tarkovski film.

[hypnogeist]

This movie inspired an eponymous ambient album by Robert Rich and Lostmord. The original movie soundtrack is also highly regarded by dark ambient aficionados.

[Ligeia]

Hello Wiley.The friend who gave me to see "Stalker" has also given me the "Mirror" by Tarkovski as well. Hope to find time to see it soon.

I really enjoyed "Stalker".The monologues, especially the ones from the Writer, were pretty amazing. "What kind of writer am i, if i hate writing" and "why should i write if no one will read me in 100 years from now".

That movie is a treasure. So rich in images, meanings and emotions. And the sepia parts..Aaahhh!! A must see.

[J B Marcus]

Stalker was one of those films that opened up my mind to all the rich textures of alternative worlds and our place within them. Another was 2001, which I saw when I was about 11 years old and I remember being spellbound for weeks afterwards. Even now, on further viewings many years after the original, I find the magic can still move me.

[DEVILinIRON]

One of my all-time favorite films.

[Murony_Pyre]

I concur, "Stalker" is also one of my favorite films. Tarkovsky, even at his "worst" is head and shoulders above most other directors. I had the unique opportunity of seeing it a few years ago on the big screen when it was touring N. America, I think it was because a new print of the film had been made or it had been recently restored or something.
Has anyone read "Roadside Picnic", the story that "Stalker" is based on, by the Strugatskis? I have been told that as well as being the source of this brilliant film, it is a decent story in its own right & that the Strugatski bros. are seemingly universally revered as excellent SF writers. There are, however, two opposed schools of thought regarding Stanislaw Lem, writer of the novel "Solaris".

@Ligeia: My all time favorite of Tarkovsky's films is "Zerkalo" (Mirror). You must see this poem on film.

Also, another Russian filmmaker who knew Tarkovsky and does his legacy proud is Aleksandr Sokurov. His films "Molokh" and "The Sun" about the last days of Hitler & Hirohito respectively, are masterpieces of historical film art - after seeing them you feel as though you were present - prepare to have your illusions of "monsters" shattered: there are only broken, pitiful humans on display in these haunting works. It is remiss of me not to have yet seen the first film in this trilogy of 20th century historical figures, "Telets", which focuses on the last days of V.I. Lenin.

[G. S. Carnivals]

Quote Originally Posted by Murony_Pyre

Has anyone read "Roadside Picnic", the story that "Stalker" is based on, by the Strugatskis? I have been told that as well as being the source of this brilliant film, it is a decent story in its own right & that the Strugatski bros. are seemingly universally revered as excellent SF writers. There are, however, two opposed schools of thought regarding Stanislaw Lem, writer of the novel "Solaris".

I have Roadside Picnic/Tale of the Troika by Arkady and Boris Strugatsky in a 1978 Pocket edition. I picked up a fine used copy for $1.50 based upon a review (by Algis Budrys, if I remember correctly). After 20+ years, my recollection is foggy - but I know I enjoyed reading it.