Arch 443/646: Architecture and Film
Fall 2005

Solaris
(1972 )

Please answer the questions below. Use paragraph form. Your answer should be around 400 words. Email me your responses in Word .doc format to: tboake@sympatico.ca I will be posting these each week after the class. You should be prepared to deliver your answer in class -- but paraphrase, do not read it.

Although this film was billed as the Russian version of 2001, it tackled the issue of space in a much different way. There was a contrasted difference in the proportion of the film that used the earth as setting. Very little was shown of the exterior of the space station.

The film was heavy in philosophy and moral statement. As part of this week's required answer, please cite your "favorite" LINE from the film. Be prepared to tell us why you chose it.

It was difficult to screencap without catching the subtitles. Please use the images below for their image content unless directed to take note of the caption. I attempted to avoid capturing captions. It was not possible...

1. Liana Bresler

The film often made use of reflections, both in as a cinematographic device as well as in the development of the philosophical plot development of the film. Explain.

Solaris and 2001: A Space odyssey, are both movies which deal with man’s loss of control in space due to advance technology and his quest for knowledge and discovery. In Solaris, however, technology and space are not the main themes of the movie; they are vehicles through which the director raises question about the morality of our actions, self consciousness, and the mystery of human existence.

Reflections are used throughout the movie as metaphors and explorations of these main themes of Solaris. In the opening sequence of the film the protagonist, Kelvin, is standing beside a lake staring at his own reflection. This alludes to the ocean of Solaris, where the water creates being from the scientists minds, and the reflection as an introspective device. The symbolism of water, both on earth and in space, speaks of the relationships between humans and themselves as well as between humans and a higher power.

Reflections confuse reality with dream. The characters in the movie often stare at mirrors at moments of confusion, questioning whether the strange occurrences are truly happening. The beings that ‘appear’ on Solaris have reflections too. And so the use of reflections not only questions reality, but raises the question of ‘who is watching who’, that is, are the scientists investigating Solaris, or is Solaris investigating them?

The mirror that is often used in the movie is old, almost ancient technology. The film is set in a time where man has conquered space using his sophisticated tools, yet these tools did not answer some of his most basic questions, or helped him deal with his own past. This touches on another main theme of the film, the value and purpose of our quest for knowledge.

Even is this advance future, human problems remain the same, lost loves, relations with our families, aspects of life which technology did not improve, but perhaps only complicated. Only through the intervention of the Solaris ocean, do does Kelvin begin to acknowledge parts of himself that are hidden, the same things he was contemplating back on earth, staring at his reflection.

2. Elfie Kalfakis

Contrast the images or representation of water on earth to the images or representation of the Ocean of Solaris.

The representation of water on Earth is one of tranquil and even motionless. The film opens with a view of the lake with undulating strands of sea weed within it. This is accompanied by images of a man in contemplation. The scenes displaying the lake on earth, although tranquil have an eerie, unnatural calm to them. A sense of unrest lies beneath the surface, whether depicted through the undulation of the sea weed in the lake or the conflict felt in Kelvin’s contemplativeness. The lake on Earth is portrayed also as a reflective surface. Essentially it is depicted as a calm region next to a quaint Russian family cottage home with an underlying feeling of unease. The lake is shown typically during moments of nostalgia or contemplation.

The ocean of Solaris is seen a vigorous vortex. The space of the ocean seems vast and endless; the ocean itself does not seem to reside within a context but more so engulf whatever is around it. It takes on many forms and colours and is presented as a being rather than a piece of the landscape. It is usually seen during moment of intensity and irrational behavior. Rather than being transparent or reflective, the ocean of Solaris appears as if it is replete of some mysterious substance or being.

The two representations of water do contrast with each other; one is depicted as calm and contemplative whereas the ocean of Solaris is a dynamic force within or around a planet. On the surface the two bodies of water are seemingly opposite, but when looked at in a more metaphoric way they appear to be inverted versions of each other.

The correlation between the two is what I find as most interesting. The lake on Earth seems to correspond to some form of memory or hidden consciousness. It simultaneously acts as a mirror and a transparent shell. The ocean of Solaris seems to be the active manifestation of the unconscious of the lake. The feelings and memories repressed by on Earth that are glossed over by a reflective surface (the lake) erupt and manifest themselves emotionally and literally when humans come in contact with the ocean of Solaris. The ocean of Solaris takes emotion and irrationalities and materializes them.

3. Emily Maemura

Favourite Line:
“Man doesn’t need to conquer the frontier, he needs a mirror” near the end, 
Snaut for a science fiction film, it seems to be constantly bashing science, 
anti-science.

The film switches back and forth from B/W to colour at varying points through the length of the entire film. Discuss this. Why is it done? What does it achieve?

In the first part of the film, which takes place on earth, the switch between black/white and colour seems to represent a set of strong polar opposites: tradition and modernity, business and farming, rural and urban, natural and artificial. A practical use of the colour change is to define the ‘flashback’ for the viewer, distinguish present and past during the playing of the Burton’s recording. Perhaps the older scenes in black and white also reflect an advance in technology has occured. As well, urban, business and more scientific affairs are portrayed by stark contrasts, a right and wrong. The environment in these scenes is largely man-made, modern, brutal. Due to their shapes, materials, and geometries it appears they are more easily read in black and white, than in colour. Strongly contrasted with this existence is the traditional everyday life of the country, allowing one to appreciate the beauty of streams, trees, horses, the many colours of nature. This can be seen in come ways as propagandistic, a glorification of peasant life.

Yet, a shift occurs in the middle of the drive through Osaka. Initially the drive is black and white, showing the contrast of lights and dark tunnels. Then it switches, showing still very dark tunnels, with yellow lights, yellow paint on wall. Then the final stage of colour is added, showing the city at night a-buzz with activity and coloured lights. When the viewer returns to the rural scene, it is drained of its colour, isolated, lacking life.

In the second part (in space) most of the scenes are shot in colour, with the exception of those that seem to of a more individual nature - dreams, hallucinations, or experiences from a single perspective. The constant shifting back and forth lends to the confusing nature of the film, questioning what is real and what is fantasy.

4. Derek McCallum

Quotes:

Snaut is asking Kris if he has seen something, shortly after arriving on the station:

“Why, what would I see?”

“That depends on you.”

At his party in the library, Snaut describes dreams as being the one place where pauper and lord are equals – dreams tie humanity together, and allow us all endless possibility.

There are several very distinct colour schemas used throughout the film. Identify and discuss their use, significance and role in the development of the architecture of the plot.

The colour schemes are used to bring emphasis to certain memories, events, and people. The general sets and scenes of the film are relatively neutral, whether the greenery of the farm’s surrounding landscape, the generic “technology” lining the corridors of the spaceships, or the stark white interiors of the station quarters. It seems that mainly elements that correspond to some sense of ephemerality or memory are given a burst of colour.

In the image on the left, childhood memories are played out in a fantastically white, snow-laden landscape. It is only those elements connected specifically with memory – the persons, physical entities, etc – that are coloured. The colour schemes themselves are linked with Russian Constructivist art from the beginning of the 20 th century. These paintings often use bright colours in contrast to dark or neutral background, thus heightening the perception both. Careful attention to composition is evident in both the art and the film.

As previously stated, colour is primarily assigned to those elements that have a human or emotional connotation. The majority of architecture in the film, especially on the space station, is rendered in a very neutral and non-descript way. Only those elements connected with life on earth (the library, personal decorations and books in the private quarters) are given a distinct colour scheme. To further animate the blandness of the station, its living, breathing occupants each possess a strong colour palette. The idea of earth-related entities having colour and the station not is perhaps indicating the simulation and emptiness that characterizes Solaris.

5. Helen Pallot

Fire seems to be used as an underlying connective device througout the film. Explain. What is the significance of the use of fire on the spacecraft? Is it believable?

Fire is used in a way to signify Kris Kelvin’s transitions from earth to solaris. Kelvin used it to burn memories of the past, including photo of his dead wife, and life works. Maybe because he knew that he was never going to return to his parents house, he was ridding himself of the remains of the life that he was leaving and probably never going to return, or it was an attempt to leave his downfalls and troubles on earth. However the shots of the fire when it has been put out, show that there were still remains of the papers, maybe to echo that his memories although maybe faint, were still present and came to haunt his on Solaris. In the end of the film were Kelvin appears on Solaris at his parents house, the fire is still burning papers, I think it is up to us whether we can connect these burning papers to the initial scenes, it is up to our own interpretation. Maybe it shows how he still is coming to terms with the issues with his parents, his dead ex wife and the way he lived his life on earth.

As water and wildlife are used to promote the ideals of the time, symbolising health and contentment, it can be also shown by fire, a contrast to the two but none the less an aspect of nature.

6. Allison Janes

Throughout the spacecraft, and particularly in the "library", the walls are covered with images of a very traditional past (paintings, etchings, drawings, photographs). What is the purpose of this? How does it relate to the development of the moral plot of the film?

In our quest for scientific knowledge and power over nature and space, humans have come to value the intellect, the rational and the objective above anything else. We are obsessed with conquering the unknown, the natural and the universe. In trying to understand everything we begin to forget ourselves. We have dismissed the value of emotions and the comforts of social interaction for our belief in science.

Solaris questions this dismissal of emotions in contemporary society and the society of the future. It tests its characters by placing their understanding at odds with their emotions and memories. What is real and what is fabricated merge to form a new and challenging reality for the Solarists.

The painting, etchings, drawings and photographs within the library represent a time when romantic sensibilities had the greatest value both in the arts and the sciences. Nature and emotions were of paramount concern to humans. The theme is of the film is revealed as the library becomes a museum or receptacle for these traditional artifacts. It is a container for elements of the human psyche that are only remembered but not used in the daily life of the future.

7. Nathan Rehorick

Favourite quote:

“Mankind has its ability to sleep” – Kris Kelvin

Why the reference to Don Quixote? What is the significance of this part of the plot?

Don Quixote is the tragic hero of Miguel de Cervantes’s novel of the same name of the early seventeenth century. Quixote reads many old books in which chivalrous deeds are performed. These readings push him to personally revive knight-errantry by taking up a lance and shield and questing to protect the weak from the evil. Quixote is emotionally obsessed with old-worldly virtues of honour and pride, and pursues these ideas with passion, but not necessarily precision or care.

The example of Quixote is used as a quintessential symbol of the message being pushed in the Solaris plot. This message, which involves a questioning of the role of humans in the exploration and research on the world of Solaris, or more generally the to which science, in the name of discovery and the “greater human good”, ignores and even masks our basic intuitions about the appropriateness of such endeavours. The reference to Quixote evokes the message that humankind needs to address these basic emotions and intuitions as valid determinant factors of larger life decisions, such as those concerning the progress and development of society.

8. Matt Storus

Quote
Berton to Kelvin: “Knowledge is only valid when it is based on morality”
This speaks to the overall ethos of the film whereby the quest for scientific knowledge ultimately destroys
the scientists; it is a critique of the price of progress. And eventually, Kris is completely consumed by the
gaseous brain on Solaris and chooses to stay.

What do you assume is the supposed "date" of the action of this film? What architectural evidence is given to us to support this?

The film is dated in the not-to-distant future in relation to the time it was created. The three major
instances where earth-bound architecture is portrayed are the committee chambers, the country house, and
the drive through the city. The interior committee chambers are portrayed as open modernist buildings
with only limited “futuristic additions”. Some of these additions include the curved television screen and
some of the bevelled partitions. However, this style is not incongruous with contemporaneous fashion of
the 1970s. Therefore it is not obvious that the action is taking place far in the future. Similarly, the
country house is ambiguous. The metallic roof placed in the country setting certainly contrasts the
expected presence of a rustic shack; however it would not have been radically different from other highclass
country houses of the time. Lastly, the driving scene was shot in Tokyo – meaning to portray a
more densely urbanized Russian city (although the ubiquity of Japanese signage throughout the scene
tended to stretch the limits of credulity). Presumably, the density of urban form suggests a possible jump
of 15-20 years, but the obviously contemporary cars no not support such an assumption.

9. David Takacs

Favourite Quote:
“We want to extend the earth to the edges of other worlds. We don’t need other worlds, we need mirrors.” (Dr. Snaut)

Very little of the film gives us a view of "space" or the spacecraft or space travel from the exterior. Why do you think this is so? Does this help or hurt the film? Compare this to 2001.

This quote was interesting to me for a number of reasons. First, it is seldom that someone steps away from something they are so immersed in to take a fresh perspective, let alone one so poignant as Dr. Snaut’s remark. In addition, the comment on needing a mirror reminds me of the work of the thinker Michel Foucault. In this case, I believe Snaut was referring to the need for a mirror as a reality check for man, but it also raises the issue of other places, and the boundless search for a utopia, such as is the case in Solaris. The mirror is a placeless place, wherein one sees himself in an unreal, virtual space, which overall relates to the film quite well.

The film Solaris by the Russian director Andrei Tarkovsky was seen as the Russian answer to 2001: A Space Odyssey, but upon its release in the United States it was quickly dismissed as a failure. The reason for its being deemed unsuccessful by American audiences is intimately bound up with the precise reason the movie is a success. American films rely much more on big-budget tricks for a relatively corporeal experience, whereas Solaris used finesse in actual dialogue and story, largely changing it from the typical Hollywood film.

Very little of the film shows views of space or spacecraft, aside from a few very brief moments of travel. I believe the reason to this approach is two-fold. One the one hand is the desire to add emphasis to the story and its well-thought dialogue, proving that the art of film is more than money, which it most certainly is. On the other hand there is the almost guaranteed fact of a tight budget. Given its being made during the Cold War in a relatively isolated Soviet Union, Solaris most likely had little access to complicated special effects.

Having said this, its geo-political context is for the best. While some unappreciative audiences may find the lack of technical shots disturbing, it certainly allows for a greater focus on the film itself, namely the complex story as previously mentioned. Although in some instances some more depth may have been desired, it ultimately would not have improved the concept of the film, which is conveyed quite thoroughly through dialogue. In comparison to other more technical films such as 2001: A Space Odyssey, we find more of a visual party. Ironically, 2001: A Space Odyssey is almost the complete opposite of Solaris, rich in visuals and devoid of great lines.

10. Mat Triebner

Quote:

"In his endless pursuit of knowledge, man is condemned to the truth."
Sartorius      

Comment on the architectural set provided for these two major circulation spaces. Appropriate? Effective? Believable?

The architectural set of the two main circulation spaces is quite appropriate for Solaris. The circular main hall area and the narrow branches off it seem quite realistic and are in keeping with the Space aesthetic established by 2001: A Space Odyssey. Although not terribly innovative, the circular shape of the station is certainly believable and its seemingly endless nature combined with the psychosis-inducing colour scheme further adds to the sense of disorientation and confusion which the film seems to embrace so avidly.

Problems arise, however, in the enormous amount of gadgetry that adorns the walls of the circular hallway. Such an elaborate effort has been made to portray the necessary technology aboard the station, yet it reads as excessive and compromises the believability of the space. A similar issue was discussed in prior weeks in reference to the high degree of detail which covered the exterior of the Valley Forge, which subsequently brought into question that vessel’s ability to be perceived as realistic.

The real strength of the set pieces lies in the simple features. The disorientation that the circular space provides is a very simple tactic that allows for maximum results. Additionally, this sort of set piece created to indicate a repeated modular unit has the benefit of being remarkably cheap. It can be used to simulate a variety of different areas of the ship without forcing a multiple of areas to be built. The Canadian film Cube mastered this process through the creation of a set which could represent hundreds of volumes yet required only two to be built. Such is the nature of modularity.

The rather manic colour scheme is another feature which very simply adds to the fragmentation and disorientation aboard the ship. The choice of a panic-type red was clearly intentional and wholly appropriate. A soothing green or even stark white would betray the discord aboard the spacecraft. The debris left strewn about the circulation spaces of the station is another component heightening the sense of disorder which has now become commonplace.

11. Andrea Wong

Comment on the architectural set provided for his bedroom versus the main "public" space. Refer to their colour, surface treatments, shapes and the use of the space with respect to the plot development.

When the main character first arrives in his bedroom, the viewer is quickly stricken by the starkness of the white and the cold metallic trims. However, as the movie progresses and as the character and his conscience become more and more familiar, colours become more apparent. When sunlight penetrates from the window, all the tones become more interesting and it is possible to see texture, shadow and feeling even on the cold white surfaces. Attention is brought on objects that are reminiscent of home and humanity, such as the books on the shelf and the two leather chairs around the table. The circular shape of the room refers to infinity, regeneration, and immortality which relates to the perpetual life cycle of the apparitions from his consciousness. The wall padding is similar to the look of asylum cells. This also gives the impression of thick walls and hence a sense of boundary. The room is insular. In this bedroom, the main character is alone with his thoughts. He can see all happenings in the room in at one glance and can feel close to the space. Everything is accessible. It is therefore here that he feels most comfortable with his conscience.

The main public space is also white and cold but this is where its similarities with the bedroom end. This space is like a crooked tube composed of angular surfaces. The end is not visible from the camera’s viewpoint. Random objects are scattered on the floor and change places as the movie progresses. There seems to be a giant light bulb, wire, string, an object on wheels, and crooked metal-clad devices that stretch toward the ceiling and resemble unlevelled refrigerators. There is no order in the location of these objects and their very nature or role is unclear. However, they do manage to compartmentalize the room in such a way as to make simultaneous users feel distant from one another even though they are a few metres away from each other. There is a definite feeling of inaccessibility which is in direct contrast with the circular shape of the bedroom described above. Outside of his bedroom, the main character must explain his conscience to others, which makes him vulnerable. This public space is associated with uncertainty and discomfort.

12. BJ Smith

Quotes:

“When man is happy, the meaning of life and other eternal themes rarely interest him.” - Dr. Snaut

Definitely my favourite from the movie – mainly because I believe it is so true. Its amazing when life gives you trouble, you contemplate it over and over and divulge into things deeper and deeper causing a greater grief. Yet if you are already happy you don’t bother to question anything….you never bothering to dive into mysteries which can never be answered. In some ways I find it a sad truth.

“Yet the preservation of simple human truths requires mystery – the mysteries of happiness, death and love.” - Kris Kelvin

“We are in the foolish position of a man striving for a goal he fears and does not want” - Dr. Snaut

Two views of the house and the water. Explain the significance. Compare this to the end of 2001.

The house and its surrounding water are pivotal icons in the symbolism of the film – as they are present in the beginning and the end of the story. Solaris is much more than a typical space opera, it is an exploration beyond the physicality of humanity, a journey intended to extend the territorial bounds of man, only to find the vast frontier of humanity’s own subconscious. In essence the goal which mankind strives for leads him to look within the mind that got him thus far. Vis-à-vis, the end is the beginning, and inversely the beginning the end. As a result the imagery used in the film tends to lead into greater significances within its components. So metaphorically, if home is where the heart is, then it’s not surprising that the story begins and ends at the dwelling of Kelvin’s family. This house and its occupants represent the beginning of who Kelvin is. What we see is the Kelvin before reaching Solaris, who is disconnected and dysfunctional with his family - as we see him burning his past papers and avoiding his father’s attempt for care. Only once Kelvin experiences the mysteries of humanity in the context of Solaris, does he wish to return to what he once wanted to push away. In other words, his experiences have allowed him to willingly face himself and his history. Yet once he returns to his home in light of what has occurred things are no longer perceived the same. Regardless if Kelvin has returned to earth or is now on Solaris, the new significance of the house is portrayed by the house’s encompassed nature by the ocean. Ultimately this change in the house’s portrayal is denoting the change in Kelvin’s own perspective and nature.

Therefore by comparing each of the images, we see how each depicts a different perspective of this condition. The first, before going to Solaris simply depicts the home and its familiarities. While the second photo seen at the end after encountering Solaris, tries to signify the complexity and mystery of the human condition – of happiness, death and love.

While 2001 and Solaris both imply a higher power at work, in Kubrick’s universe it is a foregone conclusion that humankind will be assimilated by Artificial Intelligence; any suspense aboard the ship revolves around this interplay. For Tarkovksy, the age old questions of truth and identity are only fore grounded by technology, not eclipsed by it. Convincingly, both films deal with the mystery of existence; and to the perplexity of the audience, both directors insist upon an answer where there can only be a question - allowing each viewer to have their own explanation - true to the reality of this mystery.

13. Maia Spadafora

The LINE that I prefered was: “There is not science immoral”

Why? Because I think the same. There isn’t anything immoral in the desire of knowledge, of understand the humans conditions. What is immoral is the way to use the knowledge!

The Knowledge and the science “has something to do with the conscience, is not madness!”...There are not answers in own life, only choise that can bring us toward the frightening consciousness of own limits.

There does not seem to be much development of the role of the "computer" in this film (in marked contrast to 2001). The most technology we see is evidenced in the video transmission. Discuss this. How does it help, hinder or place the film in a timeframe.

Technology has a really marginal role in Solaris. The video transmissions are the only way in which technology is shown to us. But what we see through is neither the future, nor the expression of the contemporary progress. Images are in black and white. The reality is filtered by remind (??) (che vuoi dire? xdalricordo? allora through memory that changes images into colorless ones. This seems to mean that images are the expression of the past, a past that was once lived life. So images of the videotransmissions are grey because they want to involve only sight, they only show an event or an action that has happened. Separately, there is a recorder that introduces the audio. In this case the imagination is called in to explain how the story might be developed. It isn’t the truth, it is just a “may be”. So the images – expression of the real past – are perhaps meant to barely show the facts, not to “be felt”. It is for this reason that they are colorless. They are cold and detached, perhaps to indicate that feelings and emotions that were once felt are now over. An emblematic case are two differents images of the burning fire. At the start and at the end of the film. In the former case the image is in black and white, in the latter it is colored, but both are flashback. So intentionally what happens is a different voluntary non implication/ implication of feelings. It is the same difference that occurs between what is just describe and what is also remebered.

14. Davide

Windows play a key role in the sense of time in the film. Apertures are typically round. Discuss their role in the film.