Discussing the relationship between art, science and religion in a dystopian society in the films Stalker and Solaris by Andrei Tarkovsky during an oppressive era.
Utopia and Utopia Dystopia has an exciting place in literature and film, it’s place is to push the boundaries for future ideas. I chose this contextual topic because I think it has a lot to answer for, for the existence of Man and why we are here, it helps us to understand new ideas whilst experimenting with the sciences, the arts and tying that in with religion.
Andrei Tarkovsky’s dislike for science fiction cinema evolved into two psychological sci-fi films in the 70s. Solaris [1] in 1972 and Stalker [2] in 1979. Tarkovsky created these beautiful, visionary, cinematic wide shots and long one takes in dystopian worlds with themes of science vs art with religion and this was captured heavily in the two films I will discuss. His work has been recognised as one of the leading artists in contemporary art, ahead of his time, particularly significant today for video artists who investigate media as the material texture of modernity. [3] (Bird, R, 2008)
For example Susan Hiller includes an excerpt from Stalker in a simultaneous display of five episodes from contemporary film featuring young girls with telepathic powers. [4]
Susan Hiller, Psi-Girls 1999
Commissioned by Delfina Gallery/Millwall Productions, London
Tate © Susan Hiller; Courtesy Timothy Taylor Gallery, London
Both films share a lot of similarities, they were both adapted by novels and were created with the same crew and some similar cast, they share spiritual themes of men who wish to experience more and encounter something outside of the known. Tarkovsky created a tension between the arts and sciences to show that we need spirituality in the dystopian futures we look to and want to surround ourselves in.
Stalker came from the novel: ‘Roadside Picnic’ by Boris and Arkady Strugatsky but his relationship with the Strugatsky brothers was more productive than it was of ‘Solaris’ a novel adapted from Stanislaw Lem. Tarkovsky worked really close with the Strugatsky brothers in the filming of Stalker and this meant the the good relationship meant they both had screenwriting credits. [5] (Johnson, V and Petrie G, 1994)
Solaris is set on this thinking being planet which contrasts with Earth being this living being. The planet can think and is more intelligent than the astronauts from Earth but their is this possibility of communication between them both, they don’t understand each other yet the planet can scan your mind. it is able to simulate parts of your deepest desires and emotions and memories. Those simulations take form as creatures.
Tarkovsky concentrates on main character Kelvin and his relationship with his wife within this dystopian world that Len has created. “We don’t want to conquer the cosmos, we want to extend the boundaries of Earth to the cosmos. We are only seeking Man. We don’t want other worlds, we want mirrors.” This quote came directly from the book and was also spoken by a character in the film. [6] (Lem, S 1961) Tarkovsky does ask the question “What makes a person, a person”. In the film the wife has lost her memory, and because of this the husband remains sad, he wants to explain the situation to her but she doesn't understand what it means to be a human being, she has to re-learn. He puts her with the help of crew members in a small ship and shoots her to space. There is this constant struggle about if she's real but sacrifices herself to erase these images because she sees her husband is struggling. This closely links with the symbolism of the sacrificing of Christ Jesus and these strong spiritual themes come through vividly in the film.
The film, through the book, discusses that it is impossible to communicate with supernatural life and forms outside of Earth, however Tarkovsky takes a religious spiritual element into it including themes of shame and redemption and trying to find real deep meaning past aliens and planets, for example the sacrifice of Christ Jesus. Lem didn’t like Tarkovsky’s take on the novel and didn’t appreciate the references to God and Christianity, neither did the Soviet film censors.
Seven years later Tarkovsky continued this psychological dystopian sci-fi themed cinematic film theme. His last under the reign of the oppressive soviet union. Although he never made direct links to this Soviet Union oppressiveness, perhaps to protect himself under this reign, but his private studies have said that he was very unhappy with life in Russia. “he shifted the underlying philosophies in the film to focus on the nature of spirituality” [7] (Johnson, V and Petrie G 1994)
“The film follows the journey of three men (the eponymous Stalker, the Writer, and the Professor) into the Zone, an area quarantined and guarded by the military due to unexplainable occurrences that befall those who visit it.” [8] (Helbock, G 2017) Set in a not so distant future the zone resembles a sacred place which is protected by military and it almost resembles hints of current day politics. The three characters that walk the length of this film take a different view point of the science, art and faith standpoint. The Professor taking the position of science, the writer taking the position of art and the Stalker, which guides the group spiritually. The child of the Stalker resembles hope, in the christian faith children are raised up to be seen as the future. This is a biblical truth from the gospels. “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.” [9] (Matthew 19:14) and “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven”. [10] (Matthew 18:2-4) Jesus takes pride in children. Just as Tarkovsky did in Stalker. Tarkovsky sees hope in children amongst the chaos. In his book ‘Time within Time’ Tarkovsky states,: “I am afraid of the future … I am afraid for the children and for Larissa. God, give me strength and faith for the future, give a future in which to glorify you.” [11] (Hunter Blair, K 1989)
This is clearly conveyed through the Stalkers daughter who “represents hope, quite simply. Children are always something hopeful. Probably because they are the future.” [12] (Gianvito, J 2006)
As well as this Jesus takes the position of God’s son, a child of God, the hope of the world, showing us that in this dystopian film Tarkovsky wanted to use this context to provide a spiritual hope, in perhaps a dark time in and out of the context of the film. The film became an access for escapism as he created this zone where he could show that spirituality is needed amongst science and art in an oppressive time.
The stalker is shown to be someone who is not in the world but perhaps of it. It presents a figure like Jesus who shows us the way. The writer and and professor are being taken on this long journey and taken on different beautiful but tough challenges to get to this zone, similarly this symbolises the likeness in the way God leads us to a relationship with him through his son Jesus. The stalker is playing the role of Jesus in this visual cinematic metaphor, battling with arts and the sciences and their doubts and fears.
Eventually in the film the writer and professor hold themselves back from entering the zone. They don’t wish to see good in this supernatural possibility, the professor especially sees the bad in the situation and worries that it will have the power to bring bad to humanity. A common conception within the science, and in other utopian/dystopian films/TV such as ‘Utopia’ where the resolution to human kind is destroyed as Man are anxious for the results for the world. In the case of Stalker it is about Man rejecting the idea of Christ as the saviour in this ‘Zone’ rejecting any sense of Utopia. “Faith is faith. Without it, man is deprived of any spiritual roots. He is like a blind man. Over time, faith has been given different content. But in this period of the destruction of faith, what’s important to the Stalker is to light a spark, a belief in the heart of people.” [13] (Gianvito, J 2006).
He then makes a film called The Sacrifice in the next era his life from outside control of the soviet union. Where the protagonist tries to make a deal with God. Another major theme in this 4 hour film is how the protagonist bargains with God and spirituality is used again in a dystopian setting.
Now this theme of dystopian futures and linking it with the idea of God and faith in the midst is being explored by contemporary artists. It means we are still searching for this idea of truth and what this looks like in the new media.
In terms of utopian/dystopian cinema the rich landscapes of disaster cinematography that came from Stalker unleashed a new aesthetic for example, David Fincher’s Alien 3 (1992) to Under the Skin to WALLE. In both films, Stalker & Solaris we see that Salvation and a relationship with the saviour in a dystopian environment is offered to humanity, who then reject it, this lack of spirituality in contemporary life is a reason for these types of films in this genre, it helps people question their existence whilst still rejecting a hope, perhaps through fear of the unknown or letting go. I believe there is still a position for spirituality in modern day life, and the popularity of these films from Stalker – WALLE shows that human kind is always searching.
Bibliography
[1] Solaris (1972) Directed by Andrei Tarkovsky [Film] Soviet Union: Mosfilm
[2] Stalker (1979) Directed by Andrei Tarkovsky [Film] Soviet Union: Mosfilm
[3] Bird, R (2008) ‘Andrei Tarkovsky and Contemporary Art: Medium and Mediation’, in Tate Papers, no.10, Autumn 2008, Available at: https://www.tate.org.uk/research/publications/tate-papers/10/andrei-tarkovsky-and-contemporary-art-medium-and-mediation (Accessed: 06/12/18)
[4] Hiller, S (1999) Psi Girls Available at: https://www.tate.org.uk/art/artworks/hiller-psi-girls-t12447 (Accessed: 06/12/18)
[5] Johnson, V and Petrie G (1994) The Films of Andrei Tarkovsky, Bloomington: Indiana University Press. Page,137.
[6] Lem, S (1961) Solaris, New York: Walker.
[7] Johnson, V and Petrie G (1994) The Films of Andrei Tarkovsky, Bloomington: Indiana University Press. Page,141.
[8] Helbock, G (2017) A Historical Analysis of the Films of Andrei Tarkovsky in Relation to the Post-Thaw Soviet Moment, Haverford College Class of 2017 Available at: https://scholarship.tricolib.brynmawr.edu/bitstream/handle/10066/19395/2017HelbockG.pdf?sequence=1 (Accessed: 06/12/18)
[9] Matthew 19:14, Holy Bible, New International Version
[10] Matthew 18:2-4, Holy Bible, New International Version
[11] Hunter Blair, K (1989) Tarkovsky, Time within Time, Berlin: Verlag Ullstein GmbH, Page,159.
[12] Gianvito, J (2006) Andrei Tarkovsky: Interviews, United States of America: University Press of Mississippi. Page, 59.
[13] Gianvito, J (2006) Andrei Tarkovsky: Interviews, United States of America: University Press of Mississippi. Page, 57