“On the one hand, love may connect us within a fractal autopoietic network to the infinity of the inner and outer universe, uniting us with God and His purpose in a collaboration of faith. On the other hand, love may empower us to accept our place in a vast unknowable and amoral universe to form an island of hope in a purposeless sea of indifference.” SF Girl
Many people don’t quite grasp the meaning of Solaris, often referring to it as a thriller, a psychological drama or pure science fiction.
I love this movie for several reasons:
1.The events are not in chronological order, therefore adding to the difficulty of understanding the movie.
2. In the part of the movie that takes place aboard the space station, we see only two live humans: psychiatrist Chris Kelvin (George Clooney) and crew member Helen Gordon (Viola Davis).
3. Solaris [2002] was written and directed by Stephen Soderbergh the man who influenced me into learning how to write screenplays. Solaris is nearly perfect if not absolutely pure in its approach to the human condition in exploring the universal theme of LOVE.
4. The pacing was so smooth, so natural that it was then I knew that I would be hooked on this movie which is replete with memorable lines.
5. If you ever have the pleasure of meeting or interacting with Natascha McElhone like me you will forever be a fan of one of the coolest most centered women in this universe or any other.
That’s right ladies, what many don’t get is that Solaris is a
“Love Story” enveloped in science fiction. I remember almost being laughed out of a meeting when I made this statement until Stephen Soderbergh validated my claim by stating the exact same thing.
It pains me to read reviews written by people who just don’t get it.
They concede that the movie is indeed a love story but are blind to the fact that Solaris is a cerebral character study that is not only intelligent, but also of great depth and imagination that meditates on our place in the universe and the mystery of LOVE.
This movie is a 20th Century Fox remake of the Russian movie “Solyaris.” The 2002 version evokes stylish, evocative and dream-like imagery flowed to a surrealistic soundtrack like the colors of a Salvadore Dali painting.
I will not tell you movie plot point by plot point because that’s what every You Tube movie reviewer and teen entertainment writer does. I will however allude to 3 words spoken by the Character Rheya (Natascha McElhone) to Dr. Chris Kelvin (Clooney) who approaches her at a party after noticing her on the subway earlier. He approaches her, they exchange smiles. The camera is at Clooney’s back so we only see Rheya’s expression as she smiles and then drinks a shot of liquor. It is assumed that Dr. Kelvin is struggling for a conversation opener:
Rheya Kelvin: Don't blow it. Chris Kelvin: [laughs] You start.
Rheya Kelvin: I did. Chris Kelvin: Really? All right, I'm going to resist the impulse to ask you about the doorknob.
Rheya Kelvin: Do you always resist your impulses? Chris Kelvin: Not always.
Rheya Kelvin: Try poetry. Chris Kelvin: And death shall have no dominion...
Rheya Kelvin: Mm, Thomas. It's not a very happy poem, though. Chris Kelvin: Well, you didn't seem very happy when I saw you on the train.
Rheya Kelvin: [laughs] I wasn't. Chris Kelvin: And tonight?
Rheya Kelvin: It's early.
The two humans [Clooney, Davis] aboard Solaris struggle to understand the nature of the alien life-form they have encountered, they receive what purports to be information from the facsimile-humans. But I don't think the viewers, can necessarily take what facsimile-humans say at face value. This is partly because the facsimile-humans' knowledge is likely to be limited, but also because they are generated by Solaris, and the planet has its own agenda.
When I learned to write screeplays, I used this script as a template. I literally used it as a template. I replaced the character’s dialogue with whatever dialogue to whatever story I was currently writing and tried to fit everything into the format limitations. The Movie is 99 minutes meaning that it is approximately a little over 100 pages. So I knew that that the screenplay was good because I could actually imagine seeing the characters interact in this manner and if the story reached a respectable denouement in the time allotted.
Yes Solaris incorporates the usual screenplay structure effectively.
At the movie’s start we are privy to Dr. Chris Kelvin’s ordinary world which is a mix of the mundane peppered with what we learn is profound remorse or pain.
[first lines]
[Chris's memories, in voiceover]
Rheya Kelvin: Chris, what is it? I love you so much. Don't you love me anymore?
Through to the Final Push where Dr. Kelvin races to Rehya on the spaceship as the other survivor prepares to abandon the crippled Solaris spacecraft.
This is the best Science Fiction Love Story EVER.
Solaris 2002
Directed by
Steven Soderbergh
Produced by
James Cameron
Jon Landau
Rae Sanchini
Written by
Screenplay:
Steven Soderbergh
Novel:
Stanisław Lem
Starring
George Clooney
Natascha McElhone
Viola Davis
Jeremy Davies
Ulrich Tukur
Music by
Cliff Martinez
Many people don’t quite grasp the meaning of Solaris, often referring to it as a thriller, a psychological drama or pure science fiction.
I love this movie for several reasons:
1.The events are not in chronological order, therefore adding to the difficulty of understanding the movie.
2. In the part of the movie that takes place aboard the space station, we see only two live humans: psychiatrist Chris Kelvin (George Clooney) and crew member Helen Gordon (Viola Davis).
3. Solaris [2002] was written and directed by Stephen Soderbergh the man who influenced me into learning how to write screenplays. Solaris is nearly perfect if not absolutely pure in its approach to the human condition in exploring the universal theme of LOVE.
4. The pacing was so smooth, so natural that it was then I knew that I would be hooked on this movie which is replete with memorable lines.
5. If you ever have the pleasure of meeting or interacting with Natascha McElhone like me you will forever be a fan of one of the coolest most centered women in this universe or any other.
That’s right ladies, what many don’t get is that Solaris is a
“Love Story” enveloped in science fiction. I remember almost being laughed out of a meeting when I made this statement until Stephen Soderbergh validated my claim by stating the exact same thing.
It pains me to read reviews written by people who just don’t get it.
They concede that the movie is indeed a love story but are blind to the fact that Solaris is a cerebral character study that is not only intelligent, but also of great depth and imagination that meditates on our place in the universe and the mystery of LOVE.
This movie is a 20th Century Fox remake of the Russian movie “Solyaris.” The 2002 version evokes stylish, evocative and dream-like imagery flowed to a surrealistic soundtrack like the colors of a Salvadore Dali painting.
I will not tell you movie plot point by plot point because that’s what every You Tube movie reviewer and teen entertainment writer does. I will however allude to 3 words spoken by the Character Rheya (Natascha McElhone) to Dr. Chris Kelvin (Clooney) who approaches her at a party after noticing her on the subway earlier. He approaches her, they exchange smiles. The camera is at Clooney’s back so we only see Rheya’s expression as she smiles and then drinks a shot of liquor. It is assumed that Dr. Kelvin is struggling for a conversation opener:
Rheya Kelvin: Don't blow it. Chris Kelvin: [laughs] You start.
Rheya Kelvin: I did. Chris Kelvin: Really? All right, I'm going to resist the impulse to ask you about the doorknob.
Rheya Kelvin: Do you always resist your impulses? Chris Kelvin: Not always.
Rheya Kelvin: Try poetry. Chris Kelvin: And death shall have no dominion...
Rheya Kelvin: Mm, Thomas. It's not a very happy poem, though. Chris Kelvin: Well, you didn't seem very happy when I saw you on the train.
Rheya Kelvin: [laughs] I wasn't. Chris Kelvin: And tonight?
Rheya Kelvin: It's early.
The two humans [Clooney, Davis] aboard Solaris struggle to understand the nature of the alien life-form they have encountered, they receive what purports to be information from the facsimile-humans. But I don't think the viewers, can necessarily take what facsimile-humans say at face value. This is partly because the facsimile-humans' knowledge is likely to be limited, but also because they are generated by Solaris, and the planet has its own agenda.
When I learned to write screeplays, I used this script as a template. I literally used it as a template. I replaced the character’s dialogue with whatever dialogue to whatever story I was currently writing and tried to fit everything into the format limitations. The Movie is 99 minutes meaning that it is approximately a little over 100 pages. So I knew that that the screenplay was good because I could actually imagine seeing the characters interact in this manner and if the story reached a respectable denouement in the time allotted.
Yes Solaris incorporates the usual screenplay structure effectively.
At the movie’s start we are privy to Dr. Chris Kelvin’s ordinary world which is a mix of the mundane peppered with what we learn is profound remorse or pain.
[first lines]
[Chris's memories, in voiceover]
Rheya Kelvin: Chris, what is it? I love you so much. Don't you love me anymore?
Through to the Final Push where Dr. Kelvin races to Rehya on the spaceship as the other survivor prepares to abandon the crippled Solaris spacecraft.
This is the best Science Fiction Love Story EVER.
Solaris 2002
Directed by
Steven Soderbergh
Produced by
James Cameron
Jon Landau
Rae Sanchini
Written by
Screenplay:
Steven Soderbergh
Novel:
Stanisław Lem
Starring
George Clooney
Natascha McElhone
Viola Davis
Jeremy Davies
Ulrich Tukur
Music by
Cliff Martinez