Lem is a brilliant writer. A philosopher who uses science fiction to express a system of belief that is, deep down, very pessimistically nihilistic.
Solaris touches many themes. The movie can only explore some, and must leave aside others. Among the ones left aside is, sadly, the one that is most important to 'get' the story.
The book's central theme is love. But not in the shallow way it's treated in romance novels, no. It's the "manifestations" that force us to ask this question: can we really love someone, since we can never know them completely?
That's the key question. Khari's inner conflict cannot be adequately expressed on film. She's painfully aware that she's just a creation made from the memories in Kelvin's brain. Which means that, deep down, she's not real.
Everything else falls in place once you understand this. The ocean-brain can create perfect simulacra of reality, and doing so forces the question: isn't all we know just that? The simulacra, the models of reality we create in our heads?
If that is so, then we can never truly know anything. And we can never truly love. We're trapped in our little false, subjective reality, like Kelvin in the end. Pieces in a snow globe, isolated forever.
PS: I recommend reading Baudrillard's "Simulacra and Simulation," the book that inspired The Matrix movies.
Also, I'd recommend reading the actual book. Stanislaw Lem is a very demanding writer, it's good to keep in mind that even if it seems to be science fiction, in reality it's philosophy. Beyond Solaris, The Invincible, Return from the Stars, Cyberiad, Fiasco, and his masterpiece, His Master's Voice, are great to understand his philosophy.
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Space For Sale.
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lightningcows
8 years ago
... i do agree with the original post that some of the long scenes are somewhat baffling, such as the city driving one. I was thinking of a wry observation while watching that drive that I had at least learned that Russians also use blinkers to change lanes, like the US. However, I suspect there may have been a slight commentary on city-life and life in the rural country. The music during the city driving scenes grow increasingly dissonant, until it cuts out completely once the film turns back to the house in the rural country.
I do agree with your points that the film deals with themes involving "reality", as well as humanity. What makes a person "human" ? Can Hari, despite not being fully "human", still be "human" in another sense ? In a way, it is similar to questions regarding artificial intelligence.
Regarding the ending, I tend to go with another poster who suggested that Solaris, the planet, began creating alternative realities on those islands after being given the encephalograms. It is possible that it is an alternate Kris Kelvin in the end, or perhaps the "actual" Kris Kelvin went to visit one of those islands.
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svalinanikola
8 years ago
. However, I suspect there may have been a slight commentary on city-life and life in the rural country.
Actually, I think that scene was put there because he wanted to chase away the type of viewer who'd say a movie like this is boring etc.
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