click on image to enlargeThere are key areas of study that WJEC recommend are explored for FM4 Section C – Solaris, and they are as follows:
- As a philosophical film about identity and memory
- The role and function of Hari
- The undemonstrative character of Kris and the reasons for this
- Issues of representation in relation to conventions of the Sci-Fi genre
- The significance of the earth sequences – including the emphasis on nature
- The overall pace and length of the film
- Spectatorship issues related to the above and to narrative development
- The film as characteristic of Tarkovsky’s work - Contexts of production
- (Maybe: the challenge to the film by Soderbergh’s version)
With Solaris, a starting point is what the film is not, what it can be compared with and its status as a film text – Solaris is not 2001: A Space Odyssey. Stanley Kubrick’s seminal 1968 film is more about evolution and the search for extra terrestrial life, reflections on the origins of the species with Kubrick himself encouraging audiences to explore their own interpretations. Solaris is a deeply philosophical film (‘2001’ can be interpreted that way) about identity and memory. While 2001 has much higher production values, with a key focus on technology and special effects Solaris is an independent…
