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#AlexanderKaidanovsky

adamwatchesmovies · 2 years

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Stalker (1979)

Yes, Stalker is lengthy at 161 minutes and with its deliberate slow pace, subtitles, and many deeply philosophical moments it can be a bit difficult to get through, but it’s worth it. Afterwards, you’ll be unsure what to say except “I’d like to see that again”.

Set some time in the near future, the “Stalker” (Alexander Kaidanovsky) works as a clandestine guide into the “Zone”, an area of Russia in which the normal laws of reality no longer apply. Rumours say that within it there is a room that grants the deepest desires of whoever enters it. Stalker accompanies a writer (Anatoly Solonitsyn) and a professor (Nikolai Grinko) into the area, keeping anonymity from each other should they be caught by government forces.

The easiest film I can compare Stalker to is 2001: A Space Odyssey. In bot pictures, I’m not sure I understand everything there is to understand and I'm not sure I want to, or that it matters. This sentiment fits a film set in a place where there are hidden dangers everywhere and two people can walk in opposite directions and end up crossing paths. There’s great use of color and cinematography, with the Zone being in color and everywhere else being photographed in sepia tones. It helps convey the place's bizarre, otherworldly attributes (litterally, they say aliens are responsible for the Zone's creation). It makes the abstract concept of a place where normal rules don’t apply easier to grasp. It’s such a strange, meditative piece, particularly during the conclusion when you find out what the three characters are really about and the mysteries of the Room are revealed (well, as much as they can be considering what it does exactly).

The best way to experience Stalker is to dedicate a big chunk of time to it, like an entire weekend. That sounds like a lot, but hear me out. The best movies have lasting power, they just won't leave your head no matter what. No one who can spoon-feed the meaning of "Stalker" to you. All you can do is meditate on the differences between the characters. You'd associate writers and other artists with freedom and being more down-to-earth than other professionals, but that’s not the case here. What does that mean? How do the actions of the professor hint at his ultimate desire? What about the Stalker? He’s a tragic figure, and what does his relationship with the Room symbolize/mean, particularly when you consider the ending? Those are tough questions and the best way to answer them is to sit down and be patient.

Watch Stalker. Discuss it with others and check the special features included with the DVD. Then, watch it again and see how you feel about it a second time. That’s what I plan on doing and I’m very much looking forward to the experience. (Original language with English subtitles, January 6, 2017)