The DEFA Science Fiction Collection

[Richard--W a straight arrow Find all posts View Profile Close Richard--W]

I'm curious about this set of classic Russian sci-fi.

Has anyone seen these films?

The set appears to have some shortcomings.

[Ian Jane Administrator Find all posts View Profile Close Ian Jane]

I have nothing to add here except that I'd also be interested in learning more about these movies. Richard if you find any interesting links, please post them here.

[Richard--W a straight arrow Find all posts View Profile Close Richard--W]

I stumbled across it on amazon. I meant to post this link:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...IY&me=&seller=

That's all I know.

[bgart13 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close bgart13]

Haha! Those structures on the box resemble parts of Daleks!

[bgart13 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close bgart13]

Wow - and check out this part of the summary:

With shades of Tarkovsky, Kubrick, and even Jess Franco, this striking sci-fi classic from the legendary DEFA film studio features a spectacular space exploration plot grounded in realism the scientists drink and swear, the bureaucrats get in the way, and the space stations are reminiscent of MIR.

Sounds like it'd be hard to lose with these! Franco?? Ha!

The DvdTalk review says they're non-anamorphic widescreen, with the subs in the black bars.

[Richard--W a straight arrow Find all posts View Profile Close Richard--W]

Thanks for mentioning the review. I found it here:

http://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/37992...n-the/?___rd=1

I think I'll buy it anyhow, together with a couple of other Russian sci-fi films I find on amazon.

[Mark C. Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Mark C.]

I own this set, although some of the transfers are non-anamorphic, the set is still worth owning if you can get it at a decent price. The films themselves are quite interesting, anyone familiar with Stanislaw Lem or eastern european sc-fi should know about Defa studios. I would re-buy these if they came out on blu-ray.

[Richard--W a straight arrow Find all posts View Profile Close Richard--W]

So the transfers are good quality even though they're not anamorphic? Okay. You nudged me into buying it.

Do you own any other classic Russian sci fi films, aside from SOALRIS, that you can recommend?

[Mark C. Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Mark C.]

The same label First run released also this set:

Made by the same Defa studios, Native Americans were portrayed as the good guys and the cowboys the bad.
Communist made westerns.

[Richard--W a straight arrow Find all posts View Profile Close Richard--W]

Communist westerns? in which the Indians are good and the cowboys bad? Yeah, that's science-fiction alright.

But I was thinking more in terms of space travel-type films.

[Mark C. Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Mark C.]

So the transfers are good quality even though they're not anamorphic? Okay. You nudged me into buying it.

Do you own any other classic Russian sci fi films, aside from SOALRIS, that you can recommend?

Yes this Polish set has Zulawski's two good films in it,
Trezcia czesc nocy 1971
Na srebrntm globie 1987



as well as:



4 Great Polish sci-fi films.
Milczaca gwiazda 1959
Sygnaly MMXX 1970
Test Pilota Pirxa 1978
Klatwa Doliny Wezy 1987

any Russian aside from Tarkovksy no, but Stanislaw Lem who wrote Solaris was adapted in his native Poland on the big screen numerous times, as well as for DEFA.

[Richard--W a straight arrow Find all posts View Profile Close Richard--W]

Please tell me they're English friendly.

Love Zulawski.

[Mark C. Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Mark C.]

Yes they are, the Zulawski set also has a hour long documentary on Zulawski that aired on Polish tv, also Subtitled.
Can be bought at MERLIN.PL, pretty cheaply since its still zloty.