Just like "Flying to Space", "Stalker", the "most difficult to understand" film, is not a science fiction film in the general sense. Chris in "Flying to Space" learned from "Flying": Only through conscience can we grasp time. If the result of Chris' "Flying" is to find a "road", then the protagonist in "Stalker" has already "on the road" and has been "on the road". The phrase "on the road" appeared in American literature in the 1950s. At that time, the "rebellious literature" represented by the "Beat Generation" dominated the United States. Jack Cruyak's novel caused a strong response in society, and critics called it "a spiritual roaming poor road and crying." "["Beat Generation", page 176, edited by Li Si, Hainan Publishing House, 1996 edition], the name of this novel is "On the Road". The "road" of "on the road" refers to the real and imaginary at the same time, meaning the path of spirit, the path of time, the path to find happiness and eternity, the path to the other shore, and so on. In fact, in the classical period, many literary and artistic works belonged to "on the road", such as "Don Quixote" by Cervantes in Spain, and "Journey to the West" by Wu Chengen in the Ming Dynasty in China. The themes expounded by the motif are various. "Stalker" is also a work "on the road". The road described by Tarkovsky is not another road, but the road of time, the road of spirit. The protagonists of "Stalker" are all walking on This way, in order to get rid of the red troubles, purify the soul, and awaken the conscience, this way leads to the other shore.
There are three male protagonists in "Stalker". None of them have names. The film only tells us that the lead is called Stalker. The one who is on the road with him is a writer and the other is a physicist. Not only did the protagonist have no names, but the other people who appeared on the scene and those who did not appear but related also have no names, only features or nicknames: the stalker's depressed wife, the daughter with dementia, another stalker "wild boar" who committed suicide . The symbolization of the names of the characters, the abnormal characteristics of the characters, the barrenness and strangeness of the road, and the inaccessibility of the destination make this film full of mystery. The three protagonists are on the road. Their destination is called "area". Everyone who can get there will realize the most secret desire in his heart. The stalker had taken other people on the road before, but no one could finally reach it. Only the other stalker "Wild Boar" they talked about on the way arrived. "Wild Boar"'s wish was to save his brother's life. His brother was killed because of his fault. But when the "Wild Boar" returned home, he found that his wish had not been fulfilled and his brother had not been resurrected. Instead of this wish was fulfilled: he became extremely wealthy. The wild boar finally understood that the region could not help him realize his idealized and cherished "desire", but could only help him realize the secular and naked "desire", so he hanged himself. The story of the "Wild Boar" made the three on-the-roaders including the stalker completely lose courage in front of the "area" that risked their lives to reach, and no one dared to step in. Writers, physicists, and stalkers painfully tortured themselves at the door of the "area". They discovered the "humiliation" in the spiritual depths that they did not usually recognize, and began to argue and meditate on the meaning of their existence and human beings. The ultimate value. The sense of mission quietly penetrated into their bodies and minds, and their conscience was awakened on this road leading to the "area".
The images of "Stalker" which are contrary to "Mirror" are flying, and the form is simple and restrained. The original novel "Roadside Picnic" is full of sci-fi and bizarre plots and scenes, but it disappears completely in the movie. At this point, "Flying to Space", which is also adapted from a literary work, is not pure enough. "This movie (referring to "Stalker") intends to make the audience feel that everything is happening here and now, and the'area' is around us." We can't help but ask, what does "area" mean? Tarkovsky himself explained, "A zone is a zone. It is life. When someone tries to cross, he may fail or succeed. Whether he can succeed depends on his self-esteem and prioritization. "Engraving Time", page 274] Tarkovsky’s "area" is a mirror. What people need to do is to polish the mirror so that they can see through it. The world sees oneself, asks oneself, self-examination. Through this "path of the mind", conscience emerges, we understand it, grasp it, and merge the impermanent and ethereal time with eternity. In a sense, our secularized minds are like mirrors covered in dust. The gap between us and our own minds is estranged and obscured, so communication is difficult. Polish it, and everyone will clearly see the other side: a free world full of happiness and free from time entanglement.
We are on the way to the other shore.
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