On May 24th, Andrei Tarkovsky’s Russian sci-fi epic Solaris was released on DVD & Blu-ray, as part of the prestigious Criterion Collection.  Originally released theatrically in 1972, the film follows the remaining residents of the Solaris space station who are experiencing a strange phenomena aboard their ship, that may be emanating from a mysterious planet.  Based on a novel by Stanislaw Lem, this is a challenging philosophical film that has inspired other works of science-fiction over the years.  It was most notably remade by director Steven Soderbergh in 2002, starring George Clooney.

The 2-disc set includes commentary with Tarkovsky scholars, nine deleted & alternate scenes, video interviews with the cast & crew, as well as excerpts from a documentary on Lem.  Also included is a booklet featuring an essay by critic Phillip Lopate and an appreciation by director Akira Kurosawa.

Solaris is 166 minutes and rated PG.

-John C.