VIDEO REVIEW: The Silent Star

VIDEO REVIEW: In the Dust of the Stars

VIDEO REVIEW: Eolomea

REVIEW: The Silent Star

The Silent Star
Director: Kurt Maetzig
Year 1960
 
The Silent Star is a thought-provoking and eerie East Germany science fiction film that shows just what might happen if we were to receive a message from the stars and compelled enough to answer it in person. The film is bathed in a mystifying atmosphere which helps to push the story along as each mystery is revealed and a piece of the puzzle is filled in to give a better picture on the true intentions of this unknown race. With its multi-national cast and its beautifully rendered depictions of space and the rigors that one goes through in order to venture into the unknown, The Silent Star is a genuinely engaging science fiction tale that sucks you right in from the start and never lets go.
 
The film begins with an alien spaceship being unearthed that contains a strange looking device scientists refer to as a memory spool. Contained within this artifact is a message that no linguist or cryptographer can decipher, yet they can determine the origin of this downed ship to be from the planet Venus. Being curious and impatient, an international crew is brought together in order to partake on a mission to the distant planet with a sole goal of making contact with this alien race, but without the translation of the memory spool they don’t know if they are going to arrive as friends or enemies to this race of beings. As they arrive on this strange new planet, the crew comes face to face with the shocking truth of the Venusians true intentions. Saturated in a mist of mysteries, The Silent Star delivers an outstanding story that is as equally entertaining as it is frightening.

The cast of The Silent Star is a cornucopia of international flavors deriving from all over the globe. The list goes on and on, but I’ll run through the main players that really stand out in this film. We’ve got Michail N. Postnikow taking on the role of the Soviet astronaut Prof. Arsenew, Gunther Simon playing the role of Raimund Brinkmann the German pilot, Yoko Tani playing the role of the Japanese doctor Sumiko Ogimura, Julius Ongewe taking on the role of Talua the African radio technician, and Oldrich Lukes filling in the boots of American atomic physicist Prof. Harringway Hawling. The entire cast does a wonderful job with their respective characters, but there are a few that go above and beyond their call of duty to make something exceptionally memorable about their individual roles.
 
Yoko Tani is one of these actors that really flesh out her character Sumiko. Her story is a sad one, as we find out that her husband has died on the moon prior to our introduction to her character and that she made it her sole purpose in life to continue her late husband’s research, thus landing her a seat on the mission to Venus. There is a very sad moment in the film where they fly past the moon and Yoko painfully recalls the horrific memory of her husband’s death. This is all done with acting and not flashbacks, so we get to see the horror of recollection flash across her face in vivid detail. Yoko does a great job in this scene and her character seems to have a great deal of emotional pull compared to the rest of the somewhat tepid cast.
 
Another stand out among the characters is Prof. Arsenew played by Michail N. Postnikow. He brings the dreamer aspect to his astronaut character, always looking to the stars in a positive light and hoping against hope that they find life that is both friendly and open to bridging the gap between the two races. Of all the characters in the movie, Michail’s Prof. Arsenew is the one that is most inline with the movie’s thematic arc. There is a great deal of positivity in the beginning half of the film, where the outlook on venturing into space is that of an optimistic light. Though the movie quickly begins to delve into a more dire tone, there is a great expression of love towards the expansion of man’s understanding of the universe, and this is felt the strongest in the character of Prof. Arsenew.

Aside from the various characters that inhabit this strangely engaging piece of science fiction fare, there is a great deal of attention put into the look and feel of the planet Venus. The landscape is surreally realized as it’s covered in a thick hazy fog that radiates across the screen and often begins to plunge into psychedelic territory with its bright colors and trippy visuals. The dreamlike quality that the filmmakers were able to accomplish with the look of the planet Venus is absolutely outstanding, making you feel like you’ve walked into a dreamscape of sorts with its totally unfamiliar presentation and haunting tone. One of the main accomplishments of this film is being able to depict such a strange world by use of traditional and practical effects. The miniature work and set designs for this film are some of the most inventive that I’ve run across during this time period of filmmaking. The Silent Star really does throw out all the tricks in the book to enable themselves to fully create a world that truly only exists on the silver screen.
 
This painstakingly robust design style runs over into the exterior and interior shots of the Venusian’s architecture, as we get to see what their command center looks like and a few of their cityscapes, even if that is after a nuclear fallout. There is a great deal of history that the filmmakers infuse into their set design, and the images that surround our brave crew often tell the story of what occurred in the Venusians past and what kind of society they lived in. This kind of attention to detail is greatly appreciated and you can tell that the filmmakers were as caught up in the story that they were telling as much as they hoped the audience eventually would when they finally got to see it for themselves. Overall, what was most impressive about The Silent Star was that it had a whole lot to say about our own society and that even though the population of Earth was in harmony for the most part in this film, the Venusians paralleled what the Earth was really like culturally speaking and I enjoyed the cautionary tale that the filmmakers where trying to get across. In the end, The Silent Star is a wonderful little science fiction story that really should be more known to genre fans around the world. This stuff is great!

The Silent Star is an ambitious entry in the science fiction genre, focusing more on the concepts and confines of space travel and the diverse worlds that could be waiting for us out there among the stars, rather than the “wham bam thank you ma’am” style of today. It also has a great emphasis on the dangers of technology and the tendency we all have to wield power and wield it selfishly. Though these thematic overtones are subtle within the structure of the narrative, you can still feel the overall tone of the lesson even if it is hidden behind the stylized look of the picture.
 
Speaking of the look of the film, it is simply spellbinding in its depiction of the alien planet Venus. Super-charged with a surreal palette that looks like something from out of a dream, The Silent Star is anything but typical. Add onto that the inclusion of a stellar international cast and you have the recipe for one entertaining and thought-provoking film that takes a visionary look into interplanetary relations and pushes it into uncharted territories. If you like your science fiction films to have a more cerebral outlook on life then check this one out as soon as you can. They don’t make them like this anymore and that’s a damn shame. The Silent Star is a…..

How did I get duped into buying this stupid hat?

Before I answer any of your questions, I'm well aware of my bird-like features.

What a romantic day for a one on one poetry reading.

So I'm ready for that happy ending now.

People let's try to focus more on the mission and less on my freaking bird face.

Get down from there you knucklehead.

How come Brinkmann got a happy ending and I didn't get shit!

I'm still waiting on that happy ending. I know you hear me!

I'm going to kill the fool who designed these things. What's with the monkey ears?

Find anything yet? We ain't find SHIT!

So what are you nerds up to?

Hey Darth Maul! Quite screwing around with that double-bladed light saber!

Welcome to the Bog of Eternal Stench.

I'm sorry to say that the mission was a failure.
I still have my creepy bird-like features.

REVIEW: Eolomea

Eolomea
Director: Herrmann Zschoche
Year 1972
 
Eolomea is a wonderful little sci-fi gem that presents its audience with an intriguing mystery set in a society in the far flung future. The film enables the filmmakers to tell an intimate story centered on the notion of love, the mysteries of the unknown, and the sacrifices humankind makes in order to obtain their dreams and conquer the great beyond. With a heavy emphasis on space exploration and the toll that it takes on the brave souls that leave the Earth behind to live amongst the stars, Eolomea is a dreamlike cinematic experience that has a great deal to say, that is if you’re willing to listen and watch it all unfold in surreal and abundant splendor.
 
The film begins with the strange disappearance of eight cargo-spaceships within the vicinity of the orbital space station “Margot”, which has also stopped transmitting. The head of the space council, Maria Scholl, orders for all flights to be grounded until they are able to confirm where the ships have gone and why they’ve vanished without a trace within the range of this sector of space.  With the majority of the space council stumped, one man named Prof. Oli Tal seems to have secret knowledge of the occurrences, and Prof. Scholl makes it her sole mission to get to the bottom of it. What follows is a twisting tale that plunges the narrative back and forth through time, mixing romance, mystery, and futuristic elements to tell an intriguing story about mankind’s sacrifices in their combined pursuit for knowledge. Eolomea is outstandingly obscure, but wholly satisfying in its cerebral approach.

Cox Habbema plays the role of Prof. Maria Scholl, the head of the space council and centerpiece to the film’s narrative. Cox does a tremendous job in this interesting space yarn, and she looks absolutely fabulous as she takes the mystery of the missing spaceships head on. Her character is smart, sexy, and highly capable, yet Habbema injects a great deal of vulnerability into her with the help of some memorable flashbacks that include her interacting with another character of the piece, Capt. Daniel Lagny. Lagny is played by Ivan Andonov and he gives the role a free-spirited edge that not only catches the eye of the viewer’s but attracts the starry gaze of Maria as well. Those moments in which we are allowed to participate in their budding relationship are wonderfully constructed, giving the film an intimate feel that really hits home and leaves a lasting impression. These flashbacks also enable us to feel a sense of disconnection later on in the film, when the two characters are far apart from each other, assigned to their own sections of space and longing to be together again. It’s moments like these that the filmmakers really hit the mark with and it perfectly captures the sense of sacrifice that each space explorer runs up against when taking to the stars.
 
This concept is emphasized even more in the case of Capt. Lagny’s partner and friend, Kun, played by Vsevolod Sanayev. Kun’s back-story tells of a young son named Sima that he left back on Earth. We see in the flashback, Kun fishing with a boy around the age of five and the sequence is shot in a hazy fashion that distills a haunting feeling of lost memories and nostalgic longing. We come to find later on in the film that the boy in the flashbacks, is at present, a man and Kun has missed out on seeing his son grow up because of his duties on the space station. It’s a sad little side story, but one that emphasizes the sacrifice that comes into play when humanity moves out into space and into a new frontier. Sanayev does a stupendous job with the role of the fore longed father, and even though he isn’t the centerpiece of the film, these heart wrenching moments really pack a punch.

Another memorable storyline features a man named Prof. Oli Tal, played by Rolf Hoppe, who presented a project named Eolomea years ago that proposed a mission to an Earth-like planet, but unfortunately never found approval by the space council and therefore was never funded. We are given a look back into this event, not through the use of a flashback like in the other instances, but through the character’s painful recollection of lost opportunities and stagnated progress by result of the political process. If there is an underlying theme to the film, then Rolf Hoppe’s saddened character of Oli Tal would be the poster child of it. His speech, during the closing moments of the film, is very inspirational and heartfelt as they are painfully presented by Rolf in a melancholy overtone that really captures the direness of the moment. Hoppe does an exceptional job in bringing some of the more serious tones of the film to the light of day.
 
With all of these random moments and various characters in the mix, you’d think that the film would feel a little disjointed or convoluted. Surprisingly the filmmakers are able to tie all of these jumbled masses into one cohesive story, one that overlaps an excessive amount, but never gets lost from its end goal. What you have to understand about this film is that it has a great deal to say about the desire of humankind for knowledge, and it sprinkles this heavy dialogue over its entire production in a rather unorthodox way. We jump from different time periods and locations, often within a single sequence, making it rather jolting for those out there that are not prepared or patient enough to see it through, but the underlining theme can be felt throughout these moments and it holds the concept together quite firmly when viewing in hindsight. The best way to describe Eolomea would be that it is an experience. It often at times feels as lost as its characters amongst an overwhelming span of stars, but when fully experienced you begin to see how all of the affected characters played a role in representing the sacrifices that space travel and exploration entail. The film is a lovely rendition of some of science fictions most enduring and intriguing concepts, and it really is a special gem worth tracking down and delving into.

Eolomea, though obscure in presentation and execution, is a rewarding film that sheds some light onto what effects space exploration has on mankind and the sacrifices that come with the territory. The intimate approach that the film has towards its material is refreshing and highly infectious. I couldn’t help but be swept up in the mystery of it all and the interactions that the characters have between each other is magical in the cinematic sense.
 
The overall tone of the film is quite sad, but there is such an abundance of hope throughout the picture that you can’t help but be inspired by the events within the narrative. The heart and soul of the film is to showcase the desire that human beings have in expanding their knowledge while throwing caution to the wind. Eolomea does this in such a memorable way that you can’t help but applaud the unorthodox approach and stupendous result. With a film that tackles love, loss, and the hardships that come with sacrifice and the obtainment of knowledge, you really can’t go wrong with this obscure and surreal flick. It may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but Eolomea is a thinking man’s science fiction film, be that a strange one. Personally, I loved it and I can’t wait to revisit this……

I thought this was a nudist beach? Where the hell are all the chicks?!?!

This retro room is too cool for school.

This tea party sucks.

You wanna play king of the mountain?

Being in space isn't so fun when you have to go to the bathroom.

Man do I hate your space beard.

Lets see if the old hand in the glass of water trick works.
Get ready to pee your pants Danny boy.

God... Thank you for my cool space suit. It RULES!

God... Thank you for my sexy dress. It's SEXY!

Maria is seriously sexy..... seriously.

Shit! I think we took a wrong turn. We're at the Star Wars set!

It's just a paper cut you pansy.

Well it's settled. You're the shittiest robot in cinema history.

Damn man, cheer up.

Come back here with my bike asshole!

We're going to draw a happy little turtle next to this happy little sun.

By God! I think she's getting jiggy with it!

REVIEW: In the Dust of the Stars

In the Dust of the Stars
Director: Gottfried Kolditz
Year 1976
 
In the Dust of the Stars is a deliciously strange East Germany science fiction production that takes an interesting plot and cranks the weird to the max. Seemingly forged after someone’s drug induced trip, the filmmakers create a cast of characters that are both wildly entertaining and intriguingly obscure. If it’s trippy sci-fi that you seek, then In the Dust of the Stars is right up your alley.
 
The film follows the crew of the Spaceship Cyrno as it arrives on the planet TEM 4 after responding to a distress call that they received six years earlier. Upon arriving, they come to find that the people of TEM 4 deny the existence of the distress call and seem oblivious to any danger to their society, as they party down in some of the most eclectic and groovy sets known to the science fiction world, aside from Barbarella of course. Disappointed over having traveled six years only to be laughed at and told it was all for nothing, the majority of the crew decide to head back home, but there is one man named Suko who isn’t so convinced that the rulers of TEM 4 are being truthful about the distress call. Suko boldly defies the locals’ orders and flies a reconnaissance shuttle over the planet in order to find the source of the mysterious beacon. To his surprise, he stumbles upon a conspiracy that not even he could have fathomed. This science fiction film is a strange little gem that has a whole hell of a lot of entertainment value. That is if you are open to weird and wild cinematic civilizations.

Alfred Struwe plays the role of Suko, the suspicious cosmonaut who snoops into the business of the TEM 4 people and gets more than he bargains for. Struwe does a great job as the catalyst of this film, as he pushes the story forward by delving into the mystery of the cover-up and the inevitable reveal of what is really going on behind this strange new world. I enjoyed his restrained style of acting and felt that he gave an admirable performance that was both subtle and effective. Alongside him is Jana Brejchova who plays the role of Akala, the leader of the crew. Jana is simply amazing as the captain and she gives such an expressive nature to Akala that you can’t help but sympathize with her plight on finding out that they traveled all of that way for nothing. She distresses over the futility of the mission, and is often in disarray over the meaningless of it all, but once revealed the truth she becomes an outstanding hero of the film. I really enjoyed her portrayal of the complex character of Akala and I enjoyed the complicated relationship that Suko and her shared throughout the film. It also didn’t hurt that she looked strangely beautiful in this film as well.
 
Onto the baddies side of the fence we have Milan Beli playing the role of Ronk, the no nonsense son of a bitch who does everything he can to make the crew of the Cyrno’s life a living hell. I really got a kick out of Milan’s approach towards Ronk. He’s sadistic in every way possible and he’s always looking for a way to screw with the minds of the crew before he disposes with them. He even gets a chance to showcase his master torture skills when he captures Suko while he’s snooping around. He does this by introducing him to a trippy mind meld device that looks like a giant pair of deadly earmuffs from which a painful shock is blasted into the ears of the poor sole stuck between them. The boss of this bat shit crazy organization is lead by a man called the Chief, played by the ambiguous Ekkehard Schall. This dude was born for this role, because I don’t think you could find a more effeminate and peculiar man even if you tried. The Chief is not sadistic like Ronk, but he is extremely flamboyant and theatrical in his performance. With his ever changing hair color, to his obsession with stroking his oversized anaconda (say what?!), the Chief is definitely a memorable character. I have to hand it to Ekkehard, because there really isn’t anything like the Chief out there in sci-fi land so the originality of his performance shines through and through every time.

To keep up with this wild cast of characters, the film provides some amazing locations and sets that highlight the brash and vivid nature of the movie. Colors abound with a kaleidoscope blast which mimics the overabundance of style that these flamboyant people of TEM 4 have. There is also a heavy use of obscure sets, most notably displayed in Chief’s mirrored lair which sets the audiences mind into dizzying fits whenever we are presented with it. The barren desert landscape that is represented as the desolate surface world of TEM 4 is wonderfully shot, making you feel like you actually are visiting a distant planet filled with unusual sights and equally unusual inhabitants.
 
That’s one of the most accomplished aspects of the film, because the culture of the people of TEM 4 is just out of this world. From lavish dances, to otherworldly foods, to obscure customs, all the way to their strange sense of humor, the inhabitants of this world are a little bonkers. This all sets up the underlying conspiracy of this movie which highlights the theme that ‘looks can be deceiving’, so in the end all the wackiness and showmanship of these extravagant people actually makes sense by the end of the film. At first I was a little taken back by the strangeness of it all, but as the film progressed I came to dig the overtly wacky angles of the piece and felt that it perfectly mirrored the feelings that the astronauts were having when introduced to this strange and unfamiliar group of beings. In the Dust of the Stars is a pretty damn bizarre film and I loved it!

In the Dust of the Stars really is an obscure wonder of a flick as it opens up with a rather traditional premise of a space crew responding to a distress call, only to then spin the narrative wildly out of control once we are introduced to the strange denizens of the planet. The unfamiliarity of the presentation works wonders alongside the already rare nature of an East Germany science fiction production. The combination of the two is a match made in heaven, forming into a cinematic world that surprisingly makes sense.
 
The entire cast does a spectacular job with the unusual style of the film with Jana Brejchova, Alfred Struwe, Ekkehard Schall, and Milan Beli giving some exceptionally memorable performances. There is also a great deal of attractive females in this film, if that just so happens to be your bag. All in all, the production has a stellar style to it that really doesn’t skimp on the wild nature of this new world and the unusual look of everything is top notch and absolutely decadent. I wasn’t expecting to see such an overtly weird film when first sitting down to view In the Dust of the Stars, but I’m highly satisfied by its ambitious nature and unorthodox approach to a tried and true storyline. If you’re looking for something that’s kind of out there and genuinely strange, then give this film a go. It’s definitely……

What the hell is that thing?

These knuckleheads all wore the same outfit to the party. How embarrassing!

Why so serious guys? Let's PARTY!

Damn you Ronk and your sly smile!

I'm just going to stand here and stare at your hotness.

Dance for us flyboy. DANCE!

Check out my super group... The Lame5.

My goodness, did you see what he was wearing? Blue hair with a blue sweater. How kitsch.

Akala isn't impressed by the many dance numbers the film has. What a grump.

Thob thinks this movie is A OK.

I'm not letting you out of there until you think about what you did.

Once you're done sulking, you can come out of your cage.

Looks like someone's not impressed with the leather vest.

This guy is a weirdo!

Oh Chief.... I can't stay mad at you.

The Chief starts a black metal band. Hail Satan!

Ronk doing the YMCA dance..... FABULOUS!

What a lonely way to end a movie.