Solaris (1972)
Солярис
Drama, Science Fiction, Mystery • 2h 45m
Director: Andrei Tarkovsky
Cast: Natalya Bondarchuk, Donatas Banionis, Jüri Järvet, Vladislav Dvorzhetsky, Mykola Hrynko, Anatoliy Solonitsyn, Olga Barnet, Vitalik Kerdimun, Olga Kizilova, Tatyana Malykh, Aleksandr Misharin, Bagrat Oganesyan, Tamara Ogorodnikova, Sos Sargsyan, Yulian Semyonov, Vitaliy Statsinskiy, Vera Sumenova, Georgiy Teykh
Best video release
See comparison vs German Filmjuwelen 4K Blu-ray which is a 2K upscale of the previous restoration
Criterion/Artificial Eye Blu-ray are even older restoration than the Filmjuwelen 4K Blu-ray/Blu-ray
Updated 1 month ago
Best audio release
Filmjuwelen 4K Blu-ray/Blu-ray has incorrect pitch on the Russian audio see thread
About the film
A psychologist is sent to a space station orbiting a planet called Solaris to investigate the death of a doctor and the mental problems of cosmonauts on the station. He soon discovers that the water on the planet is a type of brain which brings out repressed memories and obsessions.
- TSPDT
- 2026: #2172025: #2142024: #2152023: #2122022: #212
Director: Andrei Tarkovsky
Sources: Criterion Forum (opens in a new tab)
Netherlands Lumière Blu-ray is new 2K master.
Director: Andrei Tarkovsky
Theatrical Cut: UK Artificial Eye Blu-ray
2023 "Director's" Cut: Unreleased
Passion According to Andrei Cut: MosFilm Youtube Stream
Sources: Criterion Forum (opens in a new tab) · YouTube (opens in a new tab)
Theatrical Cut: Netherlands Lumière Blu-ray has best encoding
2023 "Director's" Cut: Unreleased
Passion According to Andrei Cut: MosFilm Youtube Stream
Theatrical Cut: UK Artificial Eye Blu-ray > Criterion
Passion According to Andrei Cut: MosFilm Youtube Stream > Criterion Blu-ray
Passion According to Andrei Cut: MosFilm Youtube Stream > Criterion Blu-ray
Theatrical Cut: 2011/2018 RU Blu-ray
Passion According to Andrei Cut: ??
Directors: Marika Beiku & Andrei Tarkovsky & Aleksandr Gordon
Criterion The Killers set Blu-ray extras
Sources: criterion.com (opens in a new tab)
Student film, available in Criterion The Killers set as extras or Streaming
Video format: 1080p Blu-ray
Sources: YouTube (opens in a new tab) · criterion.com (opens in a new tab)
Youtube Mosfilm stream is better than Criterion bonus feature of Andrei Rublev
Director: Andrei Tarkovsky
Directors: Andrei Tarkovsky & Tonino Guerra
Kino Lorber Nostalghia Blu-ray
Documentary, included in Kino Lorber Nostalghia Blu-ray
Director: Andrei Tarkovsky
Sources: Criterion Forum (opens in a new tab)
VCI US or Filmjuwelen Blu-ray
Sources: DVDBeaver (opens in a new tab) · Blu-ray.com (opens in a new tab) · caps-a-holic (opens in a new tab)
VCI US or Filmjuwelen Blu-ray are both MP2 encoded, most likely from the same master. Judging from the size and the caps from DVDBeaver or BR for VCI or caps-a-holic for Filmjuwelen, they are probably very similar.
Director: Sergio Corbucci
Video format: UHD Blu-ray
Filmjuwelen Germany 4K has the same problematic master, and some subtitles with errors and slightly out of sync, not-so-good encoding
More Drama on Blu-ray
Shout! Factory's Blu-ray has both cuts of the film in addition to the 3.0 stereo and 2.0 mono mixes making it the first time the full theatrical cut is available with the 3.0 mix. The new commentary is good. The 3.0 stereo sounds wonderful and the mono sounds solid.
That's where the positives end. This is the same terrible Universal DVD master slapped on a Blu-ray disc with a terrible encode making both versions share the disc separately taking up more space. This master was already poor for DVD and is nearly unwatchable here on the Shout! Factory disc. It looks virtually identical to the upscaled DVD most of the time with only a bit less noise due to it being 1080p. This is one of the most appalling cases of "DVD master slapped on a Blu-ray disc" you can possibly find. Absolutely shameful video presentation. This should have never been released this way. Sadly it's still ever so slightly better than the DVD and the only way you get the proper theatrical cut with lossless 3.0 stereo. This is still the best source we have for the film.
Director: Anthony Mann
This is an ancient Universal master of a film in dire need of restoration. This only looks somewhat better than the old Universal DVD upscaled and is clearly the same master. Tons of wear, color fringing and other issues abound. The film is stuck at the theatrical widescreen ratio of 1.85:1 when it was composed for Academy ratio. The proper ratio is only found on the trailer, original VHS master and Region 2 PAL DVD. The Kino Lorber Blu-ray is their usual barebones affair except for flawed low res trailer files and a basic commentary. The film's 3.0 stereo mix is intact alongside the more limited mono mix thankfully. The Blu-ray does edge out over the old Universal DVD but that is merely due to it being the same master resolving better in 1080p. This presentation is sadly poor and the film deserves much better.
Sources: Criterion Forum (opens in a new tab)
Arrow 4K Blu-ray > Criterion 4K Blu-ray > Kino Lorber 4K Blu-ray
1991 Orion LaserDisc vs 2024 Arrow 4K Blu-ray vs Criterion
Three masterings of the original Dolby Stereo SR mix exist: the original Orion video releases, the Criterion (which is from their LD) and the Arrow. All three are excellent with slight mastering differences between them. The original Orion still is probably the one with the most fidelity, the Criterion is the cleanest with a kind of warm feel to it and the Arrow has a bit of both aspects. The Arrow mastering has a tiny almost imperceptible bit of audio bleeding into the surround that isn't on the Criterion. Each has their own pluses and minuses but you can't go wrong with any of them. Whatever you do though: DO NOT WATCH WITH THE 5.1 REMIX. It is another MGM botch job that fundamentally alters the impact of many scenes. It is vastly inferior to the original mix in every way.
Director: Robert Altman
Sources: Criterion Forum (opens in a new tab) · Blu-ray.com (opens in a new tab)
Cinematrographe's HDR grading is overcooked, which is a known VinSyn tendency. Additionally, their booklet mis-credits the encode to FiM.
YMMV, but for some, the included BD encoded by Marcus Johnson—ironically may make for a more pleasing experience.
Director: Roman Polanski
Sources: Blu-ray.com (opens in a new tab)
UK 4K teased by 88 Films https://forum.blu-ray.com/showthread.php?p=24252379
Carlotta France 4K Blu-ray > Vinegar Syndrome 4K Blu-ray (better encode on Carlotta without any low-pass filtering, more extras and English subtitles on Vinegar Syndrome)
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