Exploring derelict space ship in rare Soviet-style SF film

Here's an amazing scene from an ultra-rare, kitschy, trippy, Soviet-style SF film, Ikarie XB 1 (aka Ikaria XB1, Icarus XB1 and Voyage to the End of the Universe). Czechoslovakia's first science fiction film, this remarkable 1963 movie tells the story of Starship Ikaria XB 1's 2163 trek to Alpha Centari. ("Voyage" was the savagely cut, English dubbed version released by American International Pictures.)

The film is generally apolitical, except for this remarkable scene, in which the explorers enter a derelict 20th Century space craft, littered with evidence of capitalist immorality. The visuals are striking. Corpses of tuxedo-clad, gambling westerners, their bodies preserved by open vacuum. The crew killed by their own chemical hand-weapons as they fought over dwindling oxygen. The ship laden with nuclear weapons -- still active after centuries.

Ikarie XB 1 is an ambitious, thoughtful, intelligent film that was decades ahead of its time. It's an ultra-rare "must-see" for any serious SF fan, with high-concept elements galore: a trip to proxima centaura; time dilation; future foods, fashion, music and dance; first-contact protocols; increased longevity; artificial intelligence; bulky socialist robots.

It's said the screenplay was inspired by the work of Stanislaw Lem, including "The Magellanic Cloud" from 1955.

Available as a PAL Region 2 DVD from European retailers, and in the US from xploitedcinema.com. Please buy the DVD to help encourage future DVD releases of other Eastern-bloc SF gems.

• Category

  Film & Animation

[andrew32155]

Interesting how the visiting craft tried for what they saw as a blended future-realistic look, by having a somewhat Vostok/Soyouz looking pod at the top, but a "flying saucer" at the bottom half of the craft. Sort of like a design/concept bridge between Forbidden Planet and 2001...

[IvanTerrible79]

Has nothing to do with Russians, its almost insulting to me!

[Seth Tyrssen]

Eegads, it's all a fiendish plot by Winnie the Pooh! (Sorry, couldn't resist.)

[Guvnorium]

Dear commenters: " Czechoslovakia's first science fiction film" is how this is described. The Czech's and Slovaks are not Russians, nor was their country officially part of the Soviet Union.

[internationalpoma]

The Ruskies did pretty good SF in the 60's - Pavel Klushantsev is a film maker that deserves as much recognition as George Pal and Stanley Kubrik for their efforts in the genre.

[G Wang]

If this were a silent movie, I honestly wouldn't have been able to tell that the actors and actresses were Russian rather than American.

[Ciprian Hanga]

this was fun

[63gstone]

I like how this "ancient" space movie is even more realistic than the high tech crap we watch today as evidenced by the fact that there is no sound in space and we couldn't head anything on the space ship and you didn't hear the nuclear explosion.

[John E Evanofski]

Sphere anyone?