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To the Stars by Hard Ways
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| Year: |
1981
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Director: |
Richard Viktorov
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| Stars: |
Elena Metyolkina, Nadezhda Semontsova, Vadim Ledogorov, Uldis Lieldidz, Elena Fadeeva, Vatslav Dvorzhetsky, Alexander Lazerev, Alexander Mikailov, Boris Scherbakov, Igor Ledogorov, Igor Yasulovich, Gleb Strizhenov, Vladimir Fyodorov, Yevgeni Karelskikh
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| Genre: |
Drama, Science Fiction, Adventure |
| Rating: |
  8 (from 1 vote) |
| Review: |
In this two-part Russian science fiction epic, a team of cosmonauts in the 23rd century discover an alien spaceship. Its sole surviving occupant is Neeya (Elena Metyolkina), an ethereally beautiful artificial being who has no memory of her past. Scientist Sergei Lebedev settles the space girl in his own house, to the mild annoyance of his mother Maria (Elena Fadeeva) who is sick of him gallivanting around space, and son Stepan (Vadim Ledogorov) who is studying to join the space academy. Here Neeya learns to love nature and all life on Earth and discovers she has vast supernatural powers, but is plagued by visions of global pollution and warnings from her messianic scientist father Glan (Gleb Strizhenov). Eventually, the arrival of Beatle-wigged, goateed alien emissaries Rakan (Igor Ledogorov) and Torki (Igor Yasulovich) clues Neeya that her home-world is the pollution plagued planet Dessa.
Part Two has Neeya stow aboard Stepan's first mission in space, a 'Cosmo Ecological Expedition' en route to de-pollute Dessa. Led by matriarchal Professor Nadezhda Ivanova (Nadezhda Semontsova), the team of stoic scientists and caring cosmonauts also include Krul, an octopoid alien scientist who lives in a glass bowl, and his grumpy robot helper Barmelei. The dedicated pollution busters succeed in cleaning up the murky, desolate Dessa but evil capitalist dwarf Turanchoks (Vladimir Fyodorov) has own reasons for keeping the smog-belching factories open. Gathering a band of creepy masked dissidents he tries to drive the Earthlings away, forcing Neeya to unleash her amazing powers.
Derived from the Latin phrase "Per aspera ad astra" (which more faithfully translates as: "to the stars through difficulties"), To the Stars by Hard Ways is an imaginative, ecologically-conscious space epic rich in wit and wisdom. Save for a handful of clunky, yet nonetheless lovable comedy robots, the special effects and set designs are equal to any Hollywood production from around the early Eighties. Interestingly, whereas early scenes recall Alien (1979), this entirely avoids the bleak scenarios spun by then-contemporary American sci-fi and retains an optimism and faith in science and humanity. Further evident from its array of compassionate, rational, dutiful heroes; all models of Soviet virtue but endearingly humane. Whereas an exploding planet might be a throwaway gee-whiz special effect in a Hollywood movie, here the loss of life sickens characters to their core.
Halfway between Solaris (1972) and Star Trek, the dialogue foregrounds moral and philosophical debate with only occasional snippets of pseudo-scientific gibberish. Amidst an array of intriguing ideas - including some Erich von Daeniken like touches that link ancient civilizations with visitors from outer space - there is also an admirable avoidance of sermonizing, thanks largely to skillful handling by co-writer/director Richard Viktorov, who earlier made the two-part children's science fiction serial Teenagers from Space (1974/75). Clearly his efforts were lost on large numbers of English speaking viewers who routinely dismissed this as camp, including those philistines behind Mystery Science Theatre 3000 where it was mercilessly mocked.
Elsewhere in Europe the film was laden with awards, not least lead actress Elena Metyolkina who is suitably captivating and otherworldly without falling into that Eighties trap of behaving like a New Wave rock star. Her charming pantomimic performance marks her a forerunner of such wide-eyed, environmentally conscious super-heroines as Leeloo in The Fifth Element (1997). Newcomers may have to accustom themselves to the slow, methodical pace of Soviet-era cinema, while different characters come and go out of focus amidst an ambitious narrative. The climax erupts into eye-catching spectacle as our heroes fight off a bubbling mass of protoplasm, yet does not overshadow the more cerebral aspects of the story. Connoisseurs of intelligent Euro sci-fi should seek this one out.
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| Reviewer: |
Andrew Pragasam
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