Solaris (2002 film)

For other uses, see Solaris.
Solaris
A man and woman kissing
Theatrical release poster
Directed bySteven Soderbergh
Screenplay bySteven Soderbergh
Based onSolaris
1961 novel
by Stanisław Lem
Produced by
Starring
CinematographyPeter Andrews
Edited byMary Ann Bernard
Music byCliff Martinez
Production
company
Distributed by20th Century Fox[1]
Release date
  • November 27, 2002 (2002-11-27)
Running time
99 minutes[2]
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$47 million[3]
Box office$30 million[3]

Solaris is a 2002 American science fiction drama film written and directed by Steven Soderbergh, produced by James Cameron and Jon Landau, and starring George Clooney and Natascha McElhone. It is based on the 1961 science fiction novel of the same name by Polish writer Stanisław Lem.

Reflecting on Andrei Tarkovsky's critically acclaimed 1972 film Solaris (which was itself preceded by a 1968 Soviet TV film), Soderbergh promised to be closer in spirit to Lem's novel.[4]

The film is set almost entirely on a space station orbiting the planet Solaris, adding flashbacks to the previous experiences of its main characters on Earth. The protagonist, Dr. Chris Kelvin, struggles with the questions of Solaris's motivation, his beliefs and memories, and reconciling what was lost with an opportunity for a second chance.

Despite positive reviews from critics, the film grossed only $30 million worldwide on a budget of $47 million.

  1. ^ TCM.com
  2. ^ "SOLARIS (12A)". British Board of Film Classification. January 6, 2003. Retrieved April 19, 2016.
  3. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference bom was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ Levy, Glen (September 29, 2010). "Top 10 Hollywood Remakes: Solaris (2002) / Solyaris (1972)". Time. Retrieved November 2, 2013. Indeed, he's said that he didn't intend Solaris to be a remake of Tarkovsky's film but rather a new version of Stanislaw Lem's novel.