Episode 14: On Tarkovsky's 'Stalker' - Part One

Weird Studies

Phil Ford and J. F. Martel

Society & Culture, Arts, Philosophy

4.8 • 688 Ratings

🗓️ 16 May 2018

⏱️ 41 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Journey into the Zone to uncover some of the strange artifacts buried in Tarkovsky's cinematic masterpiece, Stalker (1979). In this first of a two-part conversation, Phil and JF discuss a poem by Tarkovsky's dad, compare the film with the sci-fi novel that inspired it, explore the ideological underpinnings of formulaic genre, delve into the meaning and affordances of the concept of zone, and affirm that in a sufficiently weird mindset, even a casual stroll in your hometown can become an excursion into a Zone of your own. REFERENCES Andrei Tarkovsky (dir.), Stalker Arkady and Boris Strugatsky, Roadside Picnic The Wachowskis (dir.), The Matrix James Cameron (dir.), Avatar Second City Television (SCTV), vintage Canadian comedy show Alex Garland (dir.), Annihilation (based on the novel by Jeff Vandermeer; here's an article on how Garland's film differs from Vandermeer's arguably weirder text) SCTV, Monster Chiller Horror Theatre: Whispers of the Wolf Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	Specter Vision Radio
0:03.3	Welcome to Weird Studies, an art and philosophy podcast with hosts Phil Ford and J.F. Martel.
0:21.8	For more episodes and to support the podcast, go to Weird Studies.com. Do you want to start with by reading that translation?
0:50.8	Just out of the, like, off the top?
0:53.6	Sure.
0:55.2	So the summer has now passed as if it had never come.
0:59.7	Within its shelter, warmth, yet it isn't enough.
1:04.1	All that might have come true, like a five-edged leaf, fluttered into my hands,
1:09.6	yet it isn't enough.
1:15.9	Neither evil nor good has visited in vain. Everything sparkled and was light, yet it isn't enough. Life took all under its wing, provided for and protected.
1:25.9	I have been truly blessed, yet it isn't enough.
1:30.2	The leaves did not burn, branches were not broken off, the day clear as glass, yet it isn't enough.
1:39.5	This is a poem by Arkady Tarkovsky, Andrei Tarkovsky's father, and Tarkovsky, the
1:46.1	younger, was sure to include it in Stalker.
1:49.8	There's an episode where the Stalker recites the poem.
1:53.4	In the film, it's supposedly a poem by a now deceased stalker named Porcupine, who we
1:59.4	learned a little bit more about right at the end of the film.
2:03.1	And I should point out also that that translation was provided by my friend Tim Dunn, a pianist
2:08.3	and composer, and a very interesting fellow, and also, apparently, a super fan of our show.
2:14.9	So, hey Tim, good looking out.
2:17.0	But no no evil. No. No. No. No. fan of our show. So, hey Tim, good looking out. PONAPRASNU N'O,
2:19.3	Nobro, not propera,
	...

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