Exploring derelict space ship in rare Soviet-style SF film

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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.

Channel: Film & Animation
Uploaded: August 4, 2007 at 11:46 pm
Author: trekfancvg

Length: 00:09:32
Rating: 4.92
Views: 44417

Tags: Ikarie XB Ikaria Icarus Voyage to the end of Universe soviet sf rare derelict space

Video Comments:
silazcarbryck (September 30, 2008 at 10:09 am)
"The crew killed each other with Tiger Fun"?!
OMG WTF!!!

I'm going to buy this video, glad it's available in region 2 PAL.

I need more Sci-fi in my collection, is there any decent Euro Sci-Fi about that you know of?
ulrike235 (September 28, 2008 at 11:46 pm)
"magneticka buta" :) Czech language sounds so funny in Polish :)
verygoodfella (October 1, 2008 at 5:24 pm)
"magnetická bota", not "buta". I can frankly declare that Polish is more funny for me than Czech is for you:))
ulrike235 (October 1, 2008 at 9:36 pm)
Okay, I know it works in both directions :)
djshamman (September 28, 2008 at 11:20 pm)
It is Ikarie XB 1, czech sci-fi from 1963!Maybe the best czech sci-fi ever made!
flashtee (September 27, 2008 at 12:14 pm)
What film is this?
aribenzane (September 26, 2008 at 9:06 pm)
amazing
mi3a (September 25, 2008 at 8:55 pm)
Feel sorry for you (these funcking Bushovics), hope Bushovics will be soon overthrown.
deodiaus (September 20, 2008 at 8:52 am)
I remember reading "The Worlds of Star Trek" in which the pilot episode, "The Cage", was rejected by Hollywood producers as being too cerebral. In the US, there were some serious sci-fi writers who wanted to write intellectually challenging films. Unfortunately, the prevailing attitude of the people who controlled the money was that it had to be dumb, have a "Bear (Outer Limits speak)" and feature nearly naked blonds in space suits on a barren moon setting to appeal to young people.
ActionPod (September 16, 2008 at 6:03 pm)
Camera angles where perfect as well.