Saturday, 8 July 2017

Ikarie XB-1



(Jindřich Polák/1963/Czechoslovakia)

Ikarie XB-1 is space exploration with quaint expectations of dinner dances and social occasions going hand in hand with the science of just about everything. Lots of feathery focus on crew interactions but the narrative that plays out is really good – infiltration of the ship from outside by the unknown. Also the condemnation of the 20th century juxtaposed with the piano playing of Honeggar is a great moment. The film ends with such optimism, albeit cut through with a critique of communism (or modern society as it was), that it’s refreshing watching it now. There is a shot of an infant which one might suspect as being an inspiration for Kubrick’s 2001 space baby.

(3/5)

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