100 Movies Every Catholic Should See #12: Stalker (1979)

Written and directed by Andrei Tarkovsky. Starring Aleksandr Kaydanovskiy, Anatoliy Solonitsyn, Nikolay Grinko, and Alisa Freyndlikh.

“Art exists to give glory to God.”

- Andrei Tarkovsky

Out of the cold and brutal reign of Joseph Stalin, the second World War, and the continued destruction of tradition under the Soviet Union, arose the brightest beacon of Christianity in cinema: Andrei Tarkovsky.

A devout Russian Orthodox, Tarkovsky was a man from a long forgotten era of Russia, who wielded a modern artform to convey Renaissance ideas and beliefs. More often than not, we as Catholics are forced to pry and attempt to draw hidden meanings and implied messages from filmmakers, often being unable to determine if something is for religion or against it. With Tarkovsky, there is never a question of whether he is Christian or not, but rather what within Christianity he is attempting to discuss. 

With all this praise being sung, there is one disclaimer that must be given: Tarkovsky’s filmography is HIGHLY demanding. If one plans to embark on a cinematic odyssey, his films should be reserved for the home stretch. Tarkovsky films demand full attention and patience. 

Stalker was my starting point with Tarkovsky, and I have to say it may be my personal favorite. The film exemplifies everything I've come to love from the Russian master. Long takes, stunning quotes, hypnotic cinematography, entrancing poetry, and captivating performances all swerve to paint a beautiful mosaic of faith and vocation. Stalker, based on the Russian novel Roadside Picnic, is about a man who takes people to the Zone, a mysterious site known for its extraterrestrial connection. A Stalker is one who guides others through The Zone to a room that will grant their deepest desires, one that is so profound and central to ones being they most likely are not aware of what it may be. The stalker takes a Professor of Science and a successful Author into the Zone, and helps them to the center of the Zone. 

The Zone, however, is treacherous. We are not shown a whole lot, but the Zone changes its layout constantly, posing lethal danger to those who do not respect it. Without a guide or one who knows and understands the Zone, one faces certain annihilation. 

The primary drama and conflict of the story stem from the strife between the three individuals engaging in this perilous journey; the Stalker, the Professor, and the Author. To the two travelers, the stalker is a simple man of childish Faith, someone who they are humiliated to follow. They believe themselves to be greater than him and continue to show little regard to the Zone, often displaying their lack of faith in the process as well as the experience. The professor himself even displays hostility towards the Zone, and believes it should be destroyed so it may not fall into the wrong hands. 

Stalker is a prayer. A prayer for the world, for inteligencia, for progress, and for those who follow the Faith. Throughout the film, the Stalker serves as a stand in for the Church and those within it whose vocation it is to lead. They are called to lead us through the treacherous world, constantly changing in what it demands, what is appealing, what it has to tempt, and what it has to offer. Navigating this world on our own, we would be lost and surely suffer a spiritual death. Despite this difficult vocation and the intense passion the Church/Stalker may have to lead people to their deepest true desire (our desire to be with God), there are those who do not respect or acknowledge the need for guidance nor the danger that is ever present. As we have seen more often than not, many in higher level education either skeptically or totally disregard the Faith or God.  The “I believe in science” crowd write off simpleton “believers” who cannot cope with the infinite, uncaring coldness of the universe, who seemed to be as prevalent in Tarkovsky’s world as they are in ours. The world has no spiritual dangers, and if there are any they should be destroyed rather than risked. This is the opinion felt by the professor in Stalker towards the Zone, and is quite reflective of many professors of today. 

The second traveler is the accomplished author. He wants to be remembered, forever solidified in the canon of great writers who have changed the world. He has lived well, had his way with the world, and gloats in his success. But he has been left unfulfilled. He needs further inspiration, and has reached the age where he knows not if his life’s work will truly last, if it will mean anything to anyone in a century, or millennium. This unknowing continues to eat the character alive throughout the film. He vents his own burdens onto the Professor, and together they continue to attempt to tear down the mysticism of the Zone. Belittling the Stalker, mocking his cautionary tales, challenging his views physically and philosophically, despite the Stalker acting on their behalf. 

This is merely the dramatic aspect of the film. The visual language is an entity in its own right. Tarkovsky switches between a run down film stock within the normal world to a vibrant and colorful one (or as colorful as could be done on post-Khrushchev thaw Soviet film stock) for the Zone. A sort of Wizard of Oz effect if you will. Shots within Stalker are notoriously long, containing 142 shots in 163 minutes, with an average shot length of more than one minute and many shots lasting for more than four minutes. These shots lull the viewer into a calmed, almost hypnotic state. Rather than cut from one shot to the next as almost all filmmakers do, Tarkovsky will remain on a shot and bleed it into the next scene if he has to, milking every ounce of meaning that he possibly can and only cutting when it is absolutely necessary. Objects hold great meaning within a frame. As one may stare at a Caravaggio painting for extended periods of time, searching for new details from which to derive meaning, emotion, and movement, so too one can study Tarkovsky’s brilliant shot composition. It is in this intelligent design and almost avant garde presentation where his films become exceptionally challenging.  

There is such profound but sometimes overwhelming amounts of imagery within his framing that it can be difficult to figure out what he is trying to say within a scene. The viewer will remember every shot, but struggle to find its relevance within the grand scheme of things. But if one takes their time and thinks on what is being shown, they will get something new out of each viewing. The closest thing I can equate digesting his shots to is a sort of Rorschach test within the film, or perhaps a cinematic Lectio Divina, if you are inclined to take it in a more spiritual way. 

Stalker has some of Tarkovsky’s most challenging visual compositions. Of special note are the pan shots over landscapes and contaminated water, some of which contained carcinogenic materials that would claim the director's life 7 years later. Many objects will be shown in these shots, with stunning philosophical lines delivered as they are panned over methodically. 

Frequently there is a dog seen that guides the Stalker gently, appearing to him in his dreams or in what seems to be reality. One can perceive this as a representation of the Holy Spirit, guiding and keeping us from harm's way. Mosaics and icons as well as weapons of war are intertwined within a surreal environment, implying past wars (fallout from the active spiritual warfare that wages in our world today). Seemingly never ending tunnels, bizarre sounds, and abnormal physics haunt and threaten the characters around every turn, with dreams seemingly never ending or beginning. The legendary room itself is never shown entirely, only the entrance. 

As for the film's ending, there are a variety of ways it can be taken. There is no one correct interpretation of Stalker (and all of Tarkovsky’s films in general), but there is a correct lens to look at the ending through. Only through the lens of Christian Faith can the viewer hope to make sense of the famed ending. For me personally, it is a triumph of a man surviving his test of Faith and finding peace for his loved ones by embracing his vocation and living closer to the One he is dedicated to, the One that gives him purpose with the ones he loves. 

This ultimately is what we can hope to achieve as Catholics ourselves here in our own Zone, and it is up to each of us to answer the call of our own vocations to serve others, and to bear respect to the Stalkers that guide us.