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It’s been close to eight decades since two atomic bombs annihilated the Japanese cities of Nagasaki and Hiroshima, the only times nuclear weapons have been used in warfare. And in these seventy years, we have learned a lot about the irreparable human costs of nuclear holocaust and the long-lasting hazards of radiation exposure. Yet, the chance of a warring nation deflecting the use of such a weapon in extreme measures couldn’t be deemed impossible. The dark clouds of Cold War may have long perished, but power-hungry governments all over the world tend to toy with their nuclear weaponry. With Ican (International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons) winning the 2017 Nobel Peace Prize, the need to recognize the catastrophic consequences of these deadly weapons has only drawn more attention.

For decades, Cinema has done its duty in questioning the blood-lust-driven establishment on its nuclear activities despite its claims to the contrary.

Andrei Tarkovsky classics Solaris, Stalker, The Mirror and more besides are now available in full (and legally) on YouTube.

Celebrating its centenary in January 2024, Russian production company Mosfilm has spent the past few months quietly uploading many of its classic films to YouTube.

Among the additions are several works by Andrei Tarkovsky, including perhaps his most famous films, Solaris (1972) and Stalker (1979). Solaris, adapted from Stanislaw Lem’s 1961 novel, is a simmering masterpiece – the story of psychologist Kris Kelvin (Donatis Banionis), who’s sent to a distant space station to investigate some strange behaviour among its crew. Once there, he’s told that the planet the station orbits, the titular Solaris, may be sentient – and capable of somehow turning memories into physical reality…

Stalker’s a sci-fi piece of a very different sort. It’s loosely adapted from Arkady and Boris Strugatsky’s novel Roadside Picnic, and sees a group of scavenger,...

Not to be confused with the Spanish stigmata drama we've been following, this is actually a short film which looks incredibly post apocalyptic with lots of sick experimentation and reminiscent of Konstantin Lopushansky's Pisma Myortvogo Cheloveka which was co-written by Boris Strugatsky. Another great find from our friend D'mooN at Opium.

During World War II, German scientists developed Futhark Five, a substance that allowed human beings to reach a superior status. As Germany fell, the atomic bomb spread throughout the crumbling ruins of the fading nation. Simultaneously, an underground society that practiced mind control discovered Futhark Five. This sect used the substance and its effects for experimentation, manipulation, and ultimately, for the total destruction of mankind.

Full short film after the break. You can purchase the dvd here.

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