7 screen adaptations of Soviet science fiction writers Arkady & Boris Strugatsky

1. "Hotel At the Dead Mountaineer's" (1979)

A film noir by director Grigory Kromanov about moral choice. After an anonymous call, Policeman Glebsky arrives at a mountain hotel that is cut off from the world after a snowfall. Everything is in order there, only the guests are each weirder than the other and, very soon, a corpse is found in the hotel. The inspector has no choice but to investigate the case. Over time, he realizes that aliens and their robots live in the hotel. The costumes for the movie were created by the “red Dior”, legendary couturier Slava Zaitsev.

2. ‘Stalker’ (1979)

This is considered to be the most famous screen adaptation of the Strugatsky brothers, directed by Andrei Tarkovsky. It is based on ‘Roadside Picnic’, a story about final hope. Stalker goes to a so-called ‘Zone’ – a territory where anomalous events occur and where, according to rumors, the most long-suffering desires can come true. The journey to the ‘Zone’ turns into a journey into one’s own soul, but only those who have not lost faith in possible happiness can endure it.

This was Tarkovsky’s last movie, which he made in the Soviet Union.

3. ‘Magicians’ (1982)

A most romantic and musical story associated with the Strugatsky brothers. Strictly speaking, this is not a screen adaptation; the plot of the story ‘Monday Begins on Saturday’ simply served as the basis for the script.

Main protagonist Tuner Vanya Pukhov goes to Kitezhgrad for the New Year to see his fiancée Alena. She works at the Institute of Magic, where they recently developed a magic wand for the consumer services sector. Things are heading towards a wedding, but an employee of the institute who is in love with Alena decides to upset her. Because of his intrigues, a spell is cast on the girl and she turns into an evil witch. Now, Vanya has to find a way to break the spell.

Ask any Russian: “What are you watching on New Year’s Eve?” And they will answer: ‘The Irony of Fate’ and ‘Charodei’ (‘Magicians’). This movie starring Alexander Abdulov and Alexandra Yakovleva has remained a hit for over 40 years. A love story, magic, a happy ending and, of course, the song ‘Three White Horses’. It’s impossible to imagine the New Year holidays in Russia without this movie.

4. ‘Days of the Eclipse’ (1988)

This is a movie by Alexander Sokurov based on the story ‘A Billion Years Before the End of the World’. The Strugatsky brothers themselves participated in the work on the script. The story of a local apocalypse unfolds in a small town on the Caspian coast – the main character seems to be treating someone, trying to write a scientific paper, but, for the most part, is just imitating life, having lost all meaning in existence.

5. ‘Ugly Swans’ (2006)

Writer Viktor Banev goes to the city of Tashlynsk, which has been quarantined by the military. Some kind of cataclysm occurred there: Now, it rains endlessly from the crimson sky and the so-called ‘wetties’ in masks and long black cloaks are in charge of everything. They run a children's boarding school, among whose students is the writer's daughter. While the military discusses a chemical attack that should destroy the inhabitants of Tashlynsk, Banev tries to save the children. Thanks to the ‘wetties’, they have received new abilities and are sure that the familiar world requires radical remaking.

A dark atmospheric movie without an unambiguous ending invites viewers to decide for themselves who is right: children dreaming of a better world or adults clinging to the established picture of the world?

6. ‘Inhabited Island’ (2008)

This is a screen adaptation of the novel of the same name from a series by writer Maxim Kammerer. The main character lands on the planet Saraksh. Most of the locals sincerely believe that they live surrounded by enemies and only the so-called ‘Unknown Fathers’ can protect them. These local dictators rule the people with the help of “emitter” towers that support people's faith in official attitudes.

‘Inhabited Island’ by Fyodor Bondarchuk is the most epic of the Strugatskys' screen adaptations. And, perhaps, the most controversial: fans of science fiction and movie buffs willingly discussed the script, battle scenes and even the casting. They certainly agreed on one thing: the movie turned out to be uneven and motley, like a patchwork quilt. However, perhaps, this is its unique charm.

7. ‘Hard to be a God’ (2013)

The last movie and magnum opus of Alexei German, on which he worked for many years. On the planet of Arkanar, they have not heard of the Renaissance and everything that even hints of it has been destroyed. Researchers from Earth observe the development of the planet, trying to save local scientists. But, this turns out to be pointless: people continue to kill each other and the main character realizes that grayness prevails, despite his efforts.

More than 30 years passed from the conception to the start of filming. Alexey German began working on the script back in the USSR and the candidates for the lead role changed several times. As a result, the movie only premiered after the director's death.