>>You can't read a movie. You watch a movie. So...?
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>Sorry. I misunderstood. We were talking about scifi writers and you threw that in, so I assumed you were talking about the book. Is it a good movie? And now you have me thinking back on whether or not I actually have read it. The title sounds vaguely familiar, but I might be confusing it with "The Solarians" by Spinrad. The problem is that I was reading Lem so many years ago, that I can't really remember whatall I read by him. I do vaguely remember some short stories about Ijon Tichy (sp?) but titles escape me except I seem to recall one called 'Star Diaries' (I think).

"Star diaries of Ijon Tichy" (meaning Ion the Silent, btw) is a series of Lem's stories, and he had another one with pilot Pyrx. But I think he wrote those so he could mock most of the then SF and science.

Solaris, OTOH, is one of the most serious books you can find; it disputes some substantial questions of human existence, on a backdrop of a (at the time, allegedly) sentient ocean-planet. Tarkovsky made a great movie, which I, being raised mostly on Hollywood, initially didn't like - the exposition seems to be just dragging, the endless ride through Tokyo seems to take about six forevers and then some, there are awkward pauses in the dialogue and there are a few places where it wildly differs from the book... but on second and third viewing, it all fits into place. He's giving you time to think.

Which is, I guess, not permissible anymore, so Hollywood had to make its own version. Which I have just queued for, I think, five weeks from now. Along with Tarkovsky's version. Just in case. May as well be interesting to watch them alongside.