Ikarie XB-1

Ikaire XB-1 (1963)

Runtime: 82 minutes

Directed by: Jindrick Polak

Starring: Zdenek Stepanek, Frantisek Smolik, Dana Medricka, Irena Kacirkova, Radovan Lukavsky

From: Filmove Studio Barrandov

Thursday night I viewed this Czech movie and it is well worth Czeching out, at least in its original form: 

Note that I saw the original cut of this movie, subtitled-nevermind how-rather than the version that AIP dubbed into English and put out as Voyage to the End of the Universe, where scenes were cut out and the ending was completely changed, into something you'd expect from M. Night. That cut has never been viewed by me, and there's no need to as this is a serious and mature look at spaceflight in 2163, when a group of 40 are on a ship headed to Alpha Centauri to look for new life; one of them is a mathematician named ANTHONY HOPKINS. As you watch the movie, you'll notice that it must have inspired both Star Trek and 2001.

Several events happen as the crew has to deal with such aspects as loneliness, being stir-crazy, love, and Einstein's Paradox, which has been addressed in several movies before Interstellar did it. I loved the movie's laid-back yet never dull vibe as it showed realistically how a crew in the future would deal with an unprecedented mission. There are also haunting moments and as expected for a movie made behind The Iron Curtain, some potshots at capitalism.

Of course I would enjoy the kitschy 60's effects but the sets are legit great and charming, always a delight to view and examine. Best of all is the period version of an electronic score; it is pretty awesome. So is the scene where there is a party on ship and 22nd century dancing is to be separated from each other w/ no touching (which is at least appropriate for March, 2020) and the music you dance to: upbeat jazz. Perfect for comrades, I suppose.