Ikarie XB-1
Encyclopedia
Ikarie XB-1 is a 1963 Czechoslovak science fiction
film directed by Jindřich Polák. It was also edited and dubbed into English for release in the USA, where it is known by its alternate title Voyage to the End of the Universe.
. Travelling at near-light speed, the journey takes around 28 months for the astronauts, although the effects of relativity
mean that 15 years will have elapsed on Earth by the time they reach their destination. During the flight the 40-strong multinational crew must adjust to life in space, as well as dealing with various hazards they encounter, including a derelict 20th century spaceship armed with nuclear weapons, a deadly radioactive "dark star" and the mental breakdown of one of the crew, who threatens to destroy the spacecraft.
science fiction films of the era, boasting impressive production design, above-average special effects, a strong ensemble cast and an intelligent screenplay (although much of the subtlety of the original is lost in the English-language version).
While it shows some influence from earlier American ventures such as Forbidden Planet
, the film was also influential in its own right—critics have noted a number of similarities between Ikarie XB-1 and Stanley Kubrick
's 1968 film 2001: A Space Odyssey
and it is believed to have been one of the many 'space' genre films that Kubrick screened while researching 2001.
Like several other high-quality Eastern Bloc sci-fi films of the era—e.g. the Soviet film Planeta Bur
(Planet of Storms), aka Voyage to the Prehistoric Planet
-- Ikarie XB-1 is best known internationally through an edited and English-dubbed version which was given a limited theatrical release in the USA in 1964 by American International Pictures
. The AIP version also occasionally screened on television in the USA and other countries at various times over the ensuing years but, apart from its screening at Trieste, the original Czech version was rarely seen in the West until its release on DVD in 2005.
The English-language version of the film (titled Voyage to the End of the Universe), is considered inferior to the original because of the numerous alterations made by AIP. Almost 10 minutes of footage was cut, the names of the cast and staff in the opening credits were Anglicized, the ship's destination was renamed "The Green Planet", and a sub-plot involving the birth of a baby during the voyage was removed. AIP also deleted one of the major plot points of the original version—after the Ikarie crew recover from their life-threatening encounter with the radioactive 'dark star', the crew discover that the ship has been saved from its effects by a force field projected from the White Planet.
The most obvious change was AIP's re-cut of the closing scene, which created an entirely different ending from the original. In the Czech version, as the Ikarie approaches its destination its viewscreen shows the clouds around the White Planet parting to reveal a seemingly endless city of light. For the English version, however, AIP excised the last few seconds and substituted stock aerial footage of New York City
. According to reviewer Glenn Erickson, AIP's edits and script changes were intended to create a gimmicky "surprise" ending which reveals that the Ikarie and its crew have come from an alien world and that the "Green Planet" is in fact Earth.
In 2005 Cesky Film released a DVD of the original Czech version of the film with English subtitles and presented in its original Techniscope
2.35:1 widescreen aspect ratio. The DVD included the footage removed by AIP from the US version, including the original ending.
Contrary to some Western citations which claim it was made in colour and reduced to monochrome for US release, the original version of the film was shot in black-and-white.
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
film directed by Jindřich Polák. It was also edited and dubbed into English for release in the USA, where it is known by its alternate title Voyage to the End of the Universe.
Plot
In the year 2163 the starship Ikarie XB-1 (Ikarus XB-1) is sent to the mysterious "White Planet" orbiting the star Alpha CentauriAlpha Centauri
Alpha Centauri is the brightest star in the southern constellation of Centaurus...
. Travelling at near-light speed, the journey takes around 28 months for the astronauts, although the effects of relativity
Theory of relativity
The theory of relativity, or simply relativity, encompasses two theories of Albert Einstein: special relativity and general relativity. However, the word relativity is sometimes used in reference to Galilean invariance....
mean that 15 years will have elapsed on Earth by the time they reach their destination. During the flight the 40-strong multinational crew must adjust to life in space, as well as dealing with various hazards they encounter, including a derelict 20th century spaceship armed with nuclear weapons, a deadly radioactive "dark star" and the mental breakdown of one of the crew, who threatens to destroy the spacecraft.
Production notes
Ikarie XB-1 was a hit at the 1963 Trieste Science Fiction Film Festival and it is now widely regarded as one of the best Eastern BlocEastern bloc
The term Eastern Bloc or Communist Bloc refers to the former communist states of Eastern and Central Europe, generally the Soviet Union and the countries of the Warsaw Pact...
science fiction films of the era, boasting impressive production design, above-average special effects, a strong ensemble cast and an intelligent screenplay (although much of the subtlety of the original is lost in the English-language version).
While it shows some influence from earlier American ventures such as Forbidden Planet
Forbidden Planet
Forbidden Planet is a 1956 science fiction film directed by Fred M. Wilcox, with a screenplay by Cyril Hume. It stars Leslie Nielsen, Walter Pidgeon, and Anne Francis. The characters and its setting have been compared to those in William Shakespeare's The Tempest, and its plot contains certain...
, the film was also influential in its own right—critics have noted a number of similarities between Ikarie XB-1 and Stanley Kubrick
Stanley Kubrick
Stanley Kubrick was an American film director, writer, producer, and photographer who lived in England during most of the last four decades of his career...
's 1968 film 2001: A Space Odyssey
2001: A Space Odyssey (film)
2001: A Space Odyssey is a 1968 epic science fiction film produced and directed by Stanley Kubrick, and co-written by Kubrick and Arthur C. Clarke, partially inspired by Clarke's short story The Sentinel...
and it is believed to have been one of the many 'space' genre films that Kubrick screened while researching 2001.
Like several other high-quality Eastern Bloc sci-fi films of the era—e.g. the Soviet film Planeta Bur
Planeta Bur
Planeta Bur is a 1962 Soviet film directed by Pavel Klushantsev.The film is also known as Planet of the Storms, Planet of Storms, Planet of Tempests, Planeta Burg and Storm Planet....
(Planet of Storms), aka Voyage to the Prehistoric Planet
Voyage to the Prehistoric Planet
Voyage to the Prehistoric Planet is a 1965 science fiction film directed by Curtis Harrington. The film is an American adapted and edited version of the Russian science fiction movie Planeta Bur directed by Pavel Klushantsev, with Curtis Harrington filming extra scenes featuring Basil Rathbone and...
-- Ikarie XB-1 is best known internationally through an edited and English-dubbed version which was given a limited theatrical release in the USA in 1964 by American International Pictures
American International Pictures
American International Pictures was a film production company formed in April 1956 from American Releasing Corporation by James H. Nicholson, former Sales Manager of Realart Pictures, and Samuel Z. Arkoff, an entertainment lawyer...
. The AIP version also occasionally screened on television in the USA and other countries at various times over the ensuing years but, apart from its screening at Trieste, the original Czech version was rarely seen in the West until its release on DVD in 2005.
The English-language version of the film (titled Voyage to the End of the Universe), is considered inferior to the original because of the numerous alterations made by AIP. Almost 10 minutes of footage was cut, the names of the cast and staff in the opening credits were Anglicized, the ship's destination was renamed "The Green Planet", and a sub-plot involving the birth of a baby during the voyage was removed. AIP also deleted one of the major plot points of the original version—after the Ikarie crew recover from their life-threatening encounter with the radioactive 'dark star', the crew discover that the ship has been saved from its effects by a force field projected from the White Planet.
The most obvious change was AIP's re-cut of the closing scene, which created an entirely different ending from the original. In the Czech version, as the Ikarie approaches its destination its viewscreen shows the clouds around the White Planet parting to reveal a seemingly endless city of light. For the English version, however, AIP excised the last few seconds and substituted stock aerial footage of New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. According to reviewer Glenn Erickson, AIP's edits and script changes were intended to create a gimmicky "surprise" ending which reveals that the Ikarie and its crew have come from an alien world and that the "Green Planet" is in fact Earth.
In 2005 Cesky Film released a DVD of the original Czech version of the film with English subtitles and presented in its original Techniscope
Techniscope
Techniscope or 2-Perf is a 35mm motion picture camera film format introduced by Technicolor Italia in 1963. The Techniscope format uses a two film-perforation negative pulldown per frame, instead of the standard four-perforation frame usually exposed in 35mm film photography...
2.35:1 widescreen aspect ratio. The DVD included the footage removed by AIP from the US version, including the original ending.
Contrary to some Western citations which claim it was made in colour and reduced to monochrome for US release, the original version of the film was shot in black-and-white.