The thing about starting the 101 Sci-Fi Films project at the chronological start of the list is that I get to watch a lot of “firsts” and so it goes this is the first Soviet science film and probably the first silent film in the structure that was my impression of them. With dialogue slides in the format that I’m used to from the silent era.
Aelita is a complex film that probably speaks more on the political environment in Russia more than the science fiction though this is indeed a science laden film with the main character working on fulfilling his dream of visiting Mars and meeting literally the woman of his dreams the Martian Queen Aelita.
To be perfectly honest I’m not so interested in the socialist agenda or much of the melodrama that surrounds our hero’s quest to reach Mars. His world is crumbling around him as his obsession drives him to distraction and the evil aristocrats attempt to swindle and undermine the workers.
The visuals on Mars are extraordinary from a design point of view, a completely realised Martian aesthetic with aperture opening and closing doors and geometric instruments and devices. There are what at first appear to me to be robots or at least cyborgs (it’s the Martian military – body armour) as well as impressively alien costumes especially the headwear.
Ultimately the Martian society reflects the Soviet one and the society suffers the same struggles as its counterpart. At least this is my impression, I’ll admit once I got past admiring the designs the story itself felt, and you have to excuse the term but it felt a world away.
Aelita does feature the concept of cryogenics with a third of the workforce on Mars being placed in storage about halfway through the film.
Once again YouTube comes to the rescue and you can watch the film online via it, though the video is broken up in several parts.
This film gets bogged down in the day to day life in Russia, the virtue of the previous silent films was that they weren’t very long whereas Aelita really drags towards the middle in sequences that don’t really seem to add to the impact of the overall story except to show the main character as a consistent and diligent worker who’s life is ruined by his dreams of going to Mars and the evil of the corrupt. The addition of a comedic police officer does not help matters.
The science fiction elements are all excellent, there’s half a great science fiction movie in there especially when they reach Mars, it’s hard to fault the rest as it’s a product of its time and culture and to some degree it sets the scene though it’s a labour.
It’s no wonder that the Soviet people loved this film especially as the workers rose up on Mars and overthrew the Elders. Apparently a lot of babies were named Aelita.
The end leaves a lot to be desired.
Rating: 
Next up is the 1925 French film Paris Qui Dort (Paris Asleep or The Crazy Ray) which is a return to the shorter films. I best hurry it along too if I want to cover off all 101 movies!!
Have you seen Aelita? What are your thoughts?
