Stalker Explained: What’s Up With the Ending?

When the film “Stalker” appeared on the screens, the audience was divided into 2 camps: admiring and extremely dissatisfied with the filmed picture. No wonder – Tarkovsky always created works with a deep, hard to read meaning, “Stalker” is no exception. What did the director want to convey to the audience this time? What is the meaning of the film “Stalker” and what morality should be learned from it? The Meaning Of The Film, A Summary, Explanation Of The Ending

Summary

The meaning of the film “Stalker” (1979) is hidden under the thickness of the storyline. Let us give a brief description of the events of the drama.

The stalker is taking two men, a physics professor and a writer, to a restricted area. First by car, then by trolley. According to him, a meteorite fell in the zone 20 years ago. Then people began to disappear here and a wish-fulfilling room appeared.

On a note! The scriptwriters of the film “Stalker”, the meaning of which is partially taken from the story “Roadside Picnic”, were the authors of the original book – the Strugatsky brothers.

To get to the appointed place, the heroes take detours, throwing nuts and bandages to indicate the direction. The zone is a mysterious, strict place, full of traps, punishes for misconduct. She only lets in desperate people.

The writer has lost inspiration, complains about the poor attitude of readers and critics. The professor is a serious, silent fighter for peace. Stalker spent 5 years in prison. At home, his wife and disabled daughter, nicknamed Monkey, are waiting for him.

The heroes walk through an abandoned building, a “dry” tunnel (waterfalls), see burning coals. The professor, contrary to the persuasion of the Stalker, returns for a forgotten backpack, but is ahead of his comrades. Men lie down to rest, sleep. After awakening, the Stalker reads prayers.

It is interesting! The white foam that appeared in the frame with the river is not the director’s idea, but the result of the release of pulp mill waste into the water source.

Then the heroes go through a tunnel-meat grinder, a font, a hall with bumpy sand. Find the right room. But no one dares to enter. The writer believes that no one knows their true desires.

The professor gives out the real reason for his appearance here – he wants to blow up the room so that the scammers do not take advantage of it. The stalker is trying to take the bomb away from the physicist. The writer prevents him from doing this – he beats the conductor. The stalker persuades the scientist not to take away his faith. The professor defuses the bomb.

All three sit at the door of the room. Rain is coming. The heroes returned home. The stalker complains to his wife about people’s lack of faith. He goes for a walk with his wife and daughter on his shoulders to the river.

At the end, a scene is shown where the Monkey reads poetry to himself and moves his eyes around the objects on the table.

Plot Explanation

First, let’s understand the meaning of the word “stalker”. This is a man who explores abandoned places. Here the Stalker leads to the anomalous zone, which appeared as a result of the fall of a meteorite, interested people:

  • a writer who has lost inspiration, a stubborn companion. He likes to argue, argue, is able to use physical force;
  • professor – a serious, silent, gloomy physicist. The scientist wants to save the world, protect it from a global catastrophe.

Stalker seems to just make money. But this is not true. The mysterious place attracts him, beckons, calls. He is ready to sacrifice his health, freedom, communication with his family for the sake of being here. But what is special about the zone?

The zone is a place where the hero feels like a person, free, independent, needed. For him, this is like a breath of fresh air, after a stuffy, embittered city. Here the Stalker found his shelter, believed in himself, stopped being afraid. Here he found FAITH, in himself, in God.

The meaning of the film “Stalker” is the strength of a person who understands the true values ​​of life. Despite the difficult fate, the protagonist does not ask for anything from the room (from God). He is happy, like any true believer. For him, the main reward is love for life, acceptance of himself and his loved ones as they are.

Calling Stalker

The stalker wanted to help other discouraged learn to believe, to want to live on. He constantly prays for the possibility of initiation into the FAITH of comrades. His companions are too closed, thick-skinned, stubborn to be imbued with the soul. They are strong in body and mind, but weak in spirit. The writer and the Professor could not even enter the room – they were afraid of their true desires. They realized that they do not want what they hide behind.

On a note! Anatoly Solonitsyn, who played the role of the Writer, for 2 years of filming managed to marry a make-up woman who gave birth to his son.

The meaning of Tarkovsky’s film “Stalker” is that only sincere desires from the heart come true in the zone. You just need to know what you want. However, it takes a lot more courage to discover your true dreams and accept them than it does to hit a comrade, as the Writer did.

It is not for nothing that Tarkovsky introduced the story of Porcupine, who asked the room to return his dead brother, but received money. His subconscious need for wealth blocked the conscious desire to save a loved one. It was because of the understanding of his greedy nature that Porcupine hanged himself. The heroes immediately realized that they were no better than the Porcupine and that they could not get anything good here.

Did the heroes leave with nothing

Although the Writer and the Professor could not enter the magic room and make a wish, the zone gave a lot to these heroes. After going through all the tests of the anomalous place, travelers were able to look inside themselves. They saw their true nature.

The hidden meaning of “Stalker” is that after visiting the zone, the heroes realized how miserable their life was, filled only with dreams of glory and enrichment. They justified many of their actions and accomplishments with high goals: the Writer – to remain in the memory of the people, the Scientist – to protect the world.

Now the comrades understand that the events, the environment, the state of the soul depend only on themselves. No one is to blame for their fate. What happened to the characters is the result of their thoughts and actions. They got what they wanted.

On the example of the Stalker, the Writer and the Professor saw that it is possible to be happy having the very least – freedom, Faith, Hope, Love. The main gift from the zone for them is the loss of illusions and repentance.

What is the essence of the ending

The meaning of the ending of “Stalker” is the discovery of a true miracle. The viewer sees not a UFO, not a ghost, not a wishing room, but an ordinary family. It has everything: love, tenderness, care, loyalty. These people do not trust in God, but rejoice in life and every manifestation of it. They are not embarrassed by difficulties. “And if there were no grief, then there would be no happiness either. And there would be no hope.”

The film “Stalker”, the meaning of which is to teach faith and repentance, leaves an indelible mark on the soul of a conscious viewer. To fully discover the creation of Tarkovsky, you need to review the drama more than once or even twice.

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