Signals: A Space Adventure & In Dust Of — Signals: A Space Adventure & In Dust Of The Stars(

Here, from Deaf Crocodile, is a double-disc Blu-ray set bringing together two 1970s sci-fi films from behind the Iron Curtain, produced by East German state-run studio DEFA. Each film features a new HD scan and a commentary track  

Both films featured here were directed by Haut-Rhin, France-born Gottfried Kolditz.  Between the mid-50s and late 70s, he had twenty-two features to his name. These went between colourful musical comedy  Revue Um Mitternacht (1961), German Spaghetti western Ulzana (1976), and sci-fi regarding a youth restoring machine The Thing in the Castle (1979).

First up, we have Signals: A Space Adventure- this is from the year 1970. As the film's title suggests, signals from space take a big part in the plot- around these, we have a space opera, which clearly nods towards both 2001: A Space Odyssey and the original Star Trek series.

After the zoom-in title credits, we get introduced to the grey & white trim-suited crew of the spaceship Ikaros. They are in deep space and have started getting a series of audio connections with what they think is from an alien- then all of a sudden they are under attack, with wonderfully dizzying &  rapid cut footage of crew thrown across the deck & upside down, red flashes, breaking doors, crashing structures, etc.

Then, in a great, effective contrast shift, we’re back on earth at the seaside, where we see characters walking upside down on their hands and children playing a ball game with remote control model spaceships.

Next, we shift to one of the many meeting-based scenes in the film, where the greying quiff-haired and often glumly philosophical Commander Veikko(Piotr Pawlowski) is asked to go on a secret mission to find Ikaros.

He’s allowed to pick his own crew, so among them he selects  Gaston( Helmut Schreiber), a rather jovial/ moustached man who has been working on spacecraft for nearly thirty years; he gives you vibes of Scotty from Star Trek. Pawel( Evgeniy Zharikov), whose girlfriend was on Ikaros. Always on top of her work/ but sometimes glamorous dressed Juana(Irena Karel).

They set out on their mission- with some quite lengthy shots of either small spacecraft breaking off/ then docking on the large ship, meant to tense space work, some maintenance work on the outside of the ship, and a fair few moments of dizzying upside-down shots.

Personally, the highlights here were the more playful/ fun moments- like when a pair of shipmates are doing zero gravity acrobatics to the backdrop of some groovy lounge music. Gaston’s one-armed globe-shaped robot, which at one point is programmed to mix soft drinks, and the quirky cartoon presentation of Gaston's life made by a crew member to celebrate his time in service.

A large chunk of the film is unfortunately taken up by dull meetings where Commander Veikko looks stern or mildly panicked. There’s an odd obsession with crew members' health, which is seemingly constantly being monitored.

For the most part, Signals: A Space Adventure is an engaging enough-if at times too poe-faced space oprea, though there are the more light/ playful moments that make it worth hanging in there.

Extra wise on this first disc, we get a commentary track from film historian/ comic book artist Steven R Bissette,  with Dr Marina Ovanova of the DEFA Film Library dropping in for a long-form interview at one point. We find out that the film was produced in 1969, then released in 1970 in East Germany and other parts of the Eastern Bloc. He discusses the 70mm original print- how this is a brand new print of the picture, and when it was first released, it couldn’t play everywhere, as they needed special projectors to play it. He discusses the film's influences, and how initially there is no music used in the space-bound scenes, highlighting the silence of the stars. The producers of the film didn’t call it a Sci-fi, but a utopian film. Later on, they discuss how the film was given a premiere in a sci-fi-themed cinema, and within a week, half a million people had seen the picture.  They talk about the robot in the film, and how it compares to other robots in Eastern Bloc films. All in all- an interesting track which is worth a play.

Otherwise, on the disc we have Other worlds, strange dreams: the East German space operas of director Gottfried Kolditz ( 17.43) video essay by film historian Evan Chester. And the original trailer

 

On the second disc, we have  1976’s  In the Dust of the Stars (Im Staub der Sterne). This is a landing on an unknown planet brand of Sci-fi, with some quite groovy clothes & music. As well as later a bit of action/ tension, and weird/ demented set design/ characters appearing.

After the shimmering in & out yellow text credits, we see a spaceship with a crew of six trying to land on a rather Earth-like planet. The pastel blue-suited crew is made up of female captain Akala(Jana Brejchová), who looks a cross between Stephanie Beacham and Felicity Kendal.  Female doctor Rall (Violeta Andrei),  two other unnamed female crew, and two male/middle-aged crew members- the more thoughtful/ careful Suko(Alfred Struwe), and the sometimes tight-demin-dungaree wearing Thob (Leon Niemczyk).

They are landing on the planet, as some years back, they received a radio signal call for help, and it wasn’t until recently that they figured out the planet the signal was coming from.

Five of the crew step out onto the planet in the bright orange space suits and chuckle as they realise they can breathe freely. Fairly soon, a vehicle with shifting cog-like sides appears, and the crew are whisked off to a large cave-like hall. Here they meet the bearded, dressed in blue & shiny silver-suited Ronk(Milan Beli)- he tells them no signal was sent, and they need no help.

The crew go back to the ship, debating what to do next. Fairly soon, they are told Sorry for the impolite welcome/ come back for a proper welcoming party tonight. All of the crew members, except Suko, stay behind, as he feels something is amiss.

The crew members, in their red leather flared suits, head to the hall from before. Women in coloured vales dance, food is layered on racks moving with snakes, and the planet's people have a tendency to spray their mouths with blue or red aerosols. Towards the end of the night, each member of the crew has a shimmering light point on their heads- this seems to make them joyful and out of it.

When they get back to the ship the crew are all very giggly/ high- but Suko, still feels something is amiss, so he decides to go and investigate. And here I’ll end my plot breakdown.

The first half of the one hour and forty minutes is engaging enough, but really, the best stuff appears in the second half.  There’s a moody solo silhouette dance, a pulsing red sensor chair, a mirrored room with moving heads in gold frames on one wall, and a short-haired/cross-dressing figure whose hair colour changes with his dress.

The cast is largely fine, though it’s a pity that a few of the female crew members are left unnamed. I’d say  Beli as the initially friendly/ fake chuckling  Ronk, and  Struwe Suko as the suspicious Suko are the highlights here. We get a fair few groovy costume changes & moments of jiving disco/ electronica.  I’d say of the two films, In the Dust of the Stars stands up the best of the two films, as the story is more engaging, as are the more wacky/ groovy moments.

 

Once again, on this, we get a commentary with Steven R Bissette. He starts off talking about how the film was a joint East Germany and Romania production, with the film's planet setting shot around the mud volcano of the latter. We find out the film got a very limited release in 1976, going on to wider release in 77. He points out the crew members, touching on each's role on the ship. He talks about how the film has a very pulp sci-fi feel, with some great production design. He gives a more in-depth bio for a few actors.  Later on, he gives a rundown of all of DEFA’s utopian films. He compares Eastern & Western German Sci-fi films, and more. Again, another worthwhile track.

We once again get the video essay, Other worlds, strange dreams: the East German space operas of director Gottfried Kolditz, and an original trailer.

 

In conclusion, this double-disc set gives us a fascinating look at behind-the-Iron-Curtain Sci-Fi of the 1970s, with the most interesting commentary tracks. I do hope Deaf Crocodile dig into the DEFA vaults again to reissue some more spaced-out/ intergalactic cinematic fare.