Planeta Bur (1962)

[bunniefuu]

Scientific data on Venus is scant and contradictory.

Only by imagination can we glimpse this world.

It may be completely different to our film.

but we believe in the heroic Soviet people,

who will see the Planet of Storms with their own eyes.

PLANET OF STORMS
Based on a story by A. Kazantsev

Attention. This is Radio Moscow.

This is Radio Moscow.

All broadcasting radio stations of the Soviet Union are on.

Here's an official announcement from the
"Telegraph Agency of the Soviet Union".

Three Soviet Cosmic Expedition Starships...

Sirius, Vega and Cappella...

have spanned the distance of over
two hundred million kilometres...

...and are safely approaching Venus.

The astronauts are in perfect health.

Having gone all that distance...

...to be caught on the last lap, near Venus...

We're still helpless against large
meteorites. But we were ready to take risks.

I can hardly believe it.

I've just been talking and making jokes with them.

- This is Earth. Let me answer.

Sirius, Vega...

we are shocked with the loss of Cappella

We believe in your determination.

Put the spaceships into the satellite orbit.

Specify the conditions on the planet.

What are your suggestions?

Arktur will be ready for launch in a week's time.

It'll take Arktur four months to get here.

- Just waiting without landing is t*rture.
- But you know the plan.

One ship, carrying the fuel, was to remain in the orbit.

The other two were supposed to land, to back up each other.

Therefore, until Arktur has arrived, landing is impossible.

Impossible for spacecrafts, but not for people.

What do you mean?

Ilya Vassilievich... according to one of
the variants, Vega's soaring glider can land.

Yes, with Allan Kern's universal robot on board.

To blazes with the robot. Let me land the glider.

- It's a one-way journey, Alexey.
- I know. I'll be waiting for Arktur down there...

...working and transmitting the data
by radio. I'm sure I can do more than

...this chunk of metal. Venus should be
seen with human eyes, not with photocells.

What if something happens to you there?

I promise not to call for help.

I'll sign a promissory letter for you.

My life belongs to me.

My life belongs to me...

I need to have a word with you.

Just a moment. I'll only be half a minute.

I can't believe they are no more.

They were lucky. An instantaneous death is better.

Instead of your robot,
Alexey wants to land the glider on Venus.

A Sirius crew member would man the Vegas glider?

I hope we understand each other.

- What are you talking about?

Well, nothing... Alexey is right...

...the last sacrifice is better
than idling in outer space...

waiting for a meteorite to flatten you.

What are you suggesting, Ivan?

The sun may suddenly
flare and k*ll us with radiation.

- The Earth won't permit the landing.
- It must.

- We should land without waiting for Arktur to arrive.
- Let's figure it out...

- ...the danger factor being neglected.
- It's madness.

Running risks is normal in outer space.

Make calculations. If you wish,
make use of your new invention.

General Cybernetics has been waiting for a proper job.

Listen. In one moment.

Seven, twelve, nine...

Wake up.

- Yes, Sir?
- Please...

...dear John.

Give us the best possible variant
of a landing with a safe return,

...with only Vega and Sirius available.

Including yourself, we're seven now.

Neglect the danger factor.

Vega remains in the orbit.

The glider of Vega seats three people,

Sirius takes three. So, altogether six are to land.

On the way back, Sirius can lift five.

The sixth is to stay on Venus.

- Who's the sixth?
- It's me, sir.

As the dead and the heaviest one.

Mathematics are ruthless.

- It's a poor variant.
- Negative.

It's good for business, but hazardous for
us, therefore it hasn't been in our plans.

One thing is not clear though... who's staying in the orbit?

According to this variant, I'm the only one who can stay.

To process all the information from
the planet and transmit it to Earth.

- I'm the only one who can do it.
- Listen, Masha.

Excuse me.

It's silly, perhaps,

But I've always hoped for other variants.

I've been working for so many years, trying my best.

It' been so hard: the satellite,

then the Moon,

...you do know, don't you?

- I wanted to do it together.
- So what do you suggest?

I don't know.

Masha, Kern and his robot,

...they were recommended by the International Association.

You know it'll be a test for a whole
field of research in cosmonautics.

- But I... I need to be on Venus.
- As if I don't.

An alien world.

How many times we've been sending probes here these years.

With their help we've studied the atmosphere,
discovered the oceans and continents

...and measured the temperatures. Thousands of figures.

But robots can't answer the biggest question...

...if there is Life. Who is there?

Now, at last, to answer this question...

...Man himself has come.

Prepare the beacon ready for launch.

The pressure on the surface is two and three.

The height of the clouds is fifteen.

There are dust clouds above the shore...

and another source of carbon dioxide.

A light red spot can be seen through the clouds.

Thousands of new data but none about the main thing.

And the main thing is...

- who is there?
- There's nobody.

No living thing has evolved there as yet.

But perhaps this reddish spot is...

a city flooded with lights?

It's a dead planet, extinct.

Here intelligence has already destroyed itself.

Who's right then?

No robot can substitute man.

Hello, Sirius? Ilya Vassilievich?

In the prospective landing district I don't
see a single site for Sirius to land.

- Too rough, true.
- Shall we change the landing district?

Negative. The order is to land here.

- I have a suggestion.

We don't need Arktur.

From a 1000 meter altitude the glider will
find a good spot for your Sirius to land.

- Which can't be seen from here.
- If it fails to find one?

- Pensions to the families and monuments to the heroes.
- You mean the glider crew?

It's me, Kern, and the robot.

Masha stays in the orbit. We'll dump the robot on Venus.

- You seem to have planned everything.
- Of course.

What shall we answer?

I wish I could be with them.

Adventurer.

Listen, prepare a report for the headquarters.

...and a well-grounded one.

Perhaps, they'll permit it.

- Ready?

Then go ahead.

I envy you, Shcherba. And you, Allan Kern.

I understand you, Commander.

- Good luck to you.
- Bon voyage, my friends.

They're approaching it.

Black clouds, lightning.

Put John in charge of the controls.

A steep rock ahead, I go upwards.

Well done, devil's dummy.

Clouds on the ground. We're tracking them with the locator.

Not too good, as yet.

Here it is. A smooth little spot in the hollow.

Solid ground, good. That'll do. This is quadrant
seventy three. We'll drop our beacon here.

You should land three hundred meters
south-west of the beacon.

There's water under us.

We can only land on the swamp.

Rocks sticking out. Crash chances...

...are 90 per cent. Preparing to land.

Ilya Vassilievich?

Masha, calm down.

They're just screened off by the horizon. They've landed.

We'll contact them in an hour, on the next turn.

The situation is bleak.

Well, get ready.

We're going to land now. The atmosphere
is calmer at night. Quadrant 73.

- Masha?
- I'm here.

We're preparing to land.

You're staying alone in outer space.

Mashenka, my dear.

Track us on the locator.

- But you know what to do.
- I do.

Listen, Masha.

If we die...

- remain calm.
- Message acknowledged.

- May I cut off communication?
- You may, my girl.

It's hardest on the one who's alone.

- Earth.
- The mission headquarters...

...allows you to interrupt the expedition at any moment.

Your people, that's more important.

We wish you a success. Your country is with you.

Hello, Earth.

Headquarters. We're landing in the charted district.

The landing field has been chosen
from the glider. Quadrant 73.

We promise to the Soviet government

...to our country,

...and the Soviet nation

...that we'll do our best to justify your trust.

If something happens,
take care of Ivanova. She's alone.

- That's it, Ilya. It's time. Take the aerial away.
- Ready.

Switching on the automatic. Guided by
the beacon and 300 meters south-west.

Is it really Venus?

Quadrant 73.

- I'm starting to feel my weight.
- We've grown out of the habit of weightlessness...

The ship shows no setting. The ground is solid.

Well done, scouts.

The old girl is standing firm, . Just like on Earth.

- I'm lifting up the blinds.
- Go ahead.

Give me some light, Roman.

No use, thick fog's all around.
Let's check around with locators.

There's a rock here, two hundred meters off.

I see some rubble in this sector.

Another rock.

- I'll turn on the outer microphones.
- Come on.

- Did you hear that?

- What could it be?
- Be quiet.

Enough. No time to waste.

Roman, switch on the infra-red radar.

- I'll record it.
- We'll broadcast to Earth.

Switch on the weather station and
bio-locator, the seismic probe also.

Act according to Program One.

When Masha appears above the horizon,
tell her we've landed.

I'll tell her a tall story.

Save your boasting till later, when we've saved our people.

- Starting out when it becomes light?
- Yes, at six.

I'm standing. Let me try a few steps.

- Careful. Try the ground with the probe.

A stone as a stone...

Water as water...

Quite extraordinary.

- You'd better return.
- Just a moment.

- What's wrong?
- Masha has spotted the glider.

- Are they alive?
- She's spotted two metal objects next to each other.

One is motionless, the other's moving. Must be the robot.

- Keeping silence?
- They are. Their radio might have broken down.

- Get up.
- It's holding me.

- Are you alright?
- No problems, Alexey.

The spacesuit is intact.

Let me take a picture of it.

There is Life.

Here's the answer to the principal question.

Haste makes waste.
You're lucky we arrived in good time.

- But how did you know?
- We heard a scream.

- So did I.
- Strange.

This is Venus, my friends.

- What else did Masha say?
- What else to say?

I feared for you so much. And I'm so
happy now, as I've never been before.

Masha, we're interested in the details.

Excuse me, I'm distracted. They're in quadrant 107,

...beyond the red spot. Directly across the gulf,

...it's 32 kilometres from you.

Understood.

- Get our all-terrain vehicle ready.
- 32 kilometres?

- Quite a distance for the vehicle.
- What do you suggest?

- Never land gliders on Venus.
- We'll consider it. Come on, quick.

- Ilya Vassilievich?
- Are they alive?

Don't you think that the robot
could have activated itself?

I understand you.

No, because we loaded it disassembled,
it had to be assembled there.

Hold on now.

Damn creatures.

- Quick.
- Hold them for just another minute.

It hit you hard, John. A mighty blow.

The course is 10. Make secure on the rock.
Pull the rope tight.

- Do as I say.

An ordinary man is incapable
of conquering these wild worlds.

- Steel men are more useful here.
- A little tank would've been quite practical.

Man is more beautiful.

You're the first to go. I'll help you.

- Shall we stop?
- We have to get our bearings.

Ilya Vassilievich, here's another one.

Looks like a brontosaurus. I'll take a blood test.

- From the tail. Do you hear?
- All right.

Careful.

Done, and the temperature's measured.

He's a bit lethargic.

What's news from Masha?

The robot is moving to meet us, but he's very slow.

- No further.
- The oxygen will last us just 24 hours.

They must be looking for us, coming to meet us.

Through this hell?

...to fear and be selfish is human.

Friendship is human.

We're getting sick... it must be a fever.

You're right, some germ has penetrated.

The spacesuits are all torn.

- Let's take Quininicilline.
- No, we'll need to rest after taking it.

No time, the fever will pass by itself.

Let's go.

- How far is that shore?
- It's 10 across the Bobrov gulf.

Take care of this gulf on your own.

- Do you hear it?
- Let's stop.

The same voice again.

Reptiles are more than enough here.

Some ugly cuttlefish.

- I think it's a human being.
- A woman, perhaps?

I wish it were.

- I wish Darwin were here.
- Darwin has nothing to do with it.

But how could a man appear during
the epoch of the prehistoric pangolins?

We could, couldn't we?

We have flown here.

Alexey is right.

Man, as a developed, mature being, is a flying creature,..

...in the cosmic sense of the word.

- You're on it again.
- But of course.

Darwin only explains how an intelligent creature
originally evolved from the animal kingdom...

...but man's subsequent interplanetary proliferation,

...rather refers to Tsiolkovsky, than to Darwin.

How can the Academy of Science tolerate professor Vershinin?

We're the first to come from Earth...

...but others might have come here before us.

- Who knows?
- All right. All aboard.

Too much water from above.

My mechanisms are endangered.

A roof is needed.

John, look for a cave. Please.

Yes. Sir.

- I can't stand much more of this.
- Pull yourself together.

We can't stay here. We'll be washed away like kittens.

Come along.

Careful.

Hold on. Just don't give up.

Yes, sir? I'm in a cave.

Luminosity is 3.2 Lux.

You are a good mathematician, John.

I seem to be loosing my mind.

According to the laws of mathematics...

...the world government will rule the world.

The world government, the world profit,...

...the world science.

No, Masha.

They won't go past us.

- Sirius...
- It will take us thirty seven and two tenths of a minute

...to reach Sirius...

...by automobile on a concrete highway.

- Bad news from Masha... the robot has disappeared.
- From bad to worse.

Perhaps you'll hear their interphone headsets.

- We must've come quite near them.
- I'll try to.

Got it.

It's their robot.

He's talking some gibberish. Just listen.

The cost of building a highway to Sirius...

...is 57 million dollars, at the Smith company's rates.

- It looks like the machine's uncontrollable.
- I'll try to contact them.

Iron John? Or what's your name? Do you hear me?

- No response from devil's dummy.
- Cool down, Roman.

The robot only responds when addressed politely.

Such a timid creature.

Hello, dear John. Please.

Be so kind as to answer, please.

Audibility is 46,5%.

Where's Shcherba? Where's Kern? Where are your masters?

Masters unknown.

sl*very is forbidden by the Constitution.

I'm a free thinking machine.

Inform us on the position of your co-travellers.

Position horizontal.

- Where are you now?
- Under a stone vault.

- I see... they're in a cave.
- Therefore Masha couldn't have located them.

Hello, dear John.

What are you companions talking about?

About Masha and the world government...

...which I'm to head as prime-minister.

- They must be raving.
- A fever and, perhaps, a seal failure.

- Unfortunate. We have to act. Take the controls.

Hello, listen carefully, John.

Take Quininocilline from your first-aid kit.

Quininocilline. Test-tube number two.

It's nine fifteen.

I've transmitted to Earth all the data collected by Sirius.

It's one thirty: I passed over the all-terrain vehicle...

...it was entering the sea.

Something's approaching in the air,
from behind to the right.

- What does the infra-visor show?
- changeable shapes.

Quite dense.

Look.

- Resembles a pterodactyl.
- close your visors.

Don't fool with this dragon.

- Did you managed to take a shot?
- Yes, both photograph and film.

- Then sh**t him with a cannon. Aim at his jaws.
- It's jammed.

Do it manually and open up the hood.

Some flying animals are attacking.

Serious as*ault. Inform the Earth...

What is your message?

- Ready?
- Ready.

Have a go.

What's happened?

The vehicle is not designed for submersion.

Does it mean a catastrophe?

What's wrong with them?

If their spacesuits are intact, they'll be all right.

They may be wounded. I must save them.

But if I land, there's no return to Earth.

And yet, I should land.

I can do it during the next turn.

In an hour, I'll ignite the engines.

A whole hour's wait.

I must think it over.

Earth.

Millions of people have been working

...to build up this pyramid as high as the skies.

We've been put on its top,...

...entrusted with everything,...

...and now the outcome depends on me alone.

And I don't know what to do.

My orders are that I shouldn't leave the orbit.

If I land, there is no way back to Earth.

But does it make any sense to save fuel,

...if people die?

The instruction couldn't have foreseen everything...

...but my heart tells me...

...that I'm more needed at the Planet.

I must inform the Earth.

It's so hard to speak calmly.

Let them listen to my last recordings.

The instruction couldn't foresee everything.

...but my heart tells me

Earth is with you. Take yourself in hand. Wait for them.

Whatever happens, stay in the orbit,
or everything will be ruined.

Be firm. The Earth is asking you. Your Earth.

My... Earth.

Await them in the orbit. Otherwise all will be ruined.

What is to be done? Time's running out.

I must take a decision.

And I... I just can't.

Sinking the vehicle was by far easier than pulling it out.

Yes, the resistance is quite strong.

Let's take a short break.

Interesting boulders.

I'll take a look.

They' like those on Earth.

The environments are similar.

I wonder if nature could create such regular rows of rocks?

Like streets.

What if it's a drowned city? That would be marvellous.

An entrance?

That's interesting.

I hope the owners aren't in.

A strange stone, a triangular projection.

I'll take it.

- Take a look.
- What is it?

A petrified dragon.

But, perhaps, it's made of stone?

Man-made?

Take a look.

It's an eye.

- A ruby.
- Mounted by an intelligent creature.

Give me the buoy.

What do you say, Professor?

It's volcanic spongy iron.

- It become oxidized to steal the oxygen from the atmosphere.
- So what?

Man can change it.

And then...

Do you wish to facilitate
colonization and receive the Nobel prize?

Why, no. It will do as it is.

We can go, sir.

John, give us your song.

Our favourite.

We'll have to wait awhile for the vehicle to dry out.

Inoperative.

Ilya, but the ruby-eyed dragon is a bit crude...

- made by a savage.
- Very likely.

But savages couldn't have flown up to Venus, could they?

Why not? Engineer Bobrov, for example, he could.

Shut up.

Savages couldn't have flown up here. But...

...they could've appeared here originally.

- How?
- Just imagine that once upon a time...

...highly civilized creatures came here.
And for some reason or other, they floundered,

...Lost all contact with their mother planet.
They were to perish.

They ran out of their reserves,...

...the nature and atmosphere being alien and hostile.

- Didn't I say they'd die?
- Some could survive.

...but would grow wild.

Because the beastly fight for survival would
take toll of thousands of their generations...

Until their bodies could adjust to the local conditions.

What culture to speak of. Just the survival of the
fittest.

- And a savage would appear amidst the pangolins?
- Exactly.

Without waiting for the local ape to evolve.

The future master of the planet
would appear and start growing.

- Again?
- Sounds like a warning.

We are near the red spot now.

- Is the canon in working order?
- It is.

All that is so strange.

A buried city and that ruby...

...and this voice.

Who could have flown here?

Inhabitants from other planetary system?

The Martians, perhaps?

On Mars one has to fight for every drop of water.

While the ocean engulfs the land here.

Perhaps they tried to move here, but
with little success? Became wild?

And now that they've taken root, they're reattempting
to climb up to the summit of civilization?

Perhaps, Martians visited the Earth also?

What if we... contemporary people...

We can go.

I'll find her all the same.

- It's too dark for this time of day.
- It should be.

- Why?
- There's a cloud of dust above us.

A cloud of dust?

- An eruption?

The red spot.

I was right, here's a city lit with lights for you.

- The timing is wrong.
- On the contrary.

We can take fresh lava samples, ashes and gases

- Is your spectroscope working?
- It is.

We have find some elevated place, further from here.

- Let's get going. Hurry up.
- I'm sorry to leave.

What a splendid view.

The lava is surrounding us.

- Did you record the spectrum?

- And at the crater?

- Couldn't do it?
- I was short of time.

Carry us across the lava stream. Climb up, quick.

- Audibility is getting better.
- Who's that he's sensed?

- Keep quiet.
- Here's our radio bearing.

As you require, I measure the distance...

...it's two miles.

- But these must be our people.
- Most likely, they are.

And you didn't believe me.

- Your machine is truly great.

- It is.
- At last you have admitted it.

My feet are heated to 500 degrees.

Moving further with the load...

...is hazardous for my mechanisms.

- What does it mean?
- We have to switch off his self-protection programme.

- Where is it?
- Open the door.

The fifth panel. See the wire?

- But I have no idea where it is.
- Let me do it. How should I do it?

- I can't see it from here.
- I have to free myself from...

...the load, gentlemen.

Blasted idiot.

- He's dumping them into the lava.
- Hurry.

Get out.

- Are you alright, Kern?

So which people are of more use...
made of steel or of flesh and bone?

Looks like both are useful.

- That's better.
- Perhaps.

Let's go.

How is the radio?

- Where's she now?
- Crossing the zenith.

There's no radio.

What sort of stocktaking is that?

They didn't have time to give a name while I was there.

Poorly calculated, mathematician. Daughters?

- Sons.
- A complete crew.

Do you really believe that the
Earth was visited in the past?

There are no evident traces though.

Those numerous, so called, mysteries of history.

- I consider the traces.
- And they are common knowledge.

- What about a stone age rock painting in Sahara?
- Quite right.

This drawing shows a man wearing a space suit.

What about those ancient rust-resisting columns in India?

The way they treated the iron of the
columns is yet unparalleled on Earth...

And the mystery of the Atlantis?

And the extraordinary knowledge of the ancient astronomers?

- And whatnot, you name it.
- These facts prove nothing.

One can look for the traces in the legends.
Like, for instance...

...Gods descending from the heavens.

- It's too much.
- Why not?

How will a local savage picture you?

As a saint, with a halo around your
head. His story will be as follows:

- "a boat descended from the heavens and
God, clad in fur skins, stepped out of it...

- Here's the text of a local legend for you.
- With illustrations.

I'm convinced that interstellar flights...

...are an inevitable step for development of life elsewhere.

There's no isolation between the worlds.

And Life immigrating in cosmos is as natural...

...as spreading the plants seeds by the wind on Earth.

And perhaps, the Solar system planets are
populated with one and common tribe...

...of living creatures, who are
developing like different branches?

Of the Solar tribe.

Then all the relatives are expected
to be intelligent creatures.

I wish I could see her.

What is she like?

That would make it all clear.

For you, take it. It's for your "mathematician".

The planet of Storms, thank you for what you've taught us.

Thanks for the shelter, here's our earthly bow to you.

Our ship is waiting, and we're heading home.

Our hearts are beating "homeward,
homewar.."

We'll count again the compass cosmic points.

Stand at the helm, with valour in our hearts.

The seas and fields and woods await us there

In our dear land, our homeland, our Earth.

Your cuttlefish woman must be
happy that you're safe and sound.

- She's no cuttlefish at all. She's wise, kind and beautiful.
- We'll start hunting her tomorrow.

He's obsessed.

Listen, lover-boy. If this woman is a savage
Martian, where are the rest of them?

If you landed on Earth, somewhere in wild
mountains, would you meet a lot of people?

- Within two days?
- I'd meet some recluse, perhaps.

- Or his daughter.
- At the best. The rest would be there, beyond the mountains.

There's no telephone here yet.

Well, that's about it.

Comrades, I think we've carried out the
program. We've collected a lot of materials.

The most valuable things... cassettes, chart-recorders
and micro preparations... are for you.

The stones go to the geologist.

- Let's go to the radio.
- All right.

- Be quick.
- What's wrong?

Hurry up. It's Masha's broadcast recording from Vega.

"I hope the Sirius monitors will record my radiogram.

I was instructed to stay in the orbit.

To wait and do nothing, while my friends are,
perhaps, agonising...

...calling for me and waiting for me.

I violate the instruction. I'm going to land on Venus.

The controls needle is already in motion.
In a minute the engines will start up.

- How could she?
- She didn't grasp the situation.

A robot can grasp a situation, not a woman.

God save my soul.

- She's not in the sky.
- But she's scheduled to be here.

- Hello. Vega.
- Vega could have crashed.

...or sank.

- We have to inform the Earth.
- But used to contact only via Vega.

Comrades.

I suggest that Shcherba...

...Kern and Alexey should stay here,...

...and put up camp.

Roman and I will fly up to the orbit.

From there we'll find Vega and instruct you.

We'll transmit all the expedition results to Earth.
And we'll call for Arktur.

- If you agree, we should jettison the camp equipment.
- It should be done, anyway. To lighten Sirius.

What's that now?

- An Earthquake.
- The rocket gave way.

The precipice is being washed away.

The mountain lake broke out.

Look. A crack.

If Sirius collapses, it will be the end of us.

Get ready for take-off. Hope we'll make it.

The radio station should go there. Move.

Roman, when was Masha's last broadcast recorded?

- At 7.20. Why?
- You know...

...the locator indicates that Vega has passed
above us, after she sent that message of hers.

- What?
- She didn't land.

- Hello, Masha. Are you alright?
- What happened?

I realised I was making a mistake. I composed myself...

...and shut off the engines in good time.
But the orbit's changed.

Then I located you near the red spot.
I was tracking you...

...but you didn't respond.

- Now they have no need to stay here.

Give the parameters of your new orbit. Quickly.

All on board.

What does it mean?

Switch on the meteorological station.
- Done.

Alexey, hurry up.

Wait.

We can't fly away.

They are like us. Understand? Look.

They are like us. They look like us. You understand?

Wait. Why are you not listening?
I'm telling you they're like us.

Planet of storms, see you soon.

Soon you will see again our ships from Earth

We are her sons and we shall prove our worth.

We're the sons of Earth.