On the Silver Globe
A radical Polish space epic turns a failed colony, alien monsters, and messianic belief into a surreal meditation on civilization’s self-destruction.
Overview
A haunting journey through the cosmos reveals the fragility of human dreams and civilization.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Glacial
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Labyrinthine
- Violence
- Brutal
- surreal
- oppressive
- philosophical
- deep dive viewing
- late night arthouse cinema
What critics said
Critics broadly regard it as an exceptionally original and ambitious work of arthouse science fiction, though its bizarre storytelling and demanding length require considerable patience.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
The colonizers' descendants create new myths and a god after their society reverts to primitive culture.
The explorers leave Earth to establish freedom, but their civilization disintegrates and produces hierarchy and enslavement.
The film combines peculiar cinematography, surreal environments, bird-monsters, and highly physical monologues.
Space travel, human evolution, nihilism, chaos, and the emergence of a messiah dominate the film's speculative framework.
Films like On the Silver Globe, and why
Solaris
shares radical arthouse science fiction, cosmic isolation, philosophical speculation, and surreal world-building
Stalker
shares dystopian science fiction, metaphysical inquiry, dense symbolism, and austere futurist atmosphere
The Holy Mountain
shares surreal science fiction, civilizational collapse, grotesque imagery, and anti-utopian themes
2001: A Space Odyssey
shares experimental space travel, mythic transformation, alien environments, and challenging philosophical ambition
Movie Details
- Director
- Andrzej Żuławski
- Release Date
- 1989-02-10
- Runtime
- 165 min
- Rating
- 7.6 / 10 (189)
Cast
- Andrzej Seweryn
- Michał Bajor
- Jerzy Trela
- Grażyna Dyląg
- Maria Pakulnis
- Waldemar Kownacki
- Iwona Bielska
- Jerzy Grałek
- Elżbieta Karkoszka
- Krystyna Janda
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Eternal Family
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is On the Silver Globe about?
- A radical Polish space epic turns a failed colony, alien monsters, and messianic belief into a surreal meditation on civilization’s self-destruction.
- What is On the Silver Globe like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of On the Silver Globe as glacial, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as labyrinthine.
- Is On the Silver Globe violent?
- Yes. Ember rates the violence in On the Silver Globe as brutal.
- What did critics think of On the Silver Globe?
- Critics broadly regard it as an exceptionally original and ambitious work of arthouse science fiction, though its bizarre storytelling and demanding length require considerable patience.
- Which films are like On the Silver Globe?
- Films with a similar feel include Solaris, Stalker, The Holy Mountain, and 2001: A Space Odyssey.
- How long is On the Silver Globe?
- On the Silver Globe runs 165 minutes.
- Where can I watch On the Silver Globe?
- In United States, On the Silver Globe streams on Eternal Family.
