As others have pointed out, there is a strong strain of Cold War space race ideology underlying this Soviet science fiction film but if it's propaganda, it's not thoughtless propaganda (with the possible exception of the trite and extraneous song), and it doesn't interfere.
We have, in fact, a story of heroic space explorers on Venus who only barely find out about their humanoid parallels and never get to meet them, which is somewhat refreshing in itself. And the Soviet version of the solution to the Cold War usually seemed to end with the US conquered ideologically and happy to join the USSR in international brotherhood, which is somewhat more pleasant than US versions which usually had the USSR crushed mightily underfoot. Thus the American on this future expedition.
It's also based on a novel that I haven't had the chance to read by a Soviet science fiction writer who was also well-known as a UFO expert, and he makes sure to include the characters spouting some didactic obscurantism about ancient astronauts to each other, which is a strange diversion.
And it's done with a sense of humor, which is important. The robot John provides some laughs maybe not as might be expected but rather by doing things like playing big band music on Venus for the astronauts and quibbling over whether he has "masters," and the spirit of wit and fun that this film is made with are a big advantage.
It's the absorbing atmosphere that really makes it interesting, though - - there is a great buildup of tension combined with a kind of dry inventive surrealism to the strange things that the explorers run into on Venus which makes it very easy to keep watching. Creating suspense from the precariousness of humans just trying to survive in outer space is a wiser move than the common trap of trying to shock with outlandish aliens.
There's are some very good character moments too, especially in the scene around Masha's indecision about whether to go look for the party (and the actress who plays her is great to watch).
Not a perfect piece by any means, but very interesting and entertaining, and it has many of the hallmarks of excellent science fiction.
We have, in fact, a story of heroic space explorers on Venus who only barely find out about their humanoid parallels and never get to meet them, which is somewhat refreshing in itself. And the Soviet version of the solution to the Cold War usually seemed to end with the US conquered ideologically and happy to join the USSR in international brotherhood, which is somewhat more pleasant than US versions which usually had the USSR crushed mightily underfoot. Thus the American on this future expedition.
It's also based on a novel that I haven't had the chance to read by a Soviet science fiction writer who was also well-known as a UFO expert, and he makes sure to include the characters spouting some didactic obscurantism about ancient astronauts to each other, which is a strange diversion.
And it's done with a sense of humor, which is important. The robot John provides some laughs maybe not as might be expected but rather by doing things like playing big band music on Venus for the astronauts and quibbling over whether he has "masters," and the spirit of wit and fun that this film is made with are a big advantage.
It's the absorbing atmosphere that really makes it interesting, though - - there is a great buildup of tension combined with a kind of dry inventive surrealism to the strange things that the explorers run into on Venus which makes it very easy to keep watching. Creating suspense from the precariousness of humans just trying to survive in outer space is a wiser move than the common trap of trying to shock with outlandish aliens.
There's are some very good character moments too, especially in the scene around Masha's indecision about whether to go look for the party (and the actress who plays her is great to watch).
Not a perfect piece by any means, but very interesting and entertaining, and it has many of the hallmarks of excellent science fiction.