STALKER BY ANDREI TARKOVSKY: MAGNIFICENT DELIVERY IN FILM HISTORY

Video showing the previously unseen director's cut of Andrei Tarkovsky's 1979 cult sci-fi classic, Stalker. "With this version, I wanted to show audiences a side of me which they've never seen before," said the Russian, citing close friend Michael Bay as an influence. "It all started one afternoon when I was hanging out with Michael on the set of Transformers. He said that Stalker was a little too slow and existential and unamerican. Then later we met for coffee and really started exchanging ideas. I invited him into the editing room and he gave me a few pointers. He's incredible―what I can do in twenty minutes, he can do in two seconds." Responding to suggestions that the new version is significantly simplified, Tarkovsky was typically bullish. "Sure, we removed almost all of the dialogue, ignored a few key plot points and toned down the allegorical side, but it moves a lot faster. Look how fast it moves! [laughs] I'm really happy with the final product. It's a lot closer to my original vision." Stalker '09 hits theaters next month.