[omnimus]

As far as i know Tarkovsky wasnt really scifi fan. Maybe thats why Stalker is so unlike the book.

He made Solaris as answer to Kubrics Space Oddesay and after that he got big budget for another scifi.

Sadly the Stalker was disaster. Very unsafe poisonous conditions where many got sick. Movie almost didnt happen. Its suspected Stalker is reason why Tarkovsky died early.