TODAY'S NUGGET: Stalker (1979) - Suspense is Watching a Character Decide

[Quick Summary: A man leads two curious others through the Zone to a room that grants one's deepest wishes.]

Russian director Andrei Tarkovsky, known for big idea films, stated of this one: 

“[T]he existence in the zone of a room where dreams come true serves solely as a pretext to revealing the personalities of the three protagonists.”

So if the room is unimportant, what is? How the characters act and react on their way to the room, which shows us their priorities and fears.

It sounds boring...yet the writers managed to keep my attention with suspense of what the characters would choose to do.

For example, in the scene below:
- Stalker tells his paying clients (Writer, Professor) that there are booby traps to the building. 
- Writer, who is impatient w/Stalker's method, decides to take a direct path instead.
- Note how each reacts (Stalker - safety first; Writer - impatience; Professor - fear)
- Also note that I'm not so focused on getting to the room, but on the decisions.

EXT. FIELD - DAY

...Writer begins to move toward the building. Stalker moves in front of him.

STALKER: Wait -

WRITER: Take your hands off me.

STALKER: All right. Then let Professor be my witness, I didn't send you in there. You're going on your own free will.

WRITER: On my own free will, anything else?

STALKER: No. Go ahead.

Writer slowly walks toward the building.

STALKER (CONT'D): And God hope you're lucky.

Writer gets closer.

STALKER (CONT'D): Hold on! If you suddenly notice something or...or even feel something strange, even the slightest thing, come back right away! Otherwise-

WRITER: Just don't throw anything else at my head.

Writer keeps going, getting closer and closer to the building. He takes careful steps.

A voice.

VOICE: Stop, don't move!

Writer freezes. He stops and stares at the building.

STALKER: Why did you do that?

PROFESSOR: What?

STALKER: Why did you stop him?

PROFESSOR: What do you mean? I thought it was you. 

Professor and Stalker exchange glances. Writer walks back to Professor and Stalker.

WRITER: What happened? Why did you stop me?

STALKER: I didn't stop you. 

WRITER: Who then? You?

The three look at each other.

WRITER (CONT'D): What the hell?

WHAT I'VE LEARNED: This script was able to get across big ideas in very little space (58 pgs.) , in large part because the suspense is all in the characters, not plot.

Stalker (1979)
by Boris and Arkady Strugatsky
Based on the short story, "Roadside Picnic," by Boris and Arkady Strugatsky