2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY

STANLEY KUBRICK, 1968

Fig. 1

‘2001: A Space Odyssey` directed by Stanley Kubrick,1968 is an epic

science fiction voyage to Jupiter with the sentient computer Hal, triggered

by the discovery of a mysterious black monolith affecting the human

evolution. Kubrick and Arthur C. Clarke, who wrote the screenplay, was

partially inspired by Clarke's short story "The Sentinel". He also wrote the

novel ‘2001: A Space Odyssey’, published soon after the film was

released. The film deals with technology and artificial intelligence in the

face of Hal, human evolution, existentialism and extraterrestrial life. It is

known for the most accurate representation of space flight, with it’s

special effects, and ambiguous imagery of the world around.

‘Stanley Kubrick's 1968 film became a landmark event for classical music

almost by accident’, states Richard S. Ginell, 2015. He explains that

originally Alex North was to write the original score for the movie.

However while Kubrick edited the film, he used classical recordings as a

temporary track and he liked more the way they fitted, which made him

decide to keep them. ‘North's score (…)would have been wrong for

“2001" because, like all scores, it attempts to underline the action -- to give

us emotional cues. The classical music chosen by Kubrick exists outside the

action. It uplifts. It wants to be sublime; it brings a seriousness and

transcendence to the visuals’- explains R. Ebert, 1997.

The movie has slow motion on purpose. It’s purpose is so it

makes us think, stand in space and watch the slow movement

of the objects we are witnessing and feel it’s majestic feeling

it is made to bring. Maybe to close to reality, to feel the time

and how things happen in space. To achieve this the classical

music, such as Johann Strauss waltz `Blue Danube‘, helps us

get caught in the movement and feeling.

Even though the first time when the movie went on the big

screens a lot of people didn’t watch it till it’s end, because

they couldn’t no bear it’s slow progression in movement or

the way it was presented to the audience. It was not a clear

narrative and easy entertainment cues as it was expected.

The press even accused Kubrick that his obsession has taken

it’s toll on him, and was the cause of the movie failure.

However what the movie director aimed for was to make a

philosophical statement of our place in the universe.

Unfortunately the way he delivered his message was not

understood correctly. While the audience wanted typical

science fiction adventure, he brought the audience into the

slow motion of time. To stand outside the story and to

observe it as a philosopher.

Fig. 2

Fig. 3

The movie has several famous acts. The first act is in the begging of the movie with prehistoric apes,

which find a mysterious black monolith on their land. We see two ape tribes, one has a small lake

with water and the other one wants it. Here is the moment when the tribe that also wants the lake

finds their first tools. The head of the tribe discovers that he can use bones as weapons, while

breaking into pieces the skeleton of a long dead animal corpse. He then leads his apes to the lake

and wins it through violence, by the rule “the strongest takes it all”. In the next scene, under the flow

of adrenaline going through the ape’s veins, he throws the bone into the air and we are being

introduced into the first “jump cut” or the longest flash-forward in the history of cinema. When 1

action moves from one shot to another. The bone dissolves into a space shuttle.

Fig. 4

We meet Dr. Heywood Floyd (William Sylvester), on a space station. This part of the movie is willfully

anti-narrative. We see a pen floating in the air, the design of the cabin, the details of the service on

board and the effects of zero gravity ( the pen and the way the actors walk, toilet). Then comes the

docking sequence, with its waltz, and we are being introduced into the rest of the amazing world that

Kubrick creates. It is interesting to note that these effects are something we are used to seeing in

modern movies, but for a movie from the 1968, to imagine such things could be considered as a huge

leap into the future, giving a big push to countless other science fiction movies.

Later on the group of scientists are facing a puzzling discovery on the moon – mysterious black

monolith. And as it triggered knowledge for the apes, it did the same for these people. A journey to

Jupiter with the latest hi-tech creation – artificial intelligence called HAL 9000.

Fig. 5

The life onboard we are witnessing is illustrated as a

long, routine of maintenances checks and chess

games with HAL. Suddenly an error with the ship’s

radio occurs and here the conflict between the evil

robot and humanity in space begins. The astronauts

start to suspect HAL is malfunctioning and try to

disable him and have manual control of the ship in

order for the mission’s success. They have a private

conversation in a space pod where HAL cannot hear

them, unfortunately for them he reads their lips,

finding out about their plan against him. In this

scene Kubrick only implies what the robot is doing,

letting the audience understand what is happening.

In order to preserve himself save the missions, as he is programmed to, he sabotages the two astronauts by letting one of

the fly off in space. Dave Bowman (Keir Dullea) goes out on a rescue mission to save his comrade and when he returns he is

forced to make a choice- to let go or to die in space with his most likely dead comrade, since HAL would not let him inside

the ship. After he enters the ship manually he goes to the control room and disables HAL, who now we see as a small

scared, desperate to live child, not having full understanding of the world around it, by judging from the way he speaks. He

begs to be saved, to be given second chance, in anger and grief however Dave doesn’t want to answer to his demands.

Fig. 6

Later comes the sequence known as “star gate”, which is a journey of sound

and light through a wormhole, almost like traveling in time to another

dimension. At it’s end we find Dave situated in a comfortable bedroom

where he grows old and eventually is being reborn into the “Star Child”.

The movie can be considerate as a silent movie, due to the scares

conversation presented which don’t really give us a lot of information. In

fact they tells everything Kubrick wants us to know, for the rest he gives us

clues with images and sound, making us do what we do best – asking

questions and finding their answers. “Ironically, the dialogue containing the

most feeling comes from HAL, as it pleads for its “life'' and sings “Daisy.'' –

Ebert, 1997.

“2001: A Space Odyssey” is not a movie that brings us welcoming by an

easy to understand narrative environment. It does not rely on characters,

although the most memorable character for sure is HAL and his artificial,

yet realistic emotions. This film doesn’t show us a straightforward

adventure trying to capture our attention by various of amazing effects. This

is a movie that aims to open our minds throughout images supported by

marvelous score, making us feel the time passing by, but not being annoyed

by it, instead this makes us think, makes us identify serious problems, helps

us acknowledge them, triggering progression and evolution. Pushing us one

step forward into the future.

Fig. 7

Fig. 1 http://doomrocket.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/2001-a-space-odyssey-movie-poster.jpg accessed

on 25.10.2015

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

Fig. 2 http://www.gablescinema.com/media/filmassets/slides/space_odyssey_3.jpg accessed on 25.10.2015

Fig. 4 http://www.gablescinema.com/media/filmassets/slides/space_odyssey_5.jpg accessed on 25.10.2015

Fig. 3 http://www.gablescinema.com/media/filmassets/slides/space_odyssey_2.jpg accessed on 25.10.2015

Fig. 5 https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/CL6iGHfCh_oDM9GrPm1lzoAYPATQrLP1rlmgoFir8w=s928-

fcrop64=1,25030000ffffff5a accessed on 25.10.2015

Fig. 6 http://geekleagueofamerica.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/HAL-9000-reflecting-Daves-

entry-in-Stanley-Kubricks-2001-A-Space-Odyssey.jpg accessed on 25.10.2015

Fig. 7 http://www.crystalinks.com/ConsciousnessCreations2012.html accessed on 25.10.2015

LIST OF BIBLIOGRAPHY

Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2001:_A_Space_Odyssey_(film) accessed on 25.10.2015

Roger Ebert http://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/great-movie-2001-a-space-odyssey-1968 accessed on

25.10.2015