2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY

STANLEY KUBRICK, 1968

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 its
special effects, and ambiguous imagery of the world around.

Fig. 1

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. Its purpose is so it

makes us think, stand in space and watch the slow movement
of the objects we are witnessing and feel its 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.
Fig. 2

Fig. 3

Even though the first time when the movie went on the big
screens a lot of people didnt watch it till its end, because
they couldnt no bear its 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
its 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. 4

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 apes 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.

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

Fig. 6

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 ships
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 missions 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 doesnt want to answer to his demands.

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 its 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 dont 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.

Fig. 7

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 doesnt 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.

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
Fig. 1 http://doomrocket.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/2001-a-space-odyssey-movie-poster.jpg accessed
on 25.10.2015
Fig. 2 http://www.gablescinema.com/media/filmassets/slides/space_odyssey_3.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. 4 http://www.gablescinema.com/media/filmassets/slides/space_odyssey_5.jpg accessed on 25.10.2015

Fig. 5 https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/CL6iGHfCh_oDM9GrPm1lzoAYPATQrLP1rlmgoFir8w=s928fcrop64=1,25030000ffffff5a accessed on 25.10.2015

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