Visual Essay #1

"2001: A Culture Odyssey"
By: David Myszewski

2001: A Space Odyssey (1968, Stanley Kubrick, Shepperton Studios, Shepperton, England) is a legendary science-fiction film that often ranks among not only the top
Science-fiction films of all time, but in all of cinema. It very classic science fiction through it’s theme of artificial-intelligence and technology versus the human psyche, though it breaks through the barrier of cliché science fiction films of the era due to Kubrick’s filmmaking style.

We identify 2001 as science fiction due to several recurring themes, such as being set in space, themes of technology, and most notably the space ship. Author Vivian Sobchack would suggest that these themes sets science fiction apart from other genres. Science fiction is a broad yet general genre, being able to discuss many abstract themes yet still adhere to specific themes and ideals like humans and technology, extraterrestrial life, or space exploration.

Human and technology interaction is nothing new to science fiction, as explored in Fritz Lang’s Metropolis, released in 1927. 2001, however, explored this avenue in a slightly different way. The film presents a pessimistic commentary on man’s reliance on technology and artificial intelligence and the disastrous results that may result. In the film, we see the main ship, the Discovery, being manned by the HAL-9000 super computer on a trip to Jupiter. HAL himself describes the 9000 series of computers as “fool proof and incapable of error.” Author Cindy Hendershot would suggest that such a super computer presents a paranoid view of humanity in its relation to technology. Humans lack full control under the 9000 unit. As the film progresses, the protagonists Dave Bowman and Frank Poole are suspicious of HAL’s judgment and suspect error which eventually leads to his deactivation. With HAL gone, Bowman is then left helpless in the vast reaches of space. The film suggests humans need to work hand-in-hand with technology instead of sole reliance.

2001 strays from the cliché of science-fiction films largely due to Kubrick’s classic style and dedicated approach to realism. Science-fiction films have always tended to defy the laws of physics as much as possible, such as ships moving as fast as fighter-jets and sound which seems unaffected by the vacuum of space. Kubrick avoided these pitfalls through simple camera techniques, such as greatly extended slow moving shots, or allowing a ship to dock into a space station for over one minute. In one particular sequence the main protagonist, Dave Bowman, needs to re-enter the Discovery without his helmet, and he is thrust into the vacuum of space. Kubrick represents this with silence until Bowman flips the switch for the emergency hatch and the sound reemerges.

Unlike other film-to-movie adaptations, the film and novel of 2001 were developed side by side with the conjunction of Kubrick and acclaimed science-fiction author Arthur C. Clarke. Known for realism and scientific-relevance in his writing, Clarke provided Kubrick the necessary scientific research required to make the narrative as realistic as possible. There are some, though not many, literary differences between the film and novel. The classic “Jupiter and Beyond the Infinite” sequence, for example, is a greatly shortened version of the novel. Kubrick wanted to break the barrier of generic science-fiction and make a film relevant to culture and society of the time. Not lacking are other trademark Kubrick shots, such as close under-views of characters. Similar shots are also found in Kubrick’s A Clockwork Orange. The mise-en-scene of the film is addressed through a classic space setting and seclusion through the ship, the Discovery.

The 1960’s were the era of the space-race. America and Russia had their eyes on the moon, and 2001 was the true artistic response the world needed. 2001 added an element of realism unmatched by other films due to the immense scientific research that went into its production. The surface of the moon, for example, is something the world had seen until America’s Apollo missions, a year after 2001’s release. Kubrick and Clarke were able to recreate the lunar surface with startling accuracy. Their approach to zero-gravity was equally accurate, as shown in one of the opening sequences where the character Dr. Heywood Floyd’s pen floated away as he slept.
2001: A Space Odyssey is a film that attempted to apply science fiction to real life. It presents fantasy from a perspective of awe rather than cheap thrills.





Works Cited

2001: A Space Odyssey. Dir. Stanley Kubrick. Perf Keir Dullea, Gary Lockwood. 1968. DVD. Warner Brothers, 2007.

Cindy Hendershot. “Paranoia and radiation anxiety in Invaders from Mars, It Came from Outer Space and Invasion of the Body Snatchers" Extrapolation 39.1 (1998 Poland 26-39).

Vivian Sobchack, “Images of Wonder: The Look of Science Fiction.” Screening Space: The American Science Fiction Film. 2nd Ed. (1997 New Brunswick: Rutgers University Press,).