FILM CHALLENGE: 78) 2001: A Space Odyssey

78) 2001: A Space Odyssey

Director: Stanley Kubrick

Year: 1968

Plot Summary: When a large black monolith is found beneath the surface of the moon, the reaction immediately is that it was intentionally buried. When the point of origin is confirmed as Jupiter, an expedition is sent in hopes of finding the source.

Stanley Kubrick's science fiction epic has gone down in history as one of the most mysterious films that cinema has ever produced. Ever since its release 42 years ago, those who have watched the film have debated over it's meaning and attempted to explain what exactly Kubrick was trying to achieve with 2001. Therefore, writing about this movie is an almost impossible task seeing as the director leaves almost everything open to interpretation here. Sometimes, it feels like a philosophical journey. At other times, it feels like a statement on technology and its influence on people. Or, perhaps, it's about the search for the meaning of life?

But, whatever it all means, there's no denying that Kubrick has created something incredible here. Starting with the dawn of man, a 20 minute sequence set in the world in apes using no dialogue expect the grunting of these animals, the natural sounds and the classic score, before leaping forward thousands of years into colonised space, it's hard to deny that it's a work of incredible ambition. Moreover, it's one of the most visually stunning movies I have ever encountered. Despite having none of the special effects that most modern sci-fi films have, the shots inside the spaceship and the scenes set in outer space are breathtaking and will leave you in awe. But, most of all, its use of sound is phenomenal. While I don't really take a lot of notice to this aspect of film-making, 2001 used it to so well to complement the images on the screen that its impossible to ignore.

The film has 4 different acts: the aforementioned dawn of man sequence, a part in which a doctor visits a planet where the monolith has been discovered by man, a part in which two astronauts are put in charge of a spaceship headed on a crucial mission, and finally, the mission itself which takes the spacecraft to Jupiter. Undoubtedly the most amazing part of the movie is the one with the two astronauts in which they find themselves in jeopardy because the ship's computer, HAL, has developed an unprogrammed motive of its own. HAL is one of cinemas most villainous characters despite the fact that it's simply just a screen with a red light. The extreme close up shots and the calm, emotionless voice make give you a sense of foreboding from its very first appearance on the screen and, because of its power, you never know when or how HAL will strike. As well as being a great villain, Kubrick seems to have rightly predicted that technology would become a powerful thing in the new millennium and one that humanity would be lost without.

Way ahead of its time and a movie that will continue to inspire debate and stun viewers for years and years to come, Kubrick's movie is a must-see for any film fanatic.

4/5

By Daniel Sarath with 2 comments