The best films are those you can watch several times and get something different out of each experience. One day you might be keen on exploring a film’s grand ideas. Another day you might just want a good story, some interesting characters or spectacular action.
2001: A Space Odyssey is such a film, although many people find its seriousness and complexity to be intimidating. After all, it does pack into 139 minutes all of human development from pre-history through to the discovery of Greater Meaning, floating through space out somewhere near Jupiter. Who wouldn’t find such a film intimidating?
Others are turned off by the coldness of 2001 – its most fascinating character isn’t a person at all, but HAL, a psychotic computer. The people we see here seem as distant as the expanses of space they are travelling. Even when they express emotion – which is not often – we view it very much from a distance. It’s as if director Stanley Kubrick and his screenwriting partner Arthur C. Clarke are telling us that momentary emotions are inconsequential when we’re dealing with life’s ‘big questions.’
All this being true, 2001: A Space Odyssey still has a great deal to say and is widely appreciated for its intelligence and its willingness to explore meaning so basic that it’s almost impossible to put into words. This film transcends the genre of science fiction, and it is the hugeness of what it explores that contributes to the massive sense of distance permeating the movie. And ultimately, when we finally reach the movie’s climax, we’re drawn all the way back from this great distance to the most intimate, life-affirming moments of life.
The way Kubrick presents all this is spectacular, beautiful and thought-provoking, and 2001’s special effects - rudimenatry as they are by 21st century standards - are still convincing nearly 30 years later. It’s no surprise that the film won an Academy Award for its visual effects.
As the film unfolds, the story – and the characters – are often secondary to the stunning visual images. Looked at as a traditional narrative film, 2001 is essentially a mystery about a monolith that we first see on earth back in pre-history and then again in the year 2001, inexplicably buried on earth’s moon. To investigate this discovery, a space ship is sent to Jupiter, the source of mysterious radio signals being aimed at earth. Clearly, something is up, and these findings are linked. But how?
As we follow this space mission, most of the spaceship’s crewmembers are asleep, with the ship travelling on its own, under the watchful eye of HAL the computer. The relative lack of human involvement helps keep us at an emotional distance, but the incredible discoveries of the one human space traveller who survives the mission draw us in and overwhelm us.
Perhaps the greatest tribute to 2001: A Space Odyssey is that its intelligent attempt at exploring human development is as relevant today – long after the date the movie’s climactic events are set – as when it was released in 1968. Of course, the aspects of the film that turn some people off – especially those who demand traditional narratives and strong characters – are also just as noticeable, but they’re more than worth riding through if you have an open mind, a good sound system and a big screen to watch it on.
A testament to humanity as we explore the wonders of space exploration, artificial intelligence, and our ability to use reason to elevate ourselves above all other creatures.- Derek Smith
Its intelligent attempt at exploring human development is as relevant today – long after the date the movie’s climactic events are set – as when it was released in 1968.- Brian Webster
