Film Review - 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)

2001: A Space Odyssey by Stanley Kubrick and Arthur C Clark is an incredibly bold and intense story, it is about the contemplation of our place and our consciousness in this universe. It uses little in terms of Vocal communication and instead uses a mix of to-this-day stunning  visuals accompanied by classical music to speak to a level of human intellect more in common with emotion rather than intelligence."This is the work of an artist so sublimely confident that he doesn't include a single shot simply to keep our attention. He reduces each scene to its essence, and leaves it on screen long enough for us to contemplate it, to inhabit it in our imaginations. Alone among science-fiction movies, “2001" is not concerned with thrilling us, but with inspiring our awe." (Ebert. 2017) 

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" Kubrick takes Clarke’s idea, and turns it into an epic meditation on human consciousness," (Journey to Perplexity. 2017) 

One of the things I felt moved by was the computer HAL 9000, i found the representation of this machine utterly uncomfortable and disconcerting, During the interview with the crew they remark that "It's like having a Sixth member of the crew with us", this machine is perceived as the pinnacle of human intelligence and logic, it can process everything aboard the spaceship and is even capable of mimicking emotion like anger and frustration. As a machine we aren't accustomed to this and it can be likened to the Rogue AI of Skynet from the Terminator Series by James Cameron and Gale Anne Hurd. "When HAL is being shut down he repeats a line of dialogue that no computer should ever logically speak … “I can feel it". This not only supports the idea that HAL represents a real person, but it may even be a link to the physical act of touching the monolith."  (Ager, R. 2017). It is arguable that HAL 9000 is a Parallel to Haywood Floyd throughout the film, It would be apt considering they spend a huge amount of time on the ship together, If we look at the moment in the film where Haywood is talking to Smyslov on the moon, when questioned about news from the base he is travelling to he answers in a cold, calm and monotone reply, HAL is seen to mimic this throughout the Film. 

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The film constantly suggests we contemplate what is happening and relate it to our understanding of consciousness and what we know to be real. The Surrealism is incredibly prevalent during the final thirty minutes of the film where Bowman traverses to his 'Human Zoo-like' bedroom where it is almost dream-like as he gazes at himself in the mirror at his older-self, then into the main room at himself again sitting eating a meal. Considerable time has passed during this camera angle change and leads us to consider it is a dream in this context, we then once again change to Bowman as a dying man in bed who once again witnesses the black obelisk which began the very first evolutionary boom. Finally we see the embryo of a baby, this symbolises the birth of a higher intelligence in human evolution, one which is now prepared to meet other intelligent life in the galaxy. "In a timeless state, his life passes from middle age to senescence to death. He is reborn, an enhanced being, a star child, an angel, a superman, if you like, and returns to earth prepared for the next leap forward of man's evolutionary destiny. - Since an encounter with an advanced interstellar intelligence would be incomprehensible within our present earthbound frames of reference, reactions to it will have elements of philosophy and metaphysics that have nothing to do with the bare plot outline itself." (Ager, R. 2017).       

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Bibliography:

Ager, R. (2017). 2001: A Space Odyssey - in-depth analysis - by Rob Ager 2008. [online] Collativelearning.com. Available  at: http://www.collativelearning.com/2001%20chapter%201.html [Accessed 10 Oct. 2017].

Ager, R. (2017). 2001: A Space Odyssey - in-depth analysis - by Rob Ager 2008. [online] Collativelearning.com. Available at: http://www.collativelearning.com/2001%20chapter%2010.html [Accessed 10 Oct. 2017].

Ebert, R. (2017). 2001: A Space Odyssey Movie Review (1968) | Roger Ebert. [online] Rogerebert.com. Available at: http://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/great-movie-2001-a-space-odyssey-1968 [Accessed 10 Oct. 2017].

Journey to Perplexity. (2017). 2001: A Space Odyssey. [online] Available at: https://iamyouasheisme.wordpress.com/2008/12/28/2001-a-space-odyssey/ [Accessed 10 Oct. 2017].

Illustrations:

Figure 1 - (2001: A Space Odyssey. Stanley Kubrick. Movie Still 1968)

Figure 2 - (2001: A Space Odyssey. Stanley Kubrick. Movie Still 1968)

Figure 3 - (2001: A Space Odyssey. Stanley Kubrick. Movie Still 1968)