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2001: A Space Odyssey was released in the spring of 1968, puzzling critics and audiences in the way. It is reported that in one premiere alone, more than 200 people walked out. Much like the scientists (or the apes, or Bowman) in the film upon finding the famous monolith, they were probably wondering "what the damn thing [was]". That is a question that even I, on perhaps my 4th or 5th viewing, still ask myself, regardless of my undying love of the film.
Although it spans several centuries, 2001: A Space Odyssey primarily follows a crew of astronauts on their way to Jupiter; a journey that was apparently sparked by the discovery of a mysterious monolith buried under the surface of the moon. But to limit the film to just that chunk is a disservice to it. The film is much more than that, more than the "apes" that initially encountered the monolith in the first act of the film, or more than Dave Bowman's colorful space "trip" beyond Jupiter in the last act.
The most logical interpretation of the film is that the monolith is a catalyst for evolution and change among species. Every encounter with it "triggers" a new era; from the use of tools, the shift to a predator/prey society, and violence itself, to further leaps in space beyond the moon and beyond Jupiter. The appearance of the monolith, bizarre in its perfection, unconsciously challenges those that touch it to go further.
But there is also a commentary in how far is too much, or how fast should we go, and the effect that evolution has in our humanity. In the "apes", it comes with violence; in the astronauts, with detachment and isolation. This is represented by the ultimate "tool", the sentient computer HAL 9000, which like many people like to point out, behaves more humanly than its astronaut companions, and who ends up rebelling against them when its infallibility is put into question.
Kubrick doesn't spell things out for you or offer any particular answers to the "why's" of the film, choosing a unique approach and narrative that, much like the monolith itself, challenges the viewer to look further. You can walk away wondering "what the damn thing is", or you can just reach out, touch it, and see where it goes. I'd say it's worth the trip.
Grade:
2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY
(1968, Kubrick)
A film about astronauts or set in space
(1968, Kubrick)
A film about astronauts or set in space
"I don't suppose you have any idea what the damn thing is."
"I wish to hell we did."
"I wish to hell we did."
2001: A Space Odyssey was released in the spring of 1968, puzzling critics and audiences in the way. It is reported that in one premiere alone, more than 200 people walked out. Much like the scientists (or the apes, or Bowman) in the film upon finding the famous monolith, they were probably wondering "what the damn thing [was]". That is a question that even I, on perhaps my 4th or 5th viewing, still ask myself, regardless of my undying love of the film.
Although it spans several centuries, 2001: A Space Odyssey primarily follows a crew of astronauts on their way to Jupiter; a journey that was apparently sparked by the discovery of a mysterious monolith buried under the surface of the moon. But to limit the film to just that chunk is a disservice to it. The film is much more than that, more than the "apes" that initially encountered the monolith in the first act of the film, or more than Dave Bowman's colorful space "trip" beyond Jupiter in the last act.
The most logical interpretation of the film is that the monolith is a catalyst for evolution and change among species. Every encounter with it "triggers" a new era; from the use of tools, the shift to a predator/prey society, and violence itself, to further leaps in space beyond the moon and beyond Jupiter. The appearance of the monolith, bizarre in its perfection, unconsciously challenges those that touch it to go further.
But there is also a commentary in how far is too much, or how fast should we go, and the effect that evolution has in our humanity. In the "apes", it comes with violence; in the astronauts, with detachment and isolation. This is represented by the ultimate "tool", the sentient computer HAL 9000, which like many people like to point out, behaves more humanly than its astronaut companions, and who ends up rebelling against them when its infallibility is put into question.
Kubrick doesn't spell things out for you or offer any particular answers to the "why's" of the film, choosing a unique approach and narrative that, much like the monolith itself, challenges the viewer to look further. You can walk away wondering "what the damn thing is", or you can just reach out, touch it, and see where it goes. I'd say it's worth the trip.
Grade: