Day 59 2001: A Space Odyssey [1968]
Screenplay Stanley Kubrick & Arthur C. Clarke
Director Stanley
Kubrick
Cinematography Geoffrey
Unsworth
Music Stanley
Kubrick
Leads Keir Dullea, Gary
Lockwood, William Sylvester, Douglas Rain
Production Stanley Kubrick Productions
IMDb 8.3/10
Rotten Tomatoes 94%
Cinema. Pure cinema. You could instantly tell
that hundreds of film-makers have been inspired by this film. From the epic
opening theme from Richard Strauss, to the beautiful shots of ‘early’ earth, to
the switch from early humans learning to use bones as tools to a space craft
flying through space. The opening ten/twenty minutes alone are enough to
inspire any film-maker. Kubrick is a genius. We of course already know this,
but with every film I see of his that assertion grows stronger and stronger. I
haven’t seen that many of his films, but the ones I have seen (Clockwork
Orange, The Shining, Full Metal Jacket, Dr Strangelove) are all incredible,
but also so diverse. The music, or lack of it, is what makes the film so
perfect. Richard Strauss’ famous theme of course, but Johan Strauss’ Blue
Danube also guides us on a journey through space and time, with beautiful wide
shots of various things floating in the blackness of the universe. The other
great use of sound is the constant breathing and hiss of oxygen we get when Dr
Bowman (Dullea) is in his spacesuit. It’s unnerving and sets the audience on
edge and holds them there for long periods of time. You can’t watch this film
the way you watch other films. There are incredibly long scenes in which
nothing happens, however they are visual spectacles, you have to just relax and
take it all in. It is a film well beyond its years. Apart from the old-school
vibe of the actors, I would not be surprised to see a film like it released
today, the cinematography is beautiful. I haven’t even commented on the plot
yet – the weakest part of the film but not weak in the slightest, is a concept
not far off a Black Mirror episode, as sentient super-computer H.A.L.
9000 mutinies against the on-board crew of a space flight bound for Jupiter in
search of extra-terrestrial life. One of the most influential pieces of film
ever made. How have I only just seen it?
Acting 3
/ 4
Writing 3.5
/ 4
Cinematography 4
/ 4
Music 4
/ 4
HMD
rating 4 / 4