Stanley Kubrick is often considered a pioneering and influential voice in cinema, and for good reason. Take any of his films, and you will find at least something to praise or mull over. Oftentimes, both. For example, ‘Eyes Wide Shut’ is a gripping psychosexual thriller, but can also be considered a darkly comedic tale about a corroding marriage. ‘Dr. Strangelove’ is a hysterical comedy of manners, but also a sharp satire about global warfare. Similarly, ‘2001: A Space Odyssey’ is an hypnotic experience with a singular aesthetic approach, but also a cautionary tale, told by connecting centuries’ worth of human evolution.
Kubrick co-wrote the screenplay with Arthur C. Clarke, the sci-fi writer who simultaneously worked on a book of the same name. Clarke’s book goes into detail explaining its confounding beats, but the film offers a stripped-down version, closer to a tone poem than a conventional narrative. That leaves us looking for common threads and motifs across its four chapters to understand the overarching parable about human evolution.
One element that remains present in every chapter is the dark monolith, which feels like a mysterious void. The apes in the prehistoric era stumble upon it, and so do human astronauts, millions of years later, on the moon. Similarly, a shot of the sun, the moon, and the Earth in a straight line appears more than once, perhaps hinting at a life beyond the known realm.
Every shred of knowledge humans and apes gain is driven by need or curiosity. Yet, every discovery feels like a double-edged sword. Whether a bone or a satellite, every tool is just as capable of new revelation as it is of destruction. Even an artificial intelligence trying to understand the human experience can be driven to desperate measures of self-preservation, risking human lives in pursuit of evolution.
Suffice it to say that ‘2001’ is a fascinating saga and a spiritual experience that deserves its ahead-of-its-time reputation. The visual effects, teasing the signs of extraterrestrial life, look exquisite, which is a tall feat for something released in the late 1960s. Geoffrey Unsworth’s cinematography, composed primarily of wide shots and paired with pristine architecture, imbues the film with the coldness often associated with Kubrick’s work. It elevates the tension, especially in scenes where Dr. Bowman speaks with HAL, where it echoes his chilling numbness as he comes closer to realizing his fate. A lot of these choices benefit from the film’s wordless communication approach.
In some conversations, Kubrick said that he wanted the film to be non-verbal rather than intellectually expository. According to his comments, he wasn’t seeking ambiguity from this choice but restraint, leaving explanations about the monolith, the famous ‘star gate,’ or the ‘dawn of man’ sequence up to the audience. So, if there’s one thing that most people would agree with, it’s a stimulating film about the fate of humanity, inviting reflection.
Before analyzing that subtext any further, it’s important to note that the film has received different and surprisingly contrasting interpretations. Countless reviews and essays have already analyzed its themes and allegories, so saying anything about it sounds like shuffling around those words to restate the same. Still, it’s a prescient film that grows like a fine wine and reveals hitherto unexplored layers about our path toward the future. There’s, of course, much more to ruminate on regarding our relationship with new forms of intelligence and how they shape or control our present. Yet, the way Kubrick approaches it deserves high praise.
The director never shows any extraterrestrial species, using them almost like an invisible anomaly from horror films, where the absence makes its eerie presence felt. Similarly, the secrecy about some aspects of the space mission becomes a boogeyman for the astronauts grappling with an existential dilemma. Besides, through HAL 9000, he presents one of the most frightening antagonists in cinema, while also revealing the nefarious ways in which it can be weaponized.
Ray Lovejoy’s editing helps maintain the film’s deliberate pace, gradually building tension through its extended scenes. Kubrick’s direction maintains a sense of awe that keeps pulling us back to its singular experience. The overwhelming, operatic score works in a similar way, never pushing us toward a specific emotional response to the characters. In fact, some of the film’s most dramatic moments are ones without any music. Instead, the orchestral pieces lend it its transcendental sheen, going hand in hand with Kubrick’s overall narrative approach. It all plays a part in making this film a transportive experience that refuses to offer easy answers.
2001: A Space Odyssey movie links: IMDB, Letterboxd, Wikipedia
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