Kubrick could probably have shot 2001 from a treatment, since most of what clarke wrote, in particular some windy voiceovers which explained the level of intelligence reached by the ape men, the geological state of the world at the dawn of man, the problems of life on the discovery and much more, was discarded during the last days of editing. For a really succinct meaning for 2001 and 2010 read the front flap on his book 3001. Yeah, we hear you say, of course there are screens everywhere. Jul 05, 2018 movie endings dont get any more iconic or enigmatic than the final 15 minutes of stanley kubricks 2001. In 1993, i saw it in denver as it was meant to be seen, on a big cinerama screen. Mar 27, 2012 here is the interpretation i learned in my film class and always thought was the most widely held. Clarkes most famous works, due in part to the film versions popularity, he was a prolific and influential science fiction writer. The ending is largely symbolic, and reading the book helps with its interpretation. A space odyssey explained were now 18 years past 2001, weve never been to jupiter, and the enigmatic ending of the movie still haunts the generations who watch it. A space odyssey ending in a rare, unearthed video the director famously refused to give.
Clarke, and was inspired by clarkes short story the sentinel and other short stories by clarke. There are a few damns and hells thrown around here or there, but youll hear coarser language in a church quilters group. A space odyssey can be shocking at times, but these shocks are doled out by implication rather than the visceral images that ping the mpaa rating system. An important thing to understand is that on the one hand there is nothing to understand about this movie, its express purpose is to make you think. The most common interpretation is that the meaning is all about how man abuses its tools. Clarkes novel 2001 a space odyssey, his short story the sentinel, and kubricks famous film, 2001.
In 1969, kubrick told joseph gelmis you begin with an artifact left on earth four million years ago by extraterrestrial explorers who observed the behavior of the manapes of the time and decided to influence their evolutionary progression. A space odyssey and its mysterious ending, he did attempt to let viewers know what his intention was. How could we possibly appreciate the mona lisa if leonardo le. The star child is what david bowman becomes after his experience through the star gate, in the jovian system, in arthur c. As we see in the beginning of the movie a bunch of apes the early men come across the monolith and they have no idea what it is. I do not have it in front of me so can not retype it in to get it right. If you have a question please ask below and i will get back to you as soon as possible. After seeing space odyssey, i read arthur clarkes book. At the end of 2001, we see dave pass through a bizarre dreamscape of light patterns and totally alien imagery, and then wake up in a weird set of rooms that are bathed in light in all directions, with oddly historical furnishings. I saw it in the theater at age 6, during its first run, and it turned me on to spaceflight, science fiction, and classical music. A space odyssey has been analysed and interpreted by numerous people, ranging from professional movie critics to amateur writers and science fiction fans.
After you have read the story of lazarus in the bible, you dont need anyone to explain it to you. The black monolith you saw in the beginning of the film, and the one found buried on the moon, were placed there by a supremely advanced alien race as a way to nudge along the evolution of humanity. A space odyssey, this amazing book was written by arthur c. A space odyssey it was made explicitly clear that the monoliths were the emissarys of a benevolent alien species whose main aim was the advancement of less evolved species night after night, the spectacle of those four plump manapes was repeated, until it had become a source of fascinated exasperation, serving to increase moonwatchers eternal. A space odyssey ending explained by stanley kubrick. The meaning of the ending of 2001 according to stanley kubrick posted by jason kottke jul 11, 2018 still, when it came to 2001. It took many years to figure out the meaning of the ending alone. One of its most enduring qualities is how open to interpretation it isover the years, the enigmatic film has. A video has surfaced which appears to feature stanley kubrick himself explaining the end of 1968s 2001. David restores the ship to working order after the halmurderingfourpeople episode.
Clarke, wanted to leave the film open to philosophical and allegorical interpretation, purposely presenting the final sequences. After the first encounter with the monolith, we see the leader of the apes have a quick flashback to the monolith after which he picks up a bone and uses it to smash other bones. Not only because of the revolutionary effect that the film had on science fiction, but also because of the message, the meaning that the film wants to convey. The original match was played in 1910 between roesch and schlage in hamburg. Its a totally different kind of experience, of course, and there are a number of differences between the book and the movie. He concludes that the homicidal hal had cracked due to inner conflicts regarding the true nature of the mission. Jul 11, 2018 the meaning of the ending of 2001 according to stanley kubrick posted by jason kottke jul 11, 2018 still, when it came to 2001. A space odyssey is one of my favorite films and my favorite scifi of all time, i ve committed far too many hours of my life watching it and i m now here to share my thoughts on what the. New video and audio uploaded to youtube appears to offer kubrick.
It was developed concurrently with stanley kubricks film version and published after the release of the film. Man emerges as a species slowly, over tens of thousands of years, man explores the stars slowly and actual space travel is very slow. In lost interview, stanley kubrick explains the ending of. The star gate brings bowman to a replica of a hotel room. The ending of 2001 a space odyssey explained by stanley kubrick august 7, 2012 8 comments this one goes out to all the folks that love 2001 a space odyssey but still dont know what the hell was going on at the end. Aug 07, 2012 the ending of 2001 a space odyssey explained by stanley kubrick august 7, 2012 8 comments this one goes out to all the folks that love 2001 a space odyssey but still dont know what the hell was going on at the end. What is the meaning of david bowies song space oddity. Well explore the events in the book, discuss and analyze its main. Jul 05, 2018 fifty years since it was first screened, 2001. What on earth did the end of 2001 a space odyssey mean. Movie endings dont get any more iconic or enigmatic than the final 15 minutes of stanley kubricks 2001. I have seen both movies totally through, but it was a long, long time ago and i saw that book in a store looked at and it briefly yesvery shortly described 2001 and 2010. The game that poole has with hal is a reenactment of a game from chernevs best short chess games book. The ending of 2001 a space odyssey explained by stanley.
The meaning of the ending of 2001 according to stanley kubrick. Renata adler, in the times, described the movie as somewhere. Much of the dialogue exists only to show people talking to one another, without much regard to content this is true of the conference on the space station. Were now 18 years past 2001, weve never been to jupiter, and the enigmatic ending of the movie still haunts the generations who watch it. A space odyssey is probably one of the most discussed films in the history of cinema. A space odyssey is a 1968 science fiction novel by british writer arthur c. A big part of that is because theres no real character development to speak of. New video and audio uploaded to youtube appears to offer kubrick explaining the ending as he saw. The dawn of man in a sere african landscape, a group of apelike hominids and some tapirs compete for the meagre green plants. What was the meaning of 2001 a space odyssey answers. A space odyssey is a film that lacks what they desire most in a movie. Much like the star child of the film, the origins of this video are a little complicated and weird.
Ironically, the dialogue containing the most feeling comes from hal, as it pleads for its life. The widely held belief is that arthur c clarke wrote the book and kubrick then. Summary of 2001 a space odyssey and personal response. Yet, despite that, the plot actually isnt all that complicated. A space odyssey community note includes chapterbychapter summary and analysis, character list, theme list, historical context, author biography and quizzes written by community members like you. True, but when we say everywhere, we mean everywhere. Still, some others say its just daves fever dream as he runs out of oxygen on the planet. He must manually check all the systems on a regular basis. The following content is mainly based off of arthur c.
Sometime in the distant past, someone or something nudged evolution by placing a monolith on earth presumably elsewhere throughout the universe as well. Clarkes novel 2001 a space odyssey, his short story the sentinel, and. In the beginning, millions of years ago, when the monkey hit the. Clarke photo above, finally put the screenplay down in black and white in the novelization of the film. While one group of apes is drinking at a waterhole, another group. Everything that is there on the screen is there in the. A space odyssey was a film aboutwell, what is about.
Here is the interpretation i learned in my film class and always thought was the most widely held. The manapes of the world, who lived by gathering berries and nuts, were facing a lack of food. A space odyssey continues to cause confusion and debate. A space odyssey has fascinated audiences for years. Kubrick stuffs so many screens into his shots that even a verizon store floor planner would think its a tad overkill. The one based on the book goes like this the black monolith you saw in the beginning of the film, and the one found buried on the moon, were placed there by a supremely advanced alien race as a way to nudge along the evolution of humanity. Clarke and kubrick worked on the book together, but eventually only clarke ended up as the official author.
If you disagree with my interpretation please be polite and. To richard strauss tone poem thus spake zarathustra, the title sequence shows the sun rising behind the earth, which is behind the moon. The same is true, i believe, of stanley kubricks parable 2001. The book explains things more explicitly, but i read it years ago. This explanation will be split up based on how kubrick split his film up. Fifty years ago this spring, stanley kubricks confounding scifi masterpiece, 2001. Perfect for acing essays, tests, and quizzes, as well as for writing lesson plans. The black monolith you saw in the beginning of the film, and the one found buried on the moon, were placed there by a supremely advanced alien race as a.
The screenplay was written by kubrick and arthur c. As we see in the beginning of the movie a bunch of apes the early men come. Upfront, somewhat of a refinement on some of the other answers. A space odyssey symbolically describes the story of mankinds life. A space odyssey was written, mankind had not yet set foot on the moon. There are few conversations that could not be handled with title cards. The director of the film, stanley kubrick, and the writer, arthur c.
Today, were analyzing the themes and motifs, and talk about what actually happened. The monoliths are a race of galatic watchers who work to ensure life forms they. All right, now that ive explained the monolith and what its purpose serves i can explain the ending in detail. Learn exactly what happened in this chapter, scene, or section of 2001. It contains the answers to all the questions it advances. After david bowman discovers the jovian monolith, he travels through a star gate of unknown space and time. In this space, time seems to excel or jump toward the final days of. Aug 12, 2017 the following content is mainly based off of arthur c. Stanley kubrick openly stated that 2001s true meanings had been visually. In this space, time seems to excel or jump toward the.
The space exploration programs in the united states and the soviet union were only in the early stages. Clarke, wanted to leave the film open to philosophical and allegorical interpretation, purposely. There are many people who think 2001 is about the afterlife, or how nothing really matters. Stanley kubricks epic film reimagined what cinematic science fiction could be, but it also went into esoteric areas, most notably with an ending that the director famously refused to discuss. Much room was left to imagine the future of the space program. What is the meaning behind the opening scene of 2001. This free synopsis covers all the crucial plot points of 2001. Read a plot overview of the entire book or a chapter by chapter summary and analysis. I decided to pass that information along to you with this explanation and analysis of the book. A space odyssey is one of my favorite films and my favorite scifi of all time, i ve committed far too many hours of my life watching it and i. Since 2001 is a visual experience, what happened when your collaborator, arthur c. The deliberately mannered tempo of the first 90% of the film reflects the unhurried pace of mans progress.
A space odyssey is possibly the most famous computer in cinema history and one of the most cryptic fictional characters of all time. Clarke has also written a lot of books, like the space odyssey series, childhoods end, and many more. Stanley kubrick is an enigmatic director who put a lot of layers into all his work. The book explains the monolith much more specifically.
Clarke has many degrees that allow him to give depth to the plot. A giant monolith appeared on earth one day and began to experiment with many of them, probing and developing their minds. A space odyssey, had its premieres across the country. Get a full month of mubi, a handpicked selection of cult, classic and award winning films, for free.
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