2001 A Space Odyssey

Words: 1068
Pages: 5
Open Document
Discoveries are often interpreted and reshaped based on our growing understanding on the world. Good morning and welcome to “Discovery in Texts”. Within this complex world, we are exposed to a level of diversity, specifically in terms of values and beliefs, which may often challenge our own. In references to this, I am going to discuss the composers Robert Frost in his poems “Fire and Ice” and “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening” and Stanley Kubrick with his 1968 film “2001: A Space Odyssey”, in reaching beyond the conventional in their exploration of discovery. Frost and Kubrick expertly utilise discovery in relation to perception to reaffirm that through exposing ourselves to different approaches of life, we are able to critically evaluate …show more content…
Kubrick’s film 2001: A Space Odyssey illustrates the complexity of this concept, as the purpose of humanity stagnates in response to progressive findings. Kubrick initially presents pre-human apes inhabiting a harsh environment, where survival is paramount. This primitive sense of purpose is broadened through the recurring and multi-purposed motif of the monolith; as written in the screenplay the apes were “totally entranced, they gather around the cube, forgetting the hardships of the day”, conveyed through a low angle shot of the monolith signifying its dominance alongside the foreboding and repetitive score radiating a mystical atmosphere, provoking awe and admiration within the apes. In the same way that Frost’s “Fire and Ice” juxtaposes human behaviours, “2001” contrasts the actions of various evolutionary stages of humankind in response to the monolith. Whereas the apes approach with reverence, the humans approach with arrogance. Within this context the monolith is demeaned to a prize that humanity wishes to claim, “If you’d all line up on this side of the walkway we’d like to take a few photographs”, this positioning of the astronauts in the forefront of the frame, covering the monolith reaffirms the perceived dominance over natural forces. For the advanced human race survival has become trivial, instead finding purpose in mankind’s prosperity in exploration and advancement. Placing this in perspective, Kubrick finds harmony in the concepts of discovery and human development, suggesting that perhaps we as humans are not given purpose or entitlement in exploring the universe we dwell in, but rather it is simply beyond our
Show More

Related Documents: 2001 A Space Odyssey

Dr. Strangelove And 2001: A Space Odyssey

Jeffrey Shelton C LIT 312 Stanley Kubrick as an Auteur: Dr. Strangelove and 2001: A Space Odyssey The 1960’s was a time of cinematic evolution. During this time period cinema history changed due to the incorporation of the auteur theory, a consciousness that a single director can be credited with the creative and distinguishing features of a film. Dr. Strangelove and 2001: A Space Odyssey both attain many of the thematic and formal attributes that distinguish Kubrick apart from other directors…

Words 2376 - Pages 10

2001 A Space Odyssey By Nicholas Carr

done quite well, he first started his article by recalling a scene from a popular movie that then tied in with his thesis statement, and helped grab my attention. In the conclusion of Nicholas Carr's article he went back to the popular movie 2001: A Space Odyssey which connected the beginning of his article to the end of it. After reading the conclusion it made me remember some of his important points that he made in the beginning of his article. Carr makes his points about the potentially harmful impacts…

Words 516 - Pages 3

2001 A Space Odyssey: My Hero's Journey

¬¬¬¬¬Change a Film 2001 a Space odyssey would be the film I would change out of all the semesters’ films. The whole film felt like a trip to me it was hard to stay focused most of the time because of the films lack of plot and dialogue. It was a great film with great focus and a deeper meaning if one really got into depth with the film. In order to do so you really had to pay super close attention to the film and couldn’t miss one second of it. This film in all to me seemed really boring not much…

Words 1010 - Pages 5

Comparing and Contrasting 2001: a Space Odyssey and “the Sentinel” Essay

Contrasting 2001: A Space Odyssey and “The Sentinel” Tracy Goldman HUMN425: Science Fiction Georgia State University Comparing and Contrasting 2001: A Space Odyssey and “The Sentinel” 2001: A Space Odyssey is a film based on Arthur Clarke's short story, "The Sentinel." The purpose of this paper is to explain the similarities and differences between “The Sentinel” and 2001: A Space Odyssey. There are many similarities and differences between “The Sentinel” and 2001: A Space Odyssey. The obvious…

Words 927 - Pages 4

Coen Brother Essay

Liam Mrs.H 10 February, 2013 Film Analysis Annotated Bibliography 1. . "Stanley Kubrick Film Techniques." LAVideoFilmaker. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Feb 2013. This article discusses film techniques that Stanley Kubrick uses to make his films so special. The article highlights 5 of these techniques. His slow, protracted scenes, his extreme camera angles, his use of the wide angle lense, long tracking shots, and the cold nature many of his films take on. 2. Ebert, Robert. "A Clockwork Orange…

Words 612 - Pages 3

The Droste World And The Man-Puppets

The space is forever expanding; the sun is a million times larger than the planet that contains the human race; the whole solar system comparing to the Milky Way is no larger than the size of a quarter; and beyond that, are countless numbers of galaxies and endless possibilities. Not often does one think of these relationships between man and earth and outer space, and realize that man was not let alone the only intelligent being that exists. Arthur Clarke's science fiction, 2001: A Space Odyssey…

Words 985 - Pages 4

Cold War and Possible Destructive Consequences Essay

considered a 'b grade' genre but as it progressed became metaphoric of contextual issues and furthermore extrapolated on the possible consequences of human behaviour. In 2001: A space Odyssey, Kubrick explores notions of human evolution, technology as a facet of destruction and both artificial and extraterrestrial life. 2001: A Space Odyssey presents a paradoxical attitude towards the advancement of technology as it explores both the advantages of this yet also reveals the possible destructive consequences…

Words 352 - Pages 2

A Beau-Tiful Mind: Movie Analysis

Even machines are becoming smarter: HAL, the robot in the 1968 movie 2001: A Space Odyssey, starts anticipating what humans in the space ship will do. The result is not a happy one. (See the movie.) Game theory has become an important tool in all branches of economics. Both the 1994 and the 2005 Nobel Prizes in Economics were awarded to game theorists: in 1994 to John Nash from Princeton, John Harsanyi from Berke- ley, and Reinhard Selten from Germany (John Nash’s life is portrayed in the movie A…

Words 105 - Pages 1

The Auteur Theory: Stanley Kubrick Essay

Auteur Theory is based on three premises, the first being technique, the second being personal style, and the third being interior meaning. Furthermore, there is no specific order in which these three aspects must be presented or weighted with regard to a film. An Auteur must give films a distinctive quality thus exerting a personal creative vision and interjecting it into the his or her films. Kubrick made his first film in 1953 and has continued to make films till his death shortly after…

Words 1204 - Pages 5

Stanley Kubrick Biography Essay

Kubrick was an American film director, screenwriter, producer, cinematographer, and editor, who was born on July 26, 1928 in the Bronx, New York City. He is considered one of the greatest filmmakers of all time and is famous for the films 2001: A Space Odyssey, Barry Lyndon, The Shinning, A Clockwork Orange, Full Metal Jacket, and Dr. Strangelove. His films consisted of inspiring use of music scores and dazzling artistic cinematography. However, he was infamously known for being a perfectionist;…

Words 1187 - Pages 5