random acts of the mindless

Anybody who went to see Stanley Kubrick's 2001: A Space Odessey would have come out thinking 'what the hell was that all about?' To the first timer, the movie would seem nothing more than a playground for an eccentric film maker to indulge in himself. Elaborate sets, 5 minute long sequences of the spaceship docking, man walking in space with just the heavy breathing sound in the background, music reaching a cresendo when nothing apparently climactic happening on screen...it seemed like Kubrick and his team of audio and visual Fx experts had run berserk experimenting like a bunch of children with new toys. And the end is abrupt too!

Perhaps its best to put in a disclaimer at the beginning - 'If you are expecting wierd looking aliens and flashing lasers, this is not the movie for you.' The movie is much beyond these cliches. According to Kubrick, one is free to interpret the movie the way he likes. At a broader level, this movie is about the evolution of man, his dependance on and his conflict with machines and his first step into the next level in evolution. This premise is nothing new to cinema, but this is the movie that started it all, way back in 1968. For a film made nearly 40 years ago, it has breathtaking effects and a stunning musical score which set the standards to be followed.

If you haven't read the book and watching the movie for the first time, watch it for its sheer brilliant imagery. It may take a couple more viewings to soak the essence of the movie.

kubrick2001.com has an excellent flash prez that takes you through the movie explaining its nuances and tries to give direction to you interpretation. Do visit it once you have seen the movie.