2001: A Space Odyssey was directed by Stanley Kubrick. It is considered to be a landmark film that brought science fiction films back into the spotlight. The film is an exploration. As the film begins, non diagetic sound of a combination of instruments including a drum roll and trumpet begin to play. The opening scene of the film includes the Moon, Earth and Sun. Stanley Kubrick is trying to create a sense of wonder by introducing the film by using this opening. He uses a rapid flurry of edits of the landscape in order to set the scene. The first sign of human life is a brief image of a woman dressed in white clothing. Stanley Kubrick uses a rapid flurry of edits in various shots in order to create tension and unease within the audience, These shots include the landscape, and animals crowded together. He uses a close up shot to show a tiger after killing a zebra. This reflects real life – a fight for survival. Inside the spaceship, Hal’s personality seems to be very similar to the apes. He wants to survive and so he tries to eliminate the astronaughts in order to achieve this. This seems to create the question; Has anything changed? Life is a constant battle for survival and this is a message very strongly and clearly communicated within the film by Kubrick. In order to set the scene of the hostile and isolated landscape, Kubrick uses a low angle shot to show the sun gleaming. As the film progresses, monkeys are introduced. Diagetic sound of monkeys screaming and ranting is contrasted with the ambient non diagetic sound of monkeys sleeping to the monkeys becoming frantic. There seems to be a repetitious theme of violence within the film. This is shown through the behavioural patterns of the monkey’s. In one scene, a monkey is hitting the bone remains of an animal, which is juxtaposed with an image of a falling rhino. The bone can be seen to represent technology. The fragment of bone is symbolic of technology as it enables them to survive and kill. A shot shows a monkey throw a stick into the air, which is quickly juxtaposed with a ship in space and a close up of Earth. Stanley Kubrick is trying to inspire the audience with the wonders of technology. There seems to be an aspiring sense of wonder of the power of technology. Stanley Kubrick delivers a powerful message about the connection between knowledge and weapons. The audience are able to depict an element of loneliness with the desolate atmosphere, thus implying that space is a lonely place. A “space walk” scene emphasises the fragility of human life, our hostile environment and our desperation for survival by the use of the powerful diagetic sound of heavy breathing. The loneliness of the atmosphere on land is communicated by a close up shot of monkey’s in a cave, who seem to be huddled together like a family as they are scared of the environment. Also, the feeling of loneliness is emphasised in one scene, where it is one of the astronaughts birthdays. His parents communicate with him via video link. His father says, “I’m sorry son, there is nothing more I can think of to say”. This also adds to the impact of the lonely atmosphere. In this scene, there seems to be a sense of pathos. The non diagetic sound of a violin playing as the spaceship circulates around the moon increases in volume and speed in a series of over cranked shots. The over cranking of the non diagetic sound creates unease within the audience and keeps them engaged within the film.
There seems to be contrapuntal non diagetic god like music playing on one scene as the monkey’s gather around the Monalith, which suggests that it possesses an element of power. It suggests that the Monalith represents the future, maybe alien intelligence and also imagination. It has a surprising and unpredictable element attached. As the spaceship is flying around in space, non diagetic “angry” classical music seems to play. Astronaughts touch the Monalith in one scene, which is juxtaposed with the monkey’s touching the Monalith – both species have made a discovery. Stanley Kubrick seems to create an element of horror within the film. Hal appears to be mysterious. He also seems to be terrified of death, which emphasises his battle for survival.
In conclusion, Stanley Kubrick is able to create an early realistic setting of space and also communicates a powerful subliminal message to his audience – a fear of the unknown. The verisimilitude of the film is very convincing.
