2001 a Space Odyssey Explained

7/31/2019 2001 a Space Odyssey Explained

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2001ASPACEODYSSEYExplained

Will Carleton6B The Highlands School October 3, 2009

Will Carleton 2001

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2001A Space Odyssey

PROLOGUE

INTRODUCTION

2001, Intro

The film2001 is based on a novel called2001 A Space Odyssey. Both the film and the novel werewritten and being made at the same time. This pamphlet will help you discover the main reasons

the film was made and it will also help with some of the complicated theories used in2001, the

film.

2001, A Success

In 1968, in the midst of the cold war, a film was released that changed the way producers, writers,

special effects coordinaters, and directors made their films.2001 made twenty-second place in the

top one hundred film list.2001was nominated for four Academy Awards, and won one. There are

too many good remarks to be read in twenty-four hours.

2001, Any Questions?

There are many misunderstandings of the film2001. In this pamphlet, you will find points from

the film that help to clarify these misunderstandings . So get reading.

Will Carleton

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Point 12001 A Space Odyssey

THE PERIL OF TECHNOLOGY

The Ape-Man

The film

opens on a

group of apes,

more like le-

thargic kids.

The apes are

focusing their

lives on living

and that is it. But one day, an ape thought as he was looking at bones from a dead animal. He

grabs a bone and smashes the other bones; homo erectus/ thinking or upright men are created.The first tool/weapon is also created. When another tribe of apes invade a water hole, the ape

that we saw earlier gets out his tool/weapon and kills one of the other apes.WHY? This

happens AFTER he looks in the monolith. You will learn about the monolith

in Point 2.

HAL 9000

The HAL 9000 computer is a man made tool to help the astronauts to get to Jupiter to

find life forms. HAL is programmed to make no mistakes or have any malfunctions, but asyou see in the picture to the left. the computer has had a malfunction.WHY? God

created man not to be perfect, but man seeks a quest to become

perfect through technology. Technology, such as the HAL 9000 com-

puter ends up successfully killing all of the astronauts except Dave,

who shuts down HAL.

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MAN AND HIS DEATH

The Dawn of Man

Overnight, an extraterres-

trial has planted a monolith

in the midst of a tribe ofsleeping apes. But why

there, next to sleep-

ing apes? Krubrick is

just taking baby steps with the story now. Monolith one is represent-

ing a challenge. At first the apes are afraid to touch it, but after exam-

ining it for a few moments they all do. They notice how perfect it is.

They see themselves in it.

An Important Discovery

In this scene, monolith two has been planted on the

moon. It has been sending radio waves to Jupiter. The

story of monolith four and Jupiter are in Point Three.

The astronauts on the moon are just as afraid to touch

monolith two as the apes were in The Dawn of Man.Why?Men are homo sapiens.Ape-Men are homo erect. The film supports evolution, from ape to

man. So shouldnt we have some of those characteristics that they

had?

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HAL 9000

HAL looks like a monolith, because of its rectangular black color and shape.

Why? HAL kills off the astronauts. The monolith repre-

sents mans death.

Intermission

Imagine this is your cinema screen, after the

words intermission disappear the screen is black.

Why exactly does the screen turn

black? There is a monolith floating

in space and it has turned horizontally. When the screen turns totally

black you are looking at monolith three. Krubrick is trying to get thepoint across that we are all going to have a time when we must meet

our fate.

The Floating Monolith in Jupiter Space

Monolith three is a monolith really just watching over

Jupiter Space.Why is this monolith impor-

tant? This monolith is representing our

final days, and Daves final days too. It is the last judgement.

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Intermission


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THE LAST STAND

Jupiter Space/Star Gate

Dave is now the only one aboard the ship heading to Jupiter.

When he enters the star gate, he sees flashing lights vertically.

But as time flows by the scene changes from vertical lights tohorizontal lights.Why? Remember monolith

three? It was floating in Jupiter Space.

Krubrick is trying to help us vision inside

the monolith. But that doesnt mean that

Dave is inside it. He is not inside the

monolith.

Jupiter and Monolith Four

Dave finally enters Jupiter to find himself in a bedroom in the

fourth demension. He sees an older version of himself, and be-

comes that older version. He is sitting a t a

table eating hislast supper when his glass full of

wine falls down off of the table and breaks.Why

did Krubrick add that particular

scene? Krubrick added that scene for us to notice

that the wine is still there, but the glass is broken.

Container,content. Body and spirit. Krubrick tells us that there is

more to death than we think.When old Dave picks up the pieces of glass, he sees

himself in the bed, but he is much older than he was before. He immediately becomes that Dave.

He sees monolith four in the back of the room. He reaches for it. But it comes to him.Why?

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These are Daves last few mo-

ments. The monolith repre-

sents death. It is Daves time to

die.

The Star Child

When the monolith comes to Dave, he disappears and on

the bed where he was lies the Star

Child.Why a Star Child? It

is like being born again,

he has another evolution-

ary leap to make.

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2001 a Space Odyssey Explained