A space odyssey predicted the future50 years ago stanley kubricks iconic film gave us hal and other scifi elements. Over the course of the next four years, kubrick and clarke talked and corresponded frequently. Clarke has also written a lot of books, like the space odyssey series, childhoods end, and many more. A space odyssey is the 1968 science fiction novel written by arthur c. 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. This free synopsis covers all the crucial plot points of 2001. Clarke and kubrick worked on the book together, but eventually only clarke ended up as the official author.
Both the novel and the film are partially based on clarkes 1948 short story the sentinel, an entry in a bbc short story competition, and encounter in the dawn, published in 1953 in the magazine amazing. Kubrick goes on to describe the ending and talks about how dave is. The classic science fiction novel that captures and expands on the vision of stanley kubricks immortal filmand changed the way we look at the stars and ourselves. A space odyssey wasnt so much a movie based upon a book as much as it was a collaboration between kubrick and clarke. The novel, for example, attempts to explain things much more explicitly than the. It took many years to figure out the meaning of the ending alone.
A space odyssey, this amazing book was written by arthur c. I decided to pass that information along to you with this explanation and analysis of the book. There were moments so beautiful and painful that left me speechless. A space odyssey 1968 in order to provide the basis for the brilliant film of. Once the message has been written into the block and any excess letter spaces have been filled up with random letters, the keyword is placed above the block so that each column has a corresponding key letter. From the savannas of africa at the dawn of mankind to the rings of saturn as man ventures to the outer rim of our solar system, 2001. The book disposes of several mysteries that the film intentionally withholds from the audience, and in my opinion it made for a much more cohesive story.
Clarke foreword behind every man now alive stand thirty ghosts, for that is the ratio by which the dead outnumber the living. Clarke and stanley kubrick, the plot sequences that are symbolic. The book explains things more explicitly, but i read it years ago. Clarkes novel explicitly identifies the monolith as a tool created by extraterrestrials that have been through. Part i africa 3,000,000 years ago views of african drylands drought the remorseless drought had lasted now for ten million years, and would not. So whats up with the title is that clarke is saying, that old greek dude went on a long voyage and had adventures way back when, and so heres a story about the future of 2001, when some other dude is going to go on an awesome voyage also. Clarkes novel 2001 a space odyssey, his short story the sentinel, and kubricks famous film, 2001. It contains the answers to all the questions it advances. As bensons book suggests, in a way the release of 2001 was its least important milestone. A space odyssey chronicles the creation of the epic scifi movie. A space odyssey can be interpreted about a million different ways. I got the book and i absolutely loved it from the very beginning. A big part of that is because theres no real character development to speak of.
It seems to explain the ending of the film more clearly. Did stanley kubrick finally explain the films ending. It entails the nature between man and the unknown while giving life to the universe around the main cast of characters. A space probe with a landing and exploration of the moon and mars. 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. The number of letter columns in the block is determined by a prechosen keyword, which in this case is the word paste, equalling a total of five columns. In space, man has to learn all over again, like the apes did. Now this is an interesting number, for by a curious coincidence there are. Ok the next scene were in space, and man has come a long way. Last week, i happen to read a quick post about the end of the movie that also explained the parallel development of the book and movie. Clarke, wanted to leave the film open to philosophical and allegorical interpretation, purposely presenting the final sequences. This site is dedicated to the science fiction work 2001.
After you have read the story of lazarus in the bible, you dont need anyone to explain it to you. Stanley kubrick rewrote the book on what a mainstream, majorstudio motion picture could look, sound, and feel like with this groundbreaking work. So whats up with the title is that clarke is saying, that old greek dude went on a long voyage and had adventures way back when, and so heres a story about the future of 2001, when some other dude is going to go on. Clarkes most famous works, due in part to the film versions popularity, he was a prolific and influential science fiction writer. If you can describe it, clarke recalls kubrick telling him, i can film it. In a 1969 interview with joseph gelmis, kubrick explained the plot in a very straightforward manner 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.
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. This instalment is in two parts and is slightly different. Before i dive into the film itself, i need to explain the background of the film. Clarke has many degrees that allow him to give depth to the plot. A space odyssey and how they contribute to the plot of the book. The director of the film, stanley kubrick, and the writer, arthur c. One of the more common reactions to stanley kubricks 2001. Kubrick may have set out to make a sciencefiction film, but 2001.
One of its most enduring qualities is how open to interpretation it isover the years, the enigmatic film has. A space odyssey 1968 the story of the evolution of the humankind. It was developed concurrently with stanley kubricks film version and published after the release of the film. 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. Update, the new penguin galaxy edition is beautiful. A space odyssey is based on the final version of the script for the 1968 motion picture, but, even so, in some regards they differ due to late. The book goes hand in hand with the 2001 space odyssey movie. This collection comprises the science fiction novels 2001. The odyssey is a long greek poem by homer about a dude named odysseus who goes on a long voyage. There are many people who think 2001 is about the afterlife, or how nothing really matters. A space odyssey has been analysed and interpreted by numerous people, ranging from professional movie critics to amateur writers and science fiction fans. Clarke and the 1968 film directed by stanley kubrick.
The perfect collaboration between book and film originally posted at fantasy literature arthur c. Fifty years ago this spring, stanley kubricks confounding scifi masterpiece, 2001. The whole dialogue about the alien disease or what have you doesnt doesnt have any purpose in the meaning of the movie, which was probably kubricks purpose, to confuse us. A space odyssey is a 1968 science fiction novel by british writer arthur c. A space odyssey, american sciencefiction film, released in 1968, that set the benchmark for all subsequent movies in the genre and consistently ranks among the top 10 movies ever made, especially known for its groundbreaking special effects and. Once you read the book, and then watch the film, you would have to be one of those people who thought transformers 2 was the best film of all time in order to think 2001 a space odyssey is a bad film. The two soon met at trader vics in new york and started hashing out a story that became 2001. The cinefix team are back once again with their series on movies based on books.
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. The basic premise of the film revolves around a discovery of a monolith on the moon, and the adventures of captain david bowman and the hal 9000. Here, actor keir dullea poses in the equipment storage corridor to one. Since the dawn of time, roughly a hundred billion human beings have walked the planet earth. It depicts the differences between the written work and the movie production, and analyzes possible alternate meanings to certain themes and motifs. A space odyssey seem to become more relevant as time marches on. A space odyssey is wait, what the hell happened exactly. Learn about the different symbols such as moon in 2001. The following content is mainly based off of arthur c. Well explore the events in the book, discuss and analyze its main.
A space odyssey was a film aboutwell, what is about. This book also shows a realistic interpretation of how ai and man react to each other. Its a totally different kind of experience, of course, and there are a number of differences between the book and the movie. 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. Clarke collaborated with stanley kubrick to produce the novel version of 2001. Clarkes novel 2001 a space odyssey, his short story the sentinel, and.
They explain that he is supposed to explore one of saturns moons, not saturn. How could we possibly appreciate the mona lisa if leonardo le. The same is true, i believe, of stanley kubricks parable 2001. A space odyssey has fascinated audiences for years.
Get a full month of mubi, a handpicked selection of cult, classic and award winning films, for free. The section of the movie called the dawn of man has many examples of symbolism. At a time when science fiction onscreen meant bugeyed monsters menacing scantily clad women, 2001. Yet, despite that, the plot actually isnt all that complicated. Still, some others say its just daves fever dream as he runs out of oxygen on the planet. A space odyssey symbolically describes the story of mankinds life. The outlines of a simple plot were already in place. A space odyssey was a visually dazzling and intellectually challenging experience. Summary of 2001 a space odyssey and personal response. A space odyssey by arthur c clarke and its three sequels 2010. A space odyssey, which turns 50 this week, is closer to home than we think, writes nicholas barber. Behind every man now alive stand thirty ghosts, for that is the ratio by which the dead outnu. A space odyssey for more book talk from the scifi christian, friend us on goodreads.
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