MovieChat Forums > 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) Discussion > Special effects and film score: A+. Plo...

Special effects and film score: A+. Plot, dialogue, philosophy: F-


A great film because of the soundtrack (partly original, mostly 19th century classical) and special effects. But a terrible film from the idea of plot, philosophy, and sci-fi. πŸ™ˆπŸ™‰πŸ™Š Hear me out. Arthur C. Clark (an atheist) makes up the monolith, something that both scientists and religions find preposterous. Then they discover it on the Moon and hide the knowledge from not only the rest of the world, but the actual astronauts on the mission to investigate it. The dialogue isn't just minimal, but superfluous. Then Dave and Frank (why do they get to stay awake and all the others are frozen? Did they flip for it?) decide to turn HAL off because of one very minor thing. Finally Dave ends up in some room: most ridiculous ending ever, then the Starchild--no wonder Rock Hudson walked out of the premier saying "What the hell was that about?!" 🐡And all these film historians with nothing better to do rave about the "greatest jump cut in history" Gimme a break! πŸ₯Έ So it gets an A+ for 1960s style, an F in plot. Change my mind 😎 By the way I first saw this on its original TV premiere on an 8 inch black and white NBC NYC channel 4, Feb. 13th, 1977 8-11. I then stayed up all night contemplating it, while humming Blue Danube 😎

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The soundtrack is rather MEH to me, simply because it IS recycled classical music instead of an original composition, severe lack of effort, there.

Arthur C. Clarke, an atheist? WAHEY! GOOD FOR HIM! (fuck those religious retards)

The Monolith was aliens, specifically the Europa aliens, who made Man in their image, not your stupid God.

Someone had to run the ship, the frozen people were strictly scientists and mission specialists only, not familiar with Discovery's systems.

I like that weird ending with Dave in the room as an old man eating a meal, makes me hungry. I feel sad when he spills the wine.

That jump cut IS the greatest in movie history! I mean, a flying bone, only just used to commit the first murder among the proto-humans that will evolve into us, immediately becoming an orbital weapons platform in space - GENIUS! And it sums up in two shots Man's history of murdering his fellow man!

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So the only thing man is good for is murder? Even Kubrick realized that's a no good theme, hence didn't make clear the satellite was a weapon. I think athiests are more narrowminded than fundamentalists: the belief of nonbelief is worse than warped belief. Hence atheists create their own Gods: from Kim to Mao to Stalin. So you (and Clarke who was also Gay and lived in Sri Lanka) think aliens came here with a monolith because God and/or evolution doesn't work. Brilliant!

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"The soundtrack is rather MEH to me, simply because it IS recycled classical music instead of an original composition, severe lack of effort, there."

Several pieces by Ligeti used on the soundtrack were cutting edge pieces only written within as little as three short years before the film was released - hardly 19th century "warhorses" (i.e. overplayed, overfamiliar pieces). The use of such then ultramodernist music was unprecedented in a major studio film. It's worth noting that the Adagio from Gayane by Khachaturian was also composed fairly recently (circa 1968) in the early 1940s. The fanfare from Also Sprach Zarathustra by R. Strauss was also much less well-known prior to 2001's release, so it was probably new to many listeners at the time. It's easy to forget that. Really, only the Blue Danube by J. Strauss was truly well-known prior to the film's release.

2001's soundtrack was a trend-setter that later influenced William Friedkin's brilliant soundtrack choices for The Exorcist. In the cases of both films, the "cobbled together" soundtracks were better than the ones by Alex North and Lalo Schifrin written for those films. Besides, it's not a director's job to act as an employment agency for film composers living in Los Angeles. They are free to use whatever music they think will work best and are willing to pay a license for. I think Kubrick was more than vindicated in his music choices in this and his later films. Since Kubrick and Friedkin both selected and spotted the music for themselves, that would mean they both expended MORE personal effort than less compared to the average director, surely?

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A+ to an F-.

That's some discrepancy.

The reason the three crew members were put into hibernation is explained in the film during the reporter's televised interview with Dr. Bowman and Dr. Poole.

"Change my mind."

Why? What makes your opinion important?

This film is a masterpiece.

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Agreed--special effects A+. But the score is mostly just cribbed from public domain pops classics. As for the rest, yeah, it's pointless and boring, with the exception of the Lockwood/Dullea segment, which would have been interesting in the context of, well, something less boring. But be careful what you say--it's not only considered a crime to express being underwhelmed with this movie, it's a crime to even think it!

To those who are now going to start calling me names, telling me to watch "Transformers", etc.: I'd just like you all to know what a delight it is to be in the position I'm in, of not giving a rat's festered ass what you think about me. Besides, I won't be back here to see what you write, anyway, so knock yourselves out. Cheers.

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You're back to check after all ;-p
So as a fellow thought criminal I just want to say the Straus soundtrack is great. I think Kubrick worked while listening to random classical music and decided Thus Spake Zarathustra and Big Blue Danube were the best to use. But yes I think we all can agree the film is boring, with a few interesting things here and there.
I don't like when the trolls tell me to watch Transformers or any other superhero schlock because I'm critical of so-call masterpieces.

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