The main importance of the film 2001 is that it redefined the science fiction film as a genre. The introduction of special effects effectively ended the period in which all science fiction films were low budget and simplistic in their nature (similar in manner to the Lost in Space series). The shift in filming style that was initiated by 2001 has also been referenced by many famous directors and producers(Steven Speilberg and George Lucas) as having a major influence on the works that they would make in the future, such as Starwars or Close Encounters of the Third Kind. The release and overall success of 2001 also ushered in the science fiction blockbuster, as it was now possible to produce big budget Science fiction films that could be successful.
Initially the after the film had been released it received mostly positive reviews, with most critics praising the film for its groundbreaking special effects and use of a new science fiction format that created a rather unique experience compared to previous films. Critics that gave it negative reviews stated that the film was too boring and long for the mainstream audience it had to appeal to and that its often abstract themes didn't give the audience a clear explanation concerning much of what went on in the film.
The film makes great use of Ethos and Logos in terms of constructing an appeal to the audience. The use of Ethos can be seen in the way the crew interacts with the HAL 9000 computer; for a portion of the film Dave Bowman and Frank Poole discuss whether or not to disconnect HAL’s main cognition functions in order to continue their mission though they aren’t aware that HAL is trying to carry out the main objective of the mission that the human crew had not been informed of. Ethos can also been seen in the reference to a cover-up of the occurrences concerning TMA-1, as the it had been mentioned that there had been censoring of information concerning the events by the U.S. government in the film.
Logos is the most relevant and applicable of the rhetorical appeals as it is more or less the one that’s most in line with the film. Unlike Ethos and Pathos, the way in which the film is structured is more suited to a logical approach as the scope of the film(a substantial journey through space, not unlike Homer’s Iliad) is not only rather large but the main themes of them film focus subjects that often result in or require a higher intellectual understanding or approach- the major ones, primarily the pursuit and/or possibility of extraterrestrial life and the evolution of man into a manipulative being. Another view using Logos comes from the way in which the film itself was shot and the manner in which space was portrayed. The use of realistic physics involving zero gravity and stationary shots of the planets and other object aligning (such as the monolith with the sun in The Dawn of Man sequence) lead the viewer to interpret the film in a different light. One of the main strengths(arguably its most important) that the film has tremendously well done cinematography and special effects. The way in which the film was shot allowed for the director(Stanley Kubrick) to place emphasis on what was most likely important to the plot(such as shifting the camera toward Dave Bowman or the Monolith in certain scenes) and to make the film seem as if it was more than just a movie. This method of shooting was bolstered further by the fact that the special effects used to portray space walks and the movement of other objects in space realistically depicted gravity. Prior to this film almost no films realistically portrayed gravity in this manner. The combination of these two elements gave audiences a new and realistic perspective on space travel. The structure of the film focuses on conveying the narrative of the crew of the U.S.S. Discovery and its journey to discover the whereabouts of the mysterious radio signal sent from an extraterrestrial object on the moon. With the exception of the very beginning of the film (“The Dawn of Man” sequence) the rest of the film takes place in outer space or near the planet Jupiter and one of its moons. The film is organized into 4 different sections(The Dawn of Man, TMA-1, Jupiter Mission and Jupiter and Beyond the Infinite) with all except for the second(TMA-1) being introduced with superimposed Titles. The main and most distinct structural elements of the film that are noticeable is the minimalist use of dialogue throughout the film, the multitude of different filming methods used and the use of classical music. Transitions between the different sequences of the film are often abrupt as the they are triggered by the next sequence's title card appearing. The combination of these structural elements allow for the film to convey its main themes and help give the audience a way in which to explore the more intellectual themes that are present in the film.
The content and detail of the film is what really separates the work from other science fiction films and movies of the era- it is one of the first space oriented films to not rely on plot that had incorporated some sort of monster or group of monsters, and it portrays gravity, the movement of objects in space and space exploration itself in a plausible or realistic manner. The attention to detail is there as well, with minor details such as space suits, computer equipment or depictions of the planets having been portrayed realistically(the space suits supposedly would even function as such- they weren’t only props but they were apparently able work in an environment with a vacuum). The plot is also reasonably put together as well; with the exceptions of the USSR existing and still being enemies with the United States (even though it takes place in 2001 the film was made in the early sixties, when the USSR was still a major world power) and the presence of Pan-American Airlines (operators of space planes that travel to space stations or the moon) The film portrays what could have been the near future had the emphasis on deep space travel been maintained. The use of and emphasis placed on these specific details and the overall content of the film help to convince the audience of the film’s relative authenticity in relation to the depicted time period depicted in the setting.
The film 2001: A Space Odyssey is a science fiction epic that is often lauded as one of, if not the best film in its genre. 2001 has often been compared to other famous stories, such as Homer's Iliad and Odyssey among other works. The main reason why this film has generally favorable views and is portrayed by many as a classic film was that the majority of the content in the film was extremely innovative for the time period that the film was made in. Although I'll save the majority of this for later posts, The film is noted for(among other things) its special effects/details, sparse use of dialogue and symbolism are the main elements of the plot that build up the narrative being told. The manner in which all the elements are used helps fabricate the unique viewing experience that can be derived from the film.The purpose of this blog series is to give a detailed critical analysis of the film 2001: A Space Odyssey that focuses specifically on certain defining aspects of the film. Given that this blog series is specifically for a course that I am in currently I will use the content from one of the papers I have written concerning the same subject. I hope that whoever thoroughly reads and/or views this is able to gain some enjoyment or enhanced knowledge from it.  | AuthorThe author of this blog series, Alex Karabedian, is currently a first year student at Florida State University and enjoys science fiction films(among many other kinds of film) Archives |
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