Justin Rhoades
Tess Evans
English 103
3 December 2009
Just Hang In There
2001: A Space Odyssey, directed by Stanley Kubrick, is movie based on space and mankind’s advancement through evolution with the tool. However, this is not very evident through out the movie. Kubrick does a good job also, with the use of engineers, to make an attempt to envision what technology mankind could possess in 2001. One can get very bored with the movie because of the plot and lack of dialogue. I personal was bored watching the movie. However, now that I did some research, I understand and appreciate the movie more. . Overall this movie is not your average movie, it makes the viewer think.
When watching this movie for the first time, one gets very bored. I personally was very bored watching it the first time, due to the lack of knowledge. The plot is very hard to flow and viewers lose attention in the movie. Another thing is the lack of dialogue. There is hardly any dialogue in the very beginning and the very end. What dialogue there is, is very short and not entertaining. If you stick to watching the movie you can figure out what Kubrick is trying to say and present to the audience.
Also, as viewer you have to look at this movie as an artistic movie instead of entertainment. If your looking for car chases, fighting, and explosions your looking in the wrong place. Sometimes through the movie you have about five minutes of straight colorful lights. The plot is very in depth, also. You may or may not get the plot the first time you see it. I personally did not get the movie at all the first time I watched it. I recommend researching it to understand the artistic value of the movie.
The plot is based on the evolution of man with the use of tools. In the beginning the apes discover the use of tools. With learning how to use tools comes advantages and responsibilities. The apes can get food relevantly easy but learn the power to kill with that advantage. Through out the movie man becomes more and more dependant on technology as they evolve. Virtually everything they do is with the use of machines. When they breathe and live in space the astronauts are dependant on machines. Near the end of the movie technology almost destroy man. The tools no longer need man to work man needs tools to function.
Another point Kubrick makes is the similarities in a child on earth to us in space. The astronauts in space have to relearn to walk just like a child on earth. Also, the astronauts have to eat baby food similar to babies on earth. Astronauts are introduced to potty training in space similar to children on earth. He try’s to convey the point that we are similar to children in space. Were fragile and have to learn to live and function again. The heavy breathing through out the movie represents the fragileness of humans with the need of air is space. Though made in the 60’s the technology is almost identical to what we have today.
Give or take the spaceships, Kubrick was very close to how we travel through space. Our ships are not as advanced as shown in the movie, but the concepts are the same. Today our ships are ran on computers just like shown in the movie. Spacesuits shown in the movie are almost identical to the ones on the movie. You can tell Kubrick wanted his movie to be as accurate as possible. Unfortunately, his predictions were to advance for our time.
My best advice for watching this movie is hang in there, try to understand the movie. I recommend doing some research about the meanings of the plot. Kubrick uses a lot of meaning behind his movie. He never really told anyone what the movie meant so its true meaning is up to interpretation. Maybe that’s part of the experience in watching the movie. Its like a piece of artwork, the viewer is the one responsible to decide what they think of it. Whether you like it or not it is up to you to determine the true meaning.
Work Cited
New Media Giants. Kubrick2001: The Space Odyssey Explained. Web. 04 Dec. 2009.
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Need to say when the film came out because 2001 is no longer in the future.
ReplyDeleteWhen you discuss the film, take responsibility for your own reactions and opinions. Don't blame "viewers" or "one," vague entities you have no control over. Not everyone has the same experience you did with the film.
What about the plot was boring? How lacking was the dialogue and why does that matter to you? You mention the plot two more times without saying what it it. When you finally do get around to telling us, it's a pretty good summary that's brief without giving away the whole story.
Need to work on your sentence structure to make what you're trying to say more concise. For example, why did you not "get" the movie the first time you watched it? What specifically confused you? Another example: "Though made in the 60's the technology is almost identical to what we have today." What technology do you mean? Our technology today is significantly advanced compared to the 60's. But I suspect you were trying to say something else--see how sentence structure can shape meaning in ways you didn't intend?
So what do you think? You're telling the audience what to do, but you're not giving your own judgment of the film.
Justin,
ReplyDeleteYou did a very good job expressing your opinion.
I liked the examples you used through out your paper. The only negative side was that you seemed to repeat yourself a lot. Other than this fact you did a great job.
I like how even though he did not like the film he pointed out some good points still. The only thing I would suggest is to limit the use of the word "boring" he has multiple sentences saying how one could get bored. Other than that this is a solid essay.
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