Last week for Flashback Friday we traveled back ONE MILLION YEARS B.C. Now lets flash forward to a not too distant future.
Developed from Arthur C. Clarke’s 2001 series, 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY (1969) was the first of a new generation of science fiction movies to hit the big screen. It also set a standard for taking the genre seriously. Stanley Kubrick directed the film, using visuals, sounds and special effects never before seen in film. The production was the father of all science fiction movies such as STAR WARS and CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND, and many others that followed.
The film starts out with a group of very primitive humans going about their very primitive day. You know, hunting and fighting other primitive people. But then some strange black obelisk appears and makes a loud sound. After that, the ‘humans’ start to do things a little more advanced, like fight with weapons. Cut to the year 2001 and we see a ‘space plane’ heading towards the moon. Scientists have found the same obelisk on the moon, and while studying the strange object, it sends a signal to Jupiter. Months later, a mission is set to find out who or what received the message.
Not only was Kubrick’s directing a marvelous achievement, but the story itself was beyond anyone’s initial imagination. 2001 also introduced a terrifying version of a killer computer by the name of HAL-9000. The visuals in the third act left many people mind-blown, and even today they find themselves saying ‘What the Heck?’
Artist Robert McCall (1919-2010) painted the futuristic but classic movie poster image. As one can see from these posters and other paintings of his, McCall had an interesting grasp of future design.
Keir Dullea starred as Dave Bowman, the astronaut that had to contend with HAL.
Geek Soul Brother is sure this film will be boring, or misunderstood by many a youthful geek. But if you want to experience a real piece of cinematic science fiction history, watch this film and appreciate what an achievement it was at the time.
top image: willandbeyond.com
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