2001 - spoiler

So here's Kubrick on the ending of 2001

https://www.esquire.com/entertainment/movies/a22074035/2001-a-space-odyssey-ending-explanation-stanley-kubrick/?src=nl&mag=esq&list=nl_enl_news&date=070718


I’ve tried to avoid doing this ever since the picture came out. When you just say the ideas they sound foolish, whereas if they’re dramatized one feels it, but I’ll try.
The idea was supposed to be that he is taken in by god-like entities, creatures of pure energy and intelligence with no shape or form. They put him in what I suppose you could describe as a human zoo to study him, and his whole life passes from that point on in that room. And he has no sense of time. It just seems to happen as it does in the film.
They choose this room, which is a very inaccurate replica of French architecture (deliberately so, inaccurate) because one was suggesting that they had some idea of something that he might think was pretty, but wasn’t quite sure. Just as we’re not quite sure what do in zoos with animals to try to give them what we think is their natural environment.
Anyway, when they get finished with him, as happens in so many myths of all cultures in the world, he is transformed into some kind of super being and sent back to Earth, transformed and made into some sort of superman. We have to only guess what happens when he goes back. It is the pattern of a great deal of mythology, and that is what we were trying to suggest.


and there you have it. Mystery solved.



drummerboy said:
So here's Kubrick on the ending of 2001
https://www.esquire.com/entertainment/movies/a22074035/2001-a-space-odyssey-ending-explanation-stanley-kubrick/?src=nl&mag=esq&list=nl_enl_news&date=070718


I

Anyway, when they get finished with him, ... he is transformed into some kind of super being and sent back to Earth, transformed and made into some sort of superman. We have to only guess what happens when he goes back. It is the pattern of a great deal of mythology, and that is what we were trying to suggest.






 ---- and he was teleported back to 'urf to use his new super powers. But in transit, his skin assumed an orange hue which resulted from the effects of gamma rays on the empty mind.


This is one reason why this is one film where I say the movie is better than the book. The book sort of spells a lot of this stuff out, and I'd agree with Kubrick that it's better experienced and not quite spelled out.


I got taken to see 2001 on my 11th birthday because my mother wanted to see it.  We drove into Boston to see it on some special big screen.  I had no idea what was was going on and it seemed like it would never end.  The scenes flying through space made me almost sick.  I think I developed 2001 PTS. The movie continued to creep me out even after leaving the theatre. My best friend at the time, a child genius named Cathy, claimed to understand  it on a deep level and did a series of paintings based on key symbols. I was so perplexed.  I did not even know she had an interest in art and we hung out every day and suddenly one day she is a talented painter because of this movie. I wanted it to go away. So of course it becomes a cult classic and I'm still hearing about it 40 years later as the greatest movie of all time.  I tried reading the Wikipedia entry to finally find out what it was all about.  Zoned out before I made it to the end of the page.  I guess I should watch it again as an attempt at closure. I did like the scene with the monkeys using tools and the Hal scene. Everything in between, depressing as Hell. 


It's kind of an acquired taste. I also saw it when it came out, also at 11. Went by myself. For some reason no one I knew was interested. I remember being really excited about it, but for the life of me I can't figure out how I knew about it. (actually, I kind of can't figure out how I knew anything before the internet). Probably just tv ads.

I was blown away. Probably changed my life. Seen it a gazillion times. Just saw it again this weekend.


Kubrick is deliberately slow in most of his films. U gotta understand that. Same with Barry Lyndon, which I didn’t realize was supposed to be funny until about 5 years ago.


I saw again it recently in NYC.  Loved it.


You know, I'm a big Kubrick fan, but I've yet to see Barry Lyndon. I've seen everything else by him multiple times.

angelak said:
I saw again it recently in NYC.  Loved it.

 Yeah, I was trying to to see it on the big screen during it's re-release, but I never quite made it. Too bad for me.


I wanted to see Barry Lyndon, but never did.  The female lead was a huge star at the time and mostly forgotten now. 


I loved 2001 and watched it several times in my high school/college years. I didn't know what it all meant but I was drawn to it anyway.

Full Metal Jacket, Dr. Strangelove, and The Shining are also on my list of favorite movies.  However, I was very disappointed in Eyes Wide Shut.


I'm a huge Kubrick fan - have seen 2001 a few dozen times.  I have to say it's the type of movie you have to be in the mood for - or at least very wide awake for, the pace is slow.  It was very groundbreaking for the time and was a pioneer for the Space film genre and special effects.  

I think I need to watch it again soon.  As for the ending - the explanation above is on par with what I thought, but I had also read the book.


I read the book, but I'm pretty content letting two or three completely different explanations rattle around in my head without settling on any one.



In order to add a comment – you must Join this community – Click here to do so.