Analysis of 2001: A Space Odyssey
Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey is considered one of the most impressive science fiction films in the modern era and is a critically acclaimed masterpiece. To begin this analysis I will first give a synopsis of the films plot and key points to help lay a foundation for the film. The movie is broken into 4 acts, each focusing on a different event and time in the story. We first start with “The Dawn of Man”; we are greeted by what appears to be a tribe of early hominids foraging for food in the African desert. These early humans seem to be herbivores and are cohabitating with other animal life forms. We see a separate tribe descend and take control of a watering hole forcing the first tribe away from this vital resource. While the ape man creatures are sleeping a strange black monolith appears, upon waking and discovering this object the apelike people begin to touch and in way worship the monolith. Shortly after this scene we see the hominids discovering tools and weapons in the form of a bone; the tribe then takes back the watering hole using force and their new tools. The ape leader throws the bone in the air and with a quick editing cut we are propelled millions of years into the future, the bone transforming into a space station orbiting the earth.
This is the beginning of the second portion of the film and where the plot begins to delve deeper into the monolith mystery. We recognize the shift in scenes and events with the nondiegetic title that displays “TMA-1” across the screen. In my opinion this section is the beginning of the rising action in the film and helps develop the narrative towards the climax. We are introduced to a scientist by the name Heywood Floyd, our first named character with dialogue played by William
Sylvester. Heywood is aboard a space plane carrying him towards a space station orbiting earth for a layover on his trip to a lunar outpost. After making a brief video call to his daughter on earth he encounters a friend and Russian
This is the beginning of the second portion of the film and where the plot begins to delve deeper into the monolith mystery. We recognize the shift in scenes and events with the nondiegetic title that displays “TMA-1” across the screen. In my opinion this section is the beginning of the rising action in the film and helps develop the narrative towards the climax. We are introduced to a scientist by the name Heywood Floyd, our first named character with dialogue played by William
Sylvester. Heywood is aboard a space plane carrying him towards a space station orbiting earth for a layover on his trip to a lunar outpost. After making a brief video call to his daughter on earth he encounters a friend and Russian
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