Synopsis
What is 2001: A Space Odyssey about?
Plot Outline
Humanity discovers a mystifying, artificial object buried underneath the lunar surface. With the assistance of HAL 9000, an intelligent computer, mankind embarks on an interesting quest.
Key Facts
- Director: Stanley Kubrick
- Screenplay by: Stanley Kubrick & Arthur C. Clarke
- Adapted from: Inspired by Arthur C. Clarke’s “The Sentinel” & “Encounter in the Dawn”
- An early draft of the script had narration.
- One of Stanley Kubrick's additions to the screenplay which Sir Arthur C. Clarke did not like was HAL's ability to read the astronauts' lips when they are inside the pod. Years later, he admitted that Kubrick had been right all along, after learning that at the time, computers were being developed with the ability to read lips.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions about 2001: A Space Odyssey
A high angle shot positions the camera (and therefore the audience) literally and figuratively above the subject.
A high angle shot positions the camera (and therefore the audience) literally and figuratively above the subject.
A high angle shot can convey a range of meanings depending on the context of the scene. If a character is feeling inferior or vulnerable, or if they are beaming with happiness, a high angle shot can help accentuate those characteristics and emotions.
Since the camera informs the audience's perspective, and the camera is positioned above the subject, the overall effect tends to put the subject at a disadvantage, or to make them seem less powerful.
On the other hand, if a character is looking up at something with awe and wonder, we still might consider them to be smaller or less powerful but in a more positive connotation.
Since the camera informs the audience's perspective, and the camera is positioned above the subject, the overall effect tends to put the subject at a disadvantage, or to make them seem less powerful.
On the other hand, if a character is looking up at something with awe and wonder, we still might consider them to be smaller or less powerful but in a more positive connotation.
Scene Excerpt
A notable scene from the script
In the scene below, the Wachowskis included many purposeful high angle shots. Click the shot list below, to see the full scene broken down, and ask yourself what each high angle shot communicates to a viewer.
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