LEEDS INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL
PROGRAMME
2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY STORYLINE “2001” is a story of evolution. Sometime in the distant past, someone or something nudged evolution by placing a monolith on Earth (presumably elsewhere throughout the universe as well). Evolution then enabled humankind to reach the moon’s surface, where yet another monolith is found, one that signals the monolith placers that humankind has evolved that far. Now a race begins between computers (HAL) and human (Bowman) to reach the monolith placers. The winner will achieve the next step in evolution, whatever that may be. Written by Larry Cousins
STANLEY KUBRICK
“JUST WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU’RE DOING, DAVE?”
Stanley Kubrick (July 26, 1928 – March 7, 1999) was an American film director, screenwriter, producer, cinematographer, and editor who did most of his work as an expatriate in the United Kingdom. He is regarded as one of the greatest filmmakers of all time. His films, typically adaptations of novels or short stories, are noted for their “dazzling” and unique cinematography, attention to details to achieve realism and an inspired use of music scores. Kubrick’s films covered a variety of genres, including war, crime, romantic and black comedies, horror, epic and science fiction. Kubrick was also noted for being a perfectionist, using painstaking care with scene staging and working closely with his actors.
2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) is hailed by many as the best ever made; an instant cult favorite, it has set the standard and tone for many science fiction films that followed. Many today consider it among the greatest science fiction films ever made, as well as one of the most influential.
“DAISY, DAISY, GIVE ME YOUR ANSWER DO. I’M HALF CRAZY ALL FOR THE LOVE OF YOU.”
ARTHUR C. CLARKE Arthur C. Clarke was born in the seaside town of Minehead, Somerset, England in December 16, 1917. In 1936 he moved to London, where he joined the British Interplanetary Society. There he started to experiment with astronautic material in the BIS, write the BIS Bulletin and science fiction. During World War II, as a RAF officer, he was in charge of the first radar talkdown equipment, the Ground Controlled Approach, during its experimental trials. His only nonscience-fiction novel, Glide Path, is based on this work. After the war, he returned to London and to the BIS, which he presided in 46-47 and 50-53. In 1945 he
published the technical paper “Extra-terrestrial Relays” laying down the principles of the satellite comcommunication with satellites in geostationary orbits - a speculation realized 25 years later. His invention has brought him numerous honors, such as the 1982 Marconi International Fellowship, a gold medal of the Franklin Institute, the Vikram Sarabhai Professorship of the Physical Research Laboratory, Ahmedabad, the Lindbergh Award and a Fellowship of King’s College, London.
TECH SPECH Runtime
2 hr 21 min (141 min) 2 hr 40 min (160 min) (premiere cut)
Sound Mix
4-Track Stereo (35 mm magnetic prints) | 70 mm 6-Track (70 mm prints) | DTS 70 mm (2001 re-release)
Color
Color (Technicolor)
Aspect Ratio 2.20 : 1 2.35 : 1 (35 mm prints) Camera
Panavision Cameras and Lenses
Laboratory Metrocolor Technicolor Film Length
3,845 m (Sweden, 35 mm) 4,805 m (Sweden, 70 mm) 5,050 m (Finland, 70 mm) 5,520 m (premiere version) (70 mm) (USA)
Negative Format
65 mm (Eastman 50T 5251)
Cinematographic Process
Cinerama Super Panavision 70
Printed Film 16 mm (“flat” version) Format 8 mm (Cineavision, 1:2,35, anamorphic) 35 mm 70 mm
“THE 9000 SERIES IS THE MOST RELIABLE COMPUTER EVER MADE. No 9000 COMPUTER HAS NEVER MADE A MISTAKE OR DISTORTED INFORMATION. WE ARE ALL, BY ANY PRACTICAL DEFINITION OF THE WORDS, FOOLPROOF AND INCAPABLE OF ERROR.”
FULL CAST
(IN CREDITS ORDER) Keir Dullea Gary Lockwood William Sylvester Daniel Richter Leonard Rossiter Margaret Tyzack Robert Beatty Sean Sullivan Douglas Rain Frank Miller Bill Weston Ed Bishop Glenn Beck Alan Gifford Ann Gillis Edwina Carroll Penny Brahms Heather Downham Mike Lovell
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Dr. Dave Bowman Dr. Frank Poole Dr. Heywood R. Floyd Moon-Watcher Dr. Andrei Smyslov Elena Dr. Ralph Halvorsen Dr. Bill Michaels HAL 9000 (voice) Mission Controller (voice) Astronaut Aries-1B Lunar Shuttle Captain (as Edward Bishop) Astronaut Poole’s Father Poole’s Mother Aries-1B Stewardess Stewardess Stewardess Astronaut