On this day in 1968, the science-fiction classic 2001: A Space Odyssey, directed by Stanley Kubrick, makes its debut in movie theatres.
Kubrick had initially risen to prominence as a director with his World War I-era drama Paths of Glory (1957). Following his work on the big-budget Roman epic Spartacus (1960), he adapted Vladimir Nabokov’s novel Lolita for the screen in 1962 before shifting to the even more controversial subject of nuclear warfare with the darkly bizarre satire Dr. Strangelove, or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964). In the spring of 1964, Kubrick collaborated with Arthur C. Clarke, a former Royal Air Force officer and chairman of the British Interplanetary Society, who had embarked on a full-time career in science fiction writing since 1951. Over the next year, they worked closely together to transform Clarke’s short story “The Sentinel” into both a movie screenplay and a full-length novel. Clarke also served as a general scientific adviser for the film.
Initially titled A Journey Beyond the Stars, Kubrick’s film had its release in April 1968 as 2001: A Space Odyssey. Seamlessly transitioning from Africa in the Pleistocene Era to a space-shuttle cabin four million years later, the film runs for about three hours and features less than 40 minutes of dialogue. Moments of complete silence or the sound of human breathing (reflecting the external and internal sensations of being inside a space suit) were punctuated by sweeping orchestral scores, including compositions by Richard and Johann Strauss. Kubrick aimed for 2001 to create a primarily visual–rather than verbal–experience, with the meager dialogue and leisurely pacing enhancing the effect of the film’s remarkable visual effects.
Despite receiving numerous negative reviews upon release–with The New Yorker’s Pauline Kael, for example, describing it as “monumentally unimaginative”–its reputation grew over the years, and it is now seen by many as Kubrick’s magnum opus and a highly significant film of the 20th century. Its expansive visual style and psychedelic special effects have directly influenced blockbuster space films like George Lucas’ Star Wars series.
During the 41st annual Academy Awards in April 1969, while the film did not achieve a nomination for Best Picture, Kubrick secured a nomination for Best Director, ultimately losing to Sir Carol Reed for Oliver! Of the four nominations, 2001 won one Academy Award, which was for Best Visual Effects.
