#ThrowBackToday: The film that pioneered visual effects, 2001: A Space Odyssey, released 53 years ago today
When 2001: A Space Odyssey released on April 2, 1968, it changed cinema, as we know it, forever. From the special effects to its aspirational goal of telling the story of human evolution, in all but 139 minutes, it created such ripples that are still felt today. All credit for creating the specific cinematic universe goes to the much-acclaimed American director Stanley Kubrick. In his own words, it is a movie about, “man’s relationship to the universe.”
How can a pair like that of science fiction novelist Arthur C Clarke and visionary Kubrick, who collaborated to work on the screenplay, go wrong? The movie is also known for being grounded in pure scientific facts while dwelling on themes like realism, existentialism and beyond. More music, less dialogue approach; the startling visual effects; music and so much more, this well-packaged story made it one of the greatest films ever made.
"You're free to speculate as you wish about the philosophical and allegorical meaning of the film — and such speculation is one indication that it has succeeded in gripping the audience at a deep level — but I don't want to spell out a verbal road map for 2001 that every viewer will feel obligated to pursue or else fear he's missed the point," said Kubrick about the film.
