Assignment #4
I thought 2001: A Space Odyssey would prove to be an interesting subject for this post because Stanley Kubrick manages to operate between the three modes in a smooth and interesting manner. In one sense, 2001: A Space Odyssey is an example of classicism. There is a cohesive story divided into a series of acts, which follow the investigation of a mysterious monolith in space. The interactions between Dr. Heywood and his daughter, Dr. Bowman and Dr. Pool, and other main characters are filmed and edited in a classic way that serves to progress the science-fiction story.
There are also elements of realism in the film. As in his other films such as The Shining, Kubrick employs long and static shots–some lasting minutes at a time. There is also a distinct lack of sound save for a handful of iconic scores. This minimalistic realism creates an authentic feeling of loneliness and isolation that is integral to the cosmic setting of the film.
Lastly, Kubrick dabbles at times in the mode of formalism. This is most evident in the acts “The Dawn of Man” and at the end of “Jupiter and Beyond the Infinite.” Kubrick creates sequences of incoherent and surreal imagery–apes, embryos, etc.–to evoke feeling and to express poetic vision rather than to progress plot or represent reality.
An example of formalism in the film’s final act.