Frequently Asked Questions (pg 2)

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Opening

What's the point of the opening music?

The mysterious music heard at the beginning where there is no picture is a portion of Ligetti's Atmospheres.  Like a traditional MGM film, 2001 has an overture, as well as an Intermission that uses Atmospheres as well.  The eerie music sets the tone of the film.  With the sound of objects whizzing past, the Odyssey begins.    Top

How come there is no roaring MGM lion?

The traditional roaring lion would have interrupted the enigmatic opening.  Instead, a non moving drawing of a lion is briefly shown just as the Also Sprach Zarathustra theme starts playing.  The first title shown is "MGM Presents" so the studio is reasonably represented.  Top

Why are there no opening credits other than MGM, Stanley Kubrick, and the title?

It's the way Director Stanley Kubrick wanted it.  The film begins with the opening music.  Why should it be interrupted with a lengthy title sequence?  Kubrick did not want his audiences paying attention to movie stars.  He used actors who were not especially well known and he didn't want their names displayed.     Top

The Dawn of Man

What's with the bad gorilla suits?

The prehistoric primates here are ancestors of Man - probably Australopithecus.  They aren't supposed to look like gorillas or apes, but as some kind of mixture of Man and ape.  This is the stage of Man that just broke away from the ape, its as much a creature of instinct as it is of intelligence.  Something extraterrestrial is testing them to see if intelligence can become its primary way of dealing with its environment.   Top

I believe in creation, not evolution.  Does this mean I won't like 2001?

If you are a strict creationist who believe strictly in the Bible, yes, you are going to have a problem with 2001.  On the other hand, 2001 most definitely does not dismiss the existence of God.  In fact, it can be argued that it was God who places the monolith in the film.  If this is the case, then 2001 is saying that evolution is created by God.  Note that Clarke's novel interprets the creators of the monolith as extraterrestrials that originated "in the warm slime of a vanished sea".  That is not necessarily what the film is saying though.  This is why I always try to convince people to not use the novel as a strict explanation of the film.   Top

Earth to Moon

Why is there no title to this part of the movie when there are titles for the other parts?

The sequence of the journey from the Earth to the Moon and the subsequent discovery of a monolith on the Moon (1999?) is still part of the "Dawn of Man" sequence.  Mankind begins when the first monolith is discovered and the discovery of the second one signifies that Man has "dawned".   Top

Why did Kubrick feel he had to show every excruciating detail of the docking procedure?

There are several reasons for this.  The "waltz" between the Orion ship and the space station are indicative of machinery taking the place of Man.  The people eat, drink, and sleep while the machines are engaged in more exciting activities.  Also, the film repeatedly shows that humans and their machines don't align with each other easily.  This is a primary example of that.  Thirdly, it is realistic as to how it would actually be done if this were real.   Top

Wasn't it unusual in the 1960's to show name brand products?

Absolutely but Stanley Kubrick wanted realism with real products.  It also emphasizes that space exploration will become a commercial venture.  Therefore, we see a Pan Am spaceship, IBM computers, AT&T video phones, Howard Johnsons, The Hilton, and Whirlpool.    Top

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