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"2001" : The invention of the right angle

66.74.72.231

Posted by Bambi B on February 11, 2005 at 06:45:18

In Reply to: Kubrick2001 - The Space Odyssey Explained posted by Jeff Starrs on February 10, 2005 at 02:04:37:

Jeff,

It'odd to me that since it's release "2001: A Space Odyssey" inspires such varied interpretations as it, for me, seems a sophisticated presentation of a rather simplistic and clearly stated message.

"2001" is the story of the effects of the conceptualisation of the right angle.

Bear with me a moment!

The monolith is the spark of inspiration of first technology. The impact is tremendous as it is the only artificial object among the apes and the recognition of this artificiality creates a disturbnace. It is is this recognition - through the artificality of the right angles. The artificial object represents the conceptualization of the manipulation of the environment- tools. The monolith is endowed with it's mystical properties because technology is really a belief structure not so removed from religion: one has to believe in technology and scientific investigation in order for anything to happen. God and technology are related in that way as one can argue that if there is a supreme being that creatd everything the fact that humans have transcended their original conditions through technology can only be the result of a supreme being -or intelligent designer giving humans the ability to conceptualize. The monolith is the symbol of this ability.

The bone becomes a weapon, and here technology is shoen in it's early but constant role in the service of violence and domination.

The bone, thrown high in triumph into the air by the ape who has just killed another transforms into the Jupiter craft. If you watch the detials of Heywood's flight to the orbiting station and then to the Moon, there is s close focus on brand names- AT&T, PanAm (which did not survive to the real 2001), Black and Decker, Hilton Hotels. there are many odd, detailed operational procedures shown that produces an austere, completely de-personalized serenity. Humans are reduced to mere operators of machines.

On the Jupiter mission, the astronauts are given almost no personality- look at what's his name's ubiquitous birthday phone call- infantile conversation and mundane details of some financial arrangement. Notice the shape of the space suit helmets which were designed to make the astronauts resemble insects- the ports on the top look like big compound eyes. Technology has reduced humans to the status of insects. It is HAL- the machine- who is the only one that ever talks about feelings!- HAL is now more humans than his operators.

The rest is inevitable. HAL, understands that in a condition of hyper-technology, humnas are no longer necessary and in fact pose not only a waste of resources -HAL kills the hiberating astronauts, but also sees the others as a threat to his task.

When the machine achives more than just programming, but moves into the realm of individual ambition, tehcnology again reverts to it's original conceptutalisation of violence and domination- full circle to the apes who in first contact with it begin to kill.

HAL fro it's srimes gets disconnection and this scene is very interesting as the zero gravity space in which the disconnection is made is a double premonition of the interior of the monolith- which is also made of right angles- and brilliantly a foresight to the spherical womb of the space fetus in the final scene. When humans do deny technology it's course of de-humanisation, it must be from within.

The revisiting of the monolith is the return of the presence of the next stage of technology. Old what's his name is conducted through it and the light show is symbolic of the duality of technology, the simple, pure shape and perfect surface that technology presents in reality contains this infinite potential for complexity- but at this point reaches beyond human control. ***

***See Roland Barthes "Invisible Cities" essay , "On the New Citroen".

What's-his- name ends in the interior of technology as a zoo animal- aging in silent isolation. Notice the strange artificiality of his cage- the monolith obviously shopped from the 1968 Sears and Roebuck catalogue- even the little Roccoco decorations ar superficial and do not cut the austerity and impersonal quality of the environment. There are no signs of any human culture - no art, books, or music; just the dim rumblings of the other zoo animals can be heard in the background.

In the end, the very intelligent-looking space fetus is the reminder of our original, fragile humanity that is constantly reborn, but mysterious in inverse to the monolith, the fetus is shown floating within a sphere- the antithesis of the monolith. The womb, after all is devoid of the right angle.

As soon as a brain conceptualized the right angle, the potential destruction of humanity was set into motion.

And that's the (well, "a") meaning of "2001". And it's a work of authentic genius.

Cheers,

Bambi B

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