Why the stoic acting style in 2001 Space Odyssey?
One of the things that I have always found striking about 2001 A Space Odyssey is the almost mechanical acting of the human characters, especially the radio operator. I'm pretty sure it's a conscious choice on part of Kubrick, but what is it supposed to symbolize?
Best Answer
I have watched all of Stanley Kubrick's movies. He wants you to know that he's in control of the pace of the movie. You'll be fed each line when he's ready to feed it to you.
All of Kubrick's movies tend to have a lot of white space, empty space where no one is doing or saying anything; they are merely existing. Listen to the non-human pace of Nicole Kidman's character (in Eyes Wide Shut). You are hanging on every word.
Kubrick creates tension through his use of pace. The actors aren't being stoic. They are moving and speaking at a real life pace, not the pace of normal movies.
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What is the style of 2001: A Space Odyssey?
The genre of this film is as much sci-fi as it is an arthouse; it is unlike any other sci-fi film, but at the same time you can watch many sci-fi films and see its influence. It is not a dialogue heavy film, using music and visuals masterfully to keep the story moving.Why is 2001: A Space Odyssey so weird?
As the film lurched into existence\u2014without a set plot line, much less a finished script\u2014its behind-the-scenes reality often proved as outlandish as its futuristic fiction. Case in point: the anecdotes below, adapted from the new book Space Odyssey: Stanley Kubrick, Arthur C. Clarke and the Making of a Masterpiece.How did they do the special effects in 2001: A Space Odyssey?
The prehistoric Africa scenes were actually filmed in the Borehamwood studio, with second unit photography projected onto a screen behind the actors measuring 40 feet by 90 feet to provide the illusion of an outdoor scene. Front projection was also used for some of the film's outer space effects scenes.Who did the visual effects for 2001: A Space Odyssey?
The pioneering visual effects artist Douglas Trumbull, best known for his work on 2001: A Space Odyssey and Close Encounters of the Third Kind, has died at the age of 79.2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY Meaning of the Monolith Revealed PART 1 (2014 update)
More answers regarding why the stoic acting style in 2001 Space Odyssey?
Answer 2
From my perspective, it's partly to contrast HAL's childlike behavior and to also show human evolution from apes to logical beings.
Answer 3
One of the things I found interesting about the entire sequence in the Discovery is a sort of reversing: Bowman and Poole behave coldly, don't give in to emotions and seem--at least emotionally--always in control of the situation. HAL, on the other hand, is the one that cracks under pressure and panicks.
So, of all the crew, HAL is the real human character.
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