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[–]chottohen 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (8 children)

That music is probably more suitable than whatever Kubrick used for the ending. I can't remember. I like Kubrick but the ending of that movie I just did not get.

Later: Strauss — Thus sprach Zarathrustra

[–]Bonn1770 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (7 children)

I can explain it to you if you want.

[–]chottohen 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (6 children)

All right, I'm ready.

[–]Bonn1770 2 insightful - 2 fun2 insightful - 1 fun3 insightful - 2 fun -  (5 children)

Sure. 2001 is one of my favorite movies, and I've read the book.

Basically 2001 the movie is about the forced evolution of man by aliens.

In the "dawn of man" scenes with the ape men, the tribe of apes is starving, and competing with another stronger tribe for food and water. One morning they wake up and a large black monolith is next to their cave. The monolith gives them the knowledge of tool use and how to kill. Next time they fight the enemy tribe, the leader uses a bone tool to kill the other tribes leader, and they capture the water hole. They also kill the pigs they were living in harmony with and eat them so they survive and evolve naturally into homo sapiens.

It is worth noting the scene where the bone is used to murder the other leader is the first murder weapon. The ape man tosses it into the air in triumph, and the scene smash cuts to a bone shaped satellite in Earth orbit pointing nuclear weapons at Earth. From humanity's first weapon to humanity's last weapons, the nuclear bombs that will destroy humans.

Once humans are advanced enough to live on the Moon, they uncover a second monolith. When the sun hits it (showing man had advanced enough to trigger it) it sends a radio signal to Jupiter. They plan a space mission to find what is on Jupiter.

Once they reach Jupiter they find a third monolith floating in space. An astronaut chases it in a space pod, and experiences all the knowledge needed for mankind to survive nuclear war, just like the ape men received knowledge of how to survive starvation. The streaming colors was the experience the astronaut was having, as all the information in the universe poured into his brain all at once. At one point you see the aliens appear as kaleidoscopic diamonds pulsing and reflecting the universe in their mirrored sides. It really is a remarkable scene if you pay attention. At one point he sees the big bang, birth of the suns, planets, solar system, comets, and travels to multiple alien worlds

Once it is over, the experience has aged him greatly. The aliens are keeping him in a habitat filled with furniture and food from Earth. You can hear the aliens chattering in the background as the man goes about his day in his alien hamster cage.

Time then slips into the future and the man sees himself on his death bed. Then he is in his death bed, and the fourth and final monolith appears in his bedroom. He reaches out and falls into it and is transformed into the next level of human evolution, pure energy, or a soul like an angel. It is represented as an embryo floating in space, in an amniotic sac, orbiting Earth like a moon. Except the embryo's eyes are open, not closed, symbolic of great knowledge and empathy as he gazes at Earth, and with his mind reaches out and disables all the nuclear weapons on and orbiting Earth.

The wonderful thing about 2001 is that the movie tells you almost nothing verbally, but it shows you everything visually. In fact the scene where they do have to explain what was happening, that the second monolith sent a radio signal to Jupiter so they were planning a mission there, Kubrick made the scene as dull and dry as possible, kind of jokingly telling the audience that exposition is boring. So it is mysterious, which confused a lot of people like yourself. But if you are good at noticing details, themes, and even symbolism it is a film is a richly rewarding watch.

Hope that helps.

[–]chottohen 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (4 children)

Yes, it did help, a lot. I realized the monoliths represented stages in man's development but missed the radio signal to Jupiter detail and did not realize the space station had nukes. That would have solidified the weapons motif and served as a reference to Dr Strangelove. So, I had no idea why they were going to Jupiter. I also did not pick up on the sounds of aliens talking and that would have explained much and tied the ending scenes together for me. Your explication was excellent.

[–]Bonn1770 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (3 children)

Good, I've been explaining this movie to people for decades. First time I saw it in high school (my school had a full sized movie theater) I explained it to a confused teacher in the lobby. He asked me how I knew all this, I was like "I saw the same movie as you how did you not figure it out?" LOL

[–]chottohen 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (2 children)

My favorite Kubrick was A Clockwork Orange. I had read the book twice before it came out and the movie follows the book exactly. The author, Anthony Burgess, is one of my two or three all-time favorites, now passed away. Maybe you could start a movie review sub.

[–]Bonn1770 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (1 child)

Rest in Peace Anthony Burgess. Nadsat was the first and best meme.

[–]chottohen 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

Can ye spare some cutter, me brother? — Things have turned out very much as he predicted, my droogie.