Kubrick told Clarke he wanted to make a film about "Man's relationship to the universe",[25] and was, in Clarke's words, "determined to create a work of art which would arouse the emotions of wonder, awe ... even, if appropriate, terror".[23] Clarke offered Kubrick six of his short stories, and by May 1964, Kubrick had chosen "The Sentinel" as the source material for the film. In search of more material to expand the film's plot, the two spent the rest of 1964 reading books on science and anthropology, screening science fiction films, and brainstorming ideas.[26] They created the plot for 2001 by integrating several different short story plots written by Clarke, along with new plot segments requested by Kubrick for the film development, and then combined them all into a single script for 2001.[27][28] Clarke said that his 1953 story "Encounter in the Dawn" inspired the film's "Dawn of Man" sequence.[29]
The screenplay credits were shared whereas the 2001 novel, released shortly after the film, was attributed to Clarke alone. Clarke wrote later that "the nearest approximation to the complicated truth" is that the screenplay should be credited to "Kubrick and Clarke" and the novel to "Clarke and Kubrick".[38] Early reports about tensions involved in the writing of the film script appeared to reach a point where Kubrick was allegedly so dissatisfied with the collaboration that he approached other writers who could replace Clarke, including Michael Moorcock and J. G. Ballard. But they felt it would be disloyal to accept Kubrick's offer.[39] In Michael Benson's 2018 book Space Odyssey: Stanley Kubrick, Arthur C. Clarke, and the Making of a Masterpiece, the actual relation between Clarke and Kubrick was more complex, involving an extended interaction of Kubrick's multiple requests for Clarke to write new plot lines for various segments of the film, which Clarke was expected to withhold from publication until after the release of the film while receiving advances on his salary from Kubrick during film production. Clarke agreed to this, though apparently he did make several requests for Kubrick to allow him to develop his new plot lines into separate publishable stories while film production continued, which Kubrick consistently denied on the basis of Clarke's contractual obligation to withhold publication until release of the film.[28]
The script went through many stages. In early 1965, when backing was secured for the film, Clarke and Kubrick still had no firm idea of what would happen to Bowman after the Star Gate sequence. Initially all of Discovery's astronauts were to survive the journey; by 3 October, Clarke and Kubrick had decided to make Bowman the sole survivor and have him regress to infancy. By 17 October, Kubrick had come up with what Clarke called a "wild idea of slightly fag robots who create a Victorian environment to put our heroes at their ease".[38] HAL 9000 was originally named Athena after the Greek goddess of wisdom and had a feminine voice and persona.[38]
For some readers, Clarke's more straightforward novel based on the script is key to interpreting the film. The novel explicitly identifies the monolith as a tool created by an alien race who have been through many stages of evolution, moving from organic form to biomechanical, and finally achieving a state of pure energy. These aliens travel the cosmos assisting lesser species to take evolutionary steps. Conversely, film critic Penelope Houston wrote in 1971 that because the novel differs in many key aspects from the film, it perhaps should not be regarded as the skeleton key to unlock it.[196]
Kubrick did not envision a sequel to 2001. Fearing the later exploitation and recycling of his material in other productions (as was done with the props from MGM's Forbidden Planet), he ordered all sets, props, miniatures, production blueprints, and prints of unused scenes destroyed.[citation needed] Most of these materials were lost, with some exceptions: a 2001 spacesuit backpack appeared in the "Close Up" episode of the Gerry Anderson series UFO and one of HAL's eyepieces is in the possession of the author of Hal's Legacy, David G. Stork.[216][241][242][243] In 2012, Lockheed engineer Adam Johnson, working with Frederick I. Ordway III, science adviser to Kubrick, wrote the book 2001: The Lost Science, which for the first time featured many of the blueprints of the spacecraft and film sets that previously had been thought destroyed. Clarke wrote three sequel novels: 2010: Odyssey Two (1982), 2061: Odyssey Three (1987), and 3001: The Final Odyssey (1997). The only filmed sequel, 2010: The Year We Make Contact, released in 1984, was based on Clarke's 1982 novel. Kubrick was not involved; it was directed as a spin-off by Peter Hyams in a more conventional style. The other two novels have not been adapted for the screen, although actor Tom Hanks in June 1999 expressed a passing interest in possible adaptations.[244]
Kenneth (7 out of 10 )
It will be great if the writer could identify which version of the movie this screenplay is based on. In the rental copy that I watched (and actually, in a downloaded DivX version), HAL says different things before he is shut off. Namely, he does not repeat as much personal information or recite PI. Perhaps this screenplay is the original script? Clarification will be appreciated.
Curtin (9 out of 10 )
Flawed, but fascinating. If anything, 70mm wasn't big enough for the story .Kenneth, the date on the script is 1965. As the film finally came out in 68, it's obviously an early draft (well, slightly early). Arthur see Clarke co-wrote this whilst simultaneously writing the novellisation, and you can pretty much tell that from the huge amounts of narration.
Squid (9 out of 10 )
I'm thirteen years of age, the time of greatest attention shortage. I gave this a 9, simply because it is not perfect, but so close. No film is perfect, or ever will be. Yet I enjoyed 2001 thoroughly. I mainly think some of these viewers are giving the film critical reviews because their expectations of the film are way off. They expect it to be some sort of action based thrill ride. But when watching this film, I suppose you should look at it as a painting. Something that should be observed, and studied. I realize I am talking to very few of you, because most gave it a 9 or 10. But to those who are doubtful, you need to realize the difference between most mind numbing films today and this. What I found odd about most of these reviews is that the script was rarely talked about. What I got from Kenneth's short review helped me realize an interesting subject. I give my 'props' to Stanley Kubrick who managed to convert this script to film. Although he probably had an idea in his head already. This script is read almost like a book, besides the conversation. Although I thought it was oddly written, but more entertaining.
jamie (7 out of 10 )
For what it's worth, I have a screenplay in hand dated July 6, 1965; it does not end in the lengthy narration as this one does; instead Bowman is in a non-descript hotel room, pulls back a drape, sees infinity, etc.
Keith (9 out of 10 )
Again, it seems a lot of people are confused about the difference between a screenplay and a movie. To have the first draft for a movie of this magnitude to compare to the final directors cut is a treasure. Thus the screenplay IS a 9, yet what Kubrick did with it is a 10+ movie. So Limey was right, and if Jamie can post the 1965 draft versus this 1989 pre-Kubrick script (more 7 or 10?) that would be really valuable..
Alfie (8 out of 10 )
A fascinating film, a fascinating book, and a fascinating script. Kubrick and Clarke worked simultaneously on all three; Clarke once said of the film versus book argument that the book should have been titled "By Clarke and Kubrick" and the film vice-versa, but of course they aren't and most people still tend to separate them when they are really one large entity, each one with different information. The script here, a '65 draft, is a weird amalgamation of the book and film as we know them (in reality it is in fact more or less the seed that sprouted both), containing the quiet cold of the film and the document-like information of the book. You can see how they hammer the point home in the script, for example, the question about Clavius is repeated three times. This is probably because they weren't sure which repetition they liked, specifically, and left all three in for later decision. As a film, 2001 is practically hostile towards the average viewer. Very little information is given; even when they directly tell you parts of the plot the presentation is perplexing (when the TV flicks on towards the end no explanation is given as to why [it was either an automatic response or a final plea by HAL]). But as a piece of art, as something other than a science fiction thriller drama film, 2001 is nearly flawless. If you know what is going on (sometimes I wish I didn't), it moves much faster and fits together much cleaner than if you don't, and then the film is almost nonsensical. Of course, this is why it pulled such a lackluster response from critics: they had absolutely no idea what to make of it. I have the feeling that if the narrator (who is entirely out of place even in this draft) and all of the exposition had been left in, the film would have been far more popular upon its first release, but I don't think it would have been a real Kubrick film (that term carries quite a lot of weight, doesn't it?), not quite, and I don't think it would be the same cultural icon it is today.
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