Thoughts on First Class Viewings.
As a preface to my post im going to say that when I write about movies my writing style is… less than academic. I am prone to tangents, hypotheticals, over-dramatics and occasional profanity. I like to write in the way that I think because it allows me to give the reader a glimpse of my thought processes. It also allows me to get my thoughts onto paper more quickly, while they are still fresh and in the moment. This might occasionally lead to rambling, but I assure you that while I might be long (or short) winded at times I am almost always trying to keep my thoughts on point. I am open to suggestions about writing style, content, etc. That being said, lets just get on with it.
I cant really escape 2001 either. For one reason or another I always end up watching it again and always sooner than I thought. Not just for class either. I do watch movies in my spare time (why else would I be a film student). I find myself drawn back to its mysteries time and time again because It never ceases to amaze and surprise me. I dont think I will ever be able to comprehend all that goes on in the final scene. But apparently thats how Kubrick wanted it. He wanted to keep his audience guessing about what was going on. He left it up to the audience to create their own reality inside the one that he had provided them. It makes me think I dont want to know what that final scene is or what it means. But Im always curious…
When I learned that the first satellite that we see after the million-year-jump-cut is actually a missle silo, it blew my mind. I had no idea that what I thought was a communications satellite was a weapon of global destruction. It ties in so perfectly with the pacing of the film (the whole man-throws-his-weapon-into-the-skies thing). Its a detail that could add to the overall feel of the movie, but how to explain it to the audience without compromising the rest of the film?
I have tried to hide details or prompt my limited audience to think with some of my previous (and lost) films, no one saw what I was trying to do. They just chalked what seemed to be continuity errors or odd character actions to amateur film making. I haven’t really thought about putting undefinable elements in my films in a while but ill definitely have to give it thought when Im writing again.
The question now is whether or not those undefinable elements should be explained afterwards. I think that Kubrick was right in swearing his staff to secrecy to preserve the mystique and allure of his films. Should those staff members have released the details of the films? In my opinion the fact that the first satellite is a missle silo adds to my experience, however Im not sure if I want the final scene explained to me. I have many speculations about what it could mean and what each of the elements involved could be, but i dont necessarily want to be proved right. Its hard to say what should and shouldnt be revealed to an audience, but ultimately it is the choice of the director.
Tommy Bell
I know I said that I ramble and have a fairly unprofessional style of writing but its kind of hard not to write with respect considering the work discussed. On the other hand, writing about works that I have considerably less respect for usually bring out my more creatively critical side. Stay Tuned!
