2001: Stanley Kubrick (Part 1)

This is the fourth and final episode of the 2001: A Space Odyssey mini-series. It is in two parts. This is part 2. The audio at the beginning of both parts is taken from a 1965 interview recorded by physicist and writer Jeremy Bernstein. You can follow the podcast on social media on Threads, Instagram and Bluesky. If you would like to become a patron of the podcast, you can join Patreon and for £3 or $3 a month you can get ad free version of the show. https://www.patreon.com/everyscififilm Nathan Abrams is a professor in Film at Bangor University, he has written extensively about film and about Stanley Kubrick including co-writing the 2024 biography Kubrick: An Odyssey. Rodney F Hill is a Professor of Film at the Lawrence Herbert School of Communication at Hofstra University and has written extensively about film including co-writing The Encyclopedia of Stanley Kubrick. Filmworker (2017) is mentioned by Rodney. It is a documentary directed by Tony Zierra. You can learn more about Tony Frewin and Douglas Trumbull on their Wikipedia pages. Both these men worked for Kubrick during 2001: A Space Odyssey and went on to do amazing things. Chapters 00:00 Introduction 00:59 Reactions to 2001 04:40 Critic Pauline Kael 10:02 Kubrick's Control 14:03 Other directors and the filmmaking process 18:08 Monastic devotion to his art 20:10 Investing in youth 23:18 Anecdotes 24:41 Post 2001 challenges 31:30 Legacy 37:36 Recommendations   Recommendations: 2001: Filming the Future by Piers Bizony Stanley Kubrick: New York Jewish Intellectual by Nathan Abrams Space Odyssey: Stanley Kubrick, Arthur C. Clarke, and the Making of a Masterpiece by Michael Benson Planet of the Apes (1968)   THE NEXT EPISODE! What!? Is the mini-series done? Yes it is. It's been a lot. And in two weeks we move on to The Night of the Living Dead by George Romero. The film is widely available and you have two whole weeks to find it.

This is the fourth and final episode of the 2001: A Space Odyssey mini-series. It is in two parts. This is part 1. I've decided to split the episode up into two parts to make them a friendlier, more digestible length. Both episodes will be released at the same time so you can go crazy and listen to all of it at once if that's your thing! The audio at the beginning of both parts is taken from a 1965 interview recorded by physicist and writer Jeremy Bernstein. If you are feeling a little like a 14th century Medici and would like to become a patron of the podcast, you can join Patreon and for £3 or $3 a month you can get ad free version of the show. https://www.patreon.com/everyscififilm  (I must insist you are aware that despite all their immense wealth and fame, the Medici's didn't actually patronise a single podcast! Not even once!) You can follow the podcast on social media on Threads, Instagram and Bluesky. This week's guests will try and fit the life of an exceptional man into a teeny tiny space (well, around one hour and twenty minutes) and they do it so well. Nathan Abrams is a Professor of Film at Bangor University, he has written extensively about film and about Stanley Kubrick including co-writing the 2024 biography Kubrick: An Odyssey Rodney F Hill is a Professor of Film at the Lawrence Herbert School of Communication at Hofstra University and has written extensively about film including co-writing The Encyclopedia of Stanley Kubrick Two of Kubrick's long time projects were a film based on Napoleon's life and a film based on the Holocaust which has become known as The Aryan Papers.   Chapters part 1 00:00 Introduction 01:20 Kubrick the early years 03:16 First camera and Look magazine 05:14 The Jewish Bronx 06:09 School 09:02 Earning a living in NY 10:51 Ruth Sobotka 11:38 Pre Spartacus 18:06 Not giving credit 25:05 Themes in his film 28:16 Humour 31:29 2001 33:26 God concept through a Jewish lens     THE NEXT EPISODE! Well, the next episode it part 2 and it's already available but then we move on to The Night of the Living Dead by George Romero. The film is widely available and you have two whole weeks to find it!

We have reached over halfway through the 2001: A Space Odyssey mini-series! Today's episode (which is episode 3) I will be speaking to an amazing sound designer and a musicologist (yes that's a real job) to delve into the delights of the very spectacular sound design involved in the greatest sci-fi film of all time*. As always, there are spoilers ahead! In addition to ones about 2001: A Space Odyssey there are light to medium spoilers for Odyssey (2026) and Paths of Glory (1957) You can follow the podcast on social media on Threads, Instagram and Bluesky.  If you are feeling rich and generous and would like to be a patron of the podcast, you can join Patreon and for £3 or $3 a month you can get ad free version of the show. https://www.patreon.com/everyscififilm   A few notes from the conversation: • Foley Sound Effects were named after Jack Foley who pioneered recording everyday sounds for the use in films in post-production all the way back in the late 1920s when sound was all brand new and shiny. (In film of course, although there is no evidence to suggest the whole world was absolutely silent before he came along. How could we ever know?) • Midge mentions the Moog synthesiser which had actually been invented in 1964 but had not proliferated until Wendy Carlos released Switched on Bach in October 1968. • I seem to have failed to mention the Stargate sequence when talking about dissonance and micropolyphony but the effects are in the background and if you watch the video you'll see it. Apologies.   I am so lucky to have two amazing guests to break down the sound of the film. Midge Costin is Professor Emeritus of Cinematic Arts at USC and a retired Hollywood sound designer of multiple Blockbuster films. She is also produced & directed the award winning, and very fantastic, feature documentary, Making Waves: The Art of Cinematic Sound. (Honestly this is a very inspirational and engaging documentary and I would highly recommend it!) Christine Gengaro is a professor of music at Los Angeles City College, she has a PhD in Musicology and is author of the book Listening to Stanley Kubrick: The Music in His Films.   Chapters 00:00 Introduction 01:58 Sound in Cinema 07:59 2001: Before the Dawn of Man 12:21 Also Sprach Zarathustra 18:11 Micropolyphony and what it does 22:18 Silence in Spaaaaace! 26:08 Breathing (in Spaaaaace!) 27:58 POV sound 29:54 HAL 31:42 Cultural context of the cold cosmonaut 34:25 The choice of old-fashioned music 41:55 The twee nature of Waltzes 44:51 Ligeti's lawsuit 48:33 Bookends 53:09 Legacy 56:49 Recommendations     Recommendations Making Waves: The Art of Cinematic Sound (2019) Gravity (2013) Interstellar (2014) Kubrick: An Odyssey by Robert P Kolker and Nathan Abrams   THE NEXT EPISODE! The next episode we will be discussing the man behind the movie! Kubrick experts Nathan Abrams and Rodney F Hill will grace us with their wonderful brains! IN the meantime you can watch Night of the Living Dead (1968) as we will be heading for a zombie flavoured detour after the mini-series is over.     *Almost

"Please read the show notes!" She screamed into the void of a blank page. (I realise no one apparently reads the show notes but this time I genuinely think it might be useful to you.) This is episode two of the 2001: A Space Odyssey mini-series! I like to keep episodes under an hour to make them digestible but there is a 15 minute longer version of the episode available for Patreon members or to buy as a one off for £3 or $3. You can find it here: https://www.patreon.com/everyscififilm It is being released early because I am going on holiday and I have no idea how great my internet is going to be or how often I'll be able to check it while I am away. (I do know that in the summer of 2024 it once took somewhere between 3 and 6 hours to upload the podcast from my mum's house.) We have two more episodes to go (one about the sound and the other about Kubrick). If you missed the first episode I would suggest you go and take a listen to both parts. If you have not watched 2001: A Space Odyssey you can find an overview of it here on the Wikipedia page. I have also mentioned the IMDB page during the episode and the full list of credited cast and crew can be found here: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0062622/fullcredits/?ref_=tt_cst_sm This episode is about some of the mind-blowing, ahead of their time (by at least 11 years or so when Star Wars came along) and fantastical special effects of the film. I never watch videos for podcasts myself, but I would perhaps consider it for this episode as Paul expresses the practicalities of special effects quite well with hand gestures. There are clips of the special effects you may want to look at. You can find the video on YouTube and on Spotify. As always, there are spoilers ahead! You can follow the podcast on social media on Threads, Instagram and Bluesky.  The special effects for 2001: A Space Odyssey were shocking in 1968 but still amaze almost sixty years later. I have managed to procure two heavyweight guests to talk us through this mammoth achievement. (I wanted to make an ape pun but I remembered I don't actually like puns.) Paul Franklin is a Special Effects Supervisor for many blockbuster films including the Dark Knight series and has won Oscars for his work on Interstellar and Inception. Julie Turnock is Professor of Media and Cinema studies at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign she has written extensively about special effects in cinema including in Kubrick's 2001: A Space Odyssey. Chapters 0:00 Intro 01:35 Special vs Visual Effects 06:12 Impact of 2001 A Space Odyssey special effects 12:45 Douglas Trumbull and more 29:03 The Discovery centrifuge 33:38 A slow visionary film 39:35 Defying gravity 41:47 Joy Sneddon's moon 43:51 The floating pen 45:34 Front projections on The Dawn of Man 49:53 Legacy 54:36 Recommendations   Recommendations: The Lost Worlds of 2001 by Arthur C Clarke Bodies in Space: Film as "Carnal Knowledge" by Annette Michelson: https://www.artforum.com/features/annette-michelson-on-stanley-kubricks-2001-a-space-odyssey-210883/   NEXT EPISODE! I shall be speaking about the music and sound of 2001: A Space Odyssey so no need to watch any films in the meantime. If you are extra eager about what comes after the mini-series, I will be taking a detour (kind of) to discuss the 1968 origin of the modern zombie: The Night of the Living Dead.

As always there are spoilers ahead! This is episode one of a four-episode mini-series. To make things even more confusing Episode 1 has two parts. This is part 2. If you have arrived here before treading the ground of part 1 turn back now!  The idea is to most definitely watch the film before listening to the episode. If you don't want to do that and still want an overview of the film and the plot you can check out the Wikipedia entry here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2001:_A_Space_Odyssey Please refer to these very show notes for some extra information or clarification. (Yes I'm repeating the same text from part 1. Do you even know how busy I've been and now I must copy and paste to get this out on time!)  You can follow the podcast on social media on Threads, Instagram and Bluesky. If you have money to invest in further space or other scientifically romantic adventures and would like to be a patron of the podcast, pay heed! You can join Patreon and for £3 or $3 a month you can get ad free version of the show. https://www.patreon.com/everyscififilm Thankfully my two guests are heavy weight bearing beams (of light?). I am indeed getting my metaphors in a mix. That makes no sense. Apologies.  Michael Benson is an artist, filmmaker and author of a range of exciting books including the magnificently comprehensive 2018 Space Odyssey: Stanley Kubrick, Arthur C. Clarke, and the Making of a Masterpiece. Scott Bukatman is a cultural theorist and Professor of Film and Media Studies at Stanford University. He has written extensively about popular culture with a focus on how it mediates between modern technologies and the human experience. He is also the author of the wonderful BFI book on Blade Runner. Clarification: The quote I use near the beginning "Politics and religion are obsolete. The time has come for science and spirituality" originates from Indian philosopher Vinoba Bhave. Arthur C Clarke used the quote in a keynote address. Kubrick underlines the second half in his copy of the speech. (Michael then goes on to open his fantastic book with this quote.) 28:25 The concept of a technological singularity is a theoretical scenario in which technology increasingly becomes so advanced that is has unpredictable and irreversible effects ono humanity. 34:13 JPL is short for Nasa's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in California.  48:23 Mad magazine's parody of 2001 is available to view here: https://www.tumblr.com/keirdullea/34795391907/201-minutes-of-space-idiocy-a-mad-magazine Lastly: I concede that my internet search for the giant baby may have led me to some very dubious sources.    Chapters 00:00 Introduction 19:00 The Sublime 11:30 Kubrick's minimalism 20:32 HAL 34:58 Doug Trumbull and George Lucas' Star Wars droids 37:57 Slow pace and filming restrictions 39:58 Legacy 46:50 Recommendations for the listener   Recommendations Childhood's End and The Sentinel both by Arthur C Clarke 201 (minutes of) A Space Idiocy by Mad Magazine. (Link above)   NEXT EPISODE! In the next episode we will be prepping to discuss the special effects of 2001 in two weeks' time! 

As always there are spoilers ahead! As we chronologically venture through science fiction history it is finally time to examine one of the heaviest of heavyweight sci-fi films. 2001: A Space Odyssey. The idea is to most definitely watch the film before listening to the episode. If you don't want to do that and still want an overview of the film and the plot you can check out the Wikipedia entry here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2001:_A_Space_Odyssey This is episode one of a four-episode mini-series. To make things even more confusing Episode 1 has two parts. This is part 1. Part 2 is also out. (Why two parts? Because I prefer a more digestible length of podcast.) Please refer to these very show notes for some extra information or clarification. You can follow the podcast on social media on Threads, Instagram and Bluesky. If you have money to invest in further space or other scientifically romantic adventures and would like to be a patron of the podcast, pay heed! You can join Patreon and for £3 or $3 a month you can get ad free version of the show. https://www.patreon.com/everyscififilm This is the longest episode I've ever recorded (hence the two parts) and I simply couldn't cut much of it down because of my phenomenal guests. Michael Benson is an artist, filmmaker and author of a range of exciting books including the magnificently comprehensive 2018 Space Odyssey: Stanley Kubrick, Arthur C. Clarke, and the Making of a Masterpiece. Scott Bukatman is a cultural theorist and Professor of Film and Media Studies at Stanford University. He has written extensively about popular culture with a focus on how it mediates between modern technologies and the human experience. He is also the author of the wonderful BFI book on Blade Runner (which we will get to in good time). 34:48 The literal translation of "alte kackers" which is how Stanley Kubrick's wife Christiane described the people at the premiere is "old shitters".   Chapters 00:00 Introduction 02:43 Childhood cinematic experiences of the film 07:31 Not understanding the film 09:57 The impact on sci-fi cinema 10:28 The proverbial good science fiction film 14:35 The philosophical nature of science fiction 17:09 Kubrick and Clarke in the mid 60s 21:26 Initial intentions 25:46 Special effects and immersion 33:04 The reception of the film 46:32 The ape arm throws a bone 51:15 Kubrick and improvisation 53:52 Outro to part one   NEXT EPISODE! The next episode is already out and it's part 2 of this discussion! After that we will be prepping to discuss the special effects of 2001: A Space Odyssey in two weeks' time.

As usual there are spoilers ahead! You can follow the podcast on social media on Threads, Instagram and Bluesky. If you have an air of gravitas and money to spend and would like to be a patron of the podcast, please do! You can join Patreon and for £3 or $3 a month you can get ad free version of the show. https://www.patreon.com/everyscififilm The novel Planet of the Apes was released in 1963 in France by French author Pierre Boulle. In that same year publicist Arthur Jacobs bought the screen rights while he was looking for something "like King Kong". Five years later in 1968 the film was released with one of the most famous twist endings of cinematic history. The film is a fun "off-planet" sci-fi adventure story with heavy commentary on societal expectations and standards. I have two lovely guests to help us understand this sci-fi classic. John Wills is a Professor of American Media and Culture at the University of Kent. He has written lots about popular culture including his new book Doom Town USA Phil Nichols is Senior Consultant to the Ray Bradbury Center at Indiana University, and formerly Film & Television course leader at the University of Wolverhampton. The Scopes trial was a 1925 case in the USA in which a teacher was accused of violating the law by teaching evolution in schools. The trial was set up on purpose to challenge the Butler Act which prevented the teaching of evolution. Chapters 00:00 Introduction 01:20 Book vs film 03:53 Arthur Jacobs 06:28 From astronaut to animal 11:10 Simian society 15:43 Concepts of civility 20:07 Western vibes 22:39 The Trial 26:40 Race 32:46 1968 USA 39:25 The twist ending 42:34 Liberty in ruins 47:37 Legacy 52:18 The brains behind the ending 53:19 Recommendations   Recommendations Inherit the Wind (1960) Soylent Green (1973)   NEXT EPISODE! Eep! It's finally here. I tried to put it off for as long as I could but the 2001: A Space Odyssey mini-series will begin next week with a two-part first episode.  The film is available widely. According to Just Watch (where you can find the availability in your region) it is included in the HBO subscription in the USA and Australia. In Canada it's included in the Crave subscription. In the UK it's Prime video and Now Cinema.  But the film can also be bought or rented online from many outlets including Apple, Fandango, Spectrum and Prime. Or you could buy a fancy DVD of it to add to your collection.

As always, there are spoilers ahead.  You can follow the podcast on social media on Threads, Instagram and Bluesky.  If you have an air of gravitas and money to spend and would like to be a patron of the podcast, please do! You can join Patreon and for £3 or $3 a month you can get ad free version of the show. https://www.patreon.com/everyscififilm  Graphic novels and comics were widely considered to be for children in the early 1960s. It was a relatively small number of artists and publishers who were working to have comics seen as a viable form of art as well as making comics for adults.  Although the history of comics for adults is definitely older, this period marks a surge in European interest in the medium. Famous film producer Dino de Laurentiis helped this when he bought the filming rights to adult comics Diabolik (from Italy) and Barbarella (from France) turning them both in to movies in the 1960s. De Laurentiis originally wanted Bridget Bardot for the title role and after she turned it down, he looked to Sophia Loren who did the same. His third choice was Jane Fonda who initially rejected the script until her then husband Roger Vadim convinced her to take it. Vadim joined as Director and the rest is kitschy sci-fi history. I have two fantastic guests to talk through this swinging 60s sci-fi space opera oddity.  Lisa Yaszek is Regents' Professor of Science Fiction Studies at Georgia Tech and has written/edited extensively on science fiction.  Hugo Frey is Professor of History at the University of Chichester. He has a special interest in graphic novels and is co-author of the 2026 book The Look of the 1960s. Barbarella and the Pulp Pop Comics. CORRECTION: In the question about the legacy of Barbarella I say Star Trek when I mean Star Wars.     Chapters 00:00 Introduction 02:17 Sci-fi precedence 03:45 Barbarella comic origins 06:31 1960s France and the rise of adult comics 09:37 Jane Fonda playing it straight 10:59 Jean Claude Forest 12:22 Jane Fonda: Body dysmorphia and sexploitation 14:01 Censorship 19:19 Pop Art and design 26:56 Big hair and science fiction 32:24 Terry Southern 35:50 UK vs US reception 41:48 Government girl with a gun 44:22 A progressive Barbarella? 46:48 Masculinity and femininity 55:37 Recommendations   Recommendations: Born in Flames (1983) Bardot, Deneuve and Fonda: The Memoirs of Roger Vadim Catching Fire: The Story of Anita Pallenberg (2024)   NEXT EPISODE! Next episode we will be talking about The Planet of the Apes (1968). Planet of the Apes is available to rent or buy from major online platforms including Apple TV. It is also available on Disney+ in the UK. You can check the Just Watch website to find where it may be streaming in your region.

Translation for the intro: A race against time. Office time against outside time. Who's winning? I don't know yet.   Apologies as I am coming down with a heavy cough and need sleep. I am so out of it that I almost forgot that it is release day! But I jumped out of bed with quite a shock and here you have the episode. Phew! As always, there are spoilers ahead. You can follow the podcast on social media on Threads, Instagram and Bluesky. If you have an air of gravitas and money to spend and would like to be a patron of the podcast, please do! You can join Patreon and for £3 or $3 a month you can get ad free version of the show. https://www.patreon.com/everyscififilm   1968's Je t'aime, je t'aime (AKA I Love You, I Love You). A wonderfully unusual science fiction film about memory, love and loss by French New Wave director Alain Resnais. If you would like an overview of the plot you can find it on the Wikipedia page here. The time code after the beep (indicating the discussion about sexual violence is done) 50 minutes and 40 seconds. I have two magnificent guests! Mark Bould is a professor of Film and Literature at the University of West England, Bristol. He has written/edited extensively about science fiction cinema. Mani Sharpe is a lecturer in Film Studies at the University of Leeds. He is the author of the book Late-Colonial French Cinema: Filming the Algerian War of Independence. At one point Mark mentions Tlön, Uqbar, Orbis Tertius by Jorge Luis Borges and I'm mentioning it here as I had to look it up and it might be on interest. Chapters 00:00 Introduction 01:42 Alain Resnais 07:20 France in 1968 11:27 Cancelled Cannes Film Festival 13:51 Editing and Chronology 20:10 Continuity conventions 24:33 Editing words and memories 33:23 Unreliable Narrator 39:05 The film watching experience 44:21 Loss and heartbreak in sci-fi 50:55 Legacy 55:05 Recommendations   Recommendations New Rose Hotel (1998) by Abel Ferrara Alain Resnais by Emma Wilson     NEXT EPISODE! Wish me luck as I attempt to arrange an episode on Barbarella in two weeks. As this hasn't been finalised I would suggest that you might also like the watch Planet of the Apes just in case should the fates be tricky! Both of these films are quite easy to find to rent.

Translation for Intro:  "Fire Dragon can reduce Tokyo to ashes in just a few hours." Godzilla ROARS. "It's Godzilla!" As always there are spoilers ahead! You can follow the podcast on social media on Threads, Instagram and Bluesky. If you have like to wear a monocle and talk about fancy artisan cheeses maybe you would like to be a patron of the podcast? Luckily neither of those things are a requirement! You can join Patreon and for £3 or $3 a month you can get ad free version of the show. https://www.patreon.com/everyscififilm If you are interested in the plot of the film you can read an overview on the wikipedia page here.   Correction: In the intro I say Japanese Air Base when I mean Japanese Moon Base. Welcome to the podcast! TIME FOR PANIC TO ENSUE!!! We are in 1968! It's finally here! Am I ready for the 2001: A Space Odyssey? No, I am not! But I'm getting there. Please bear with me.  In the meantime, I shall distract you with a chat about one of the most visually delightful of Kaiju Films (Although one of our guests' recommendations may have it beat in visual delights). You can see an array of the stills from Destroy All Monsters on my Instagram account. This is the swinging 60s Japan style! In 1968 ToHo studios decided to wrap up the Godzilla Franchise with a big bang! A Kaiju extravaganza featuring 11 monsters. Let me list them for you. Godzilla  Rodan Angurius Mothra (very tragically in larva form) Gorosaurus  Minilla (Godzilla's son who gives me the creeps. Sorry!) Kumonga Baragon Manda Varan King Ghidorah  Due to international success the franchise continued on. Hoorah! I have two gargantuan guests for you. (They actually are, as far as I am aware, human sized although I have no proof.)  Yuki Miyamoto is Professor of Religious Studies and Director of the Humanities Center at DePaul University. Her work focuses on the ethics around nuclear discourse. Blair Davis is a Professor of Media and Cinema Studies at DePaul University. He has written a lot about cinema and comics and including the book The Battle for the Bs: 1950s Hollywood and the Rebirth of Low-Budget Cinema. Chapters  00:00 Introduction 01:33 Sci-Fi films from 1950s to 1968 03:14 Comparison to Godzilla 1954 05:23 1960s Japan 08:49 Blair's love of the film 09:59 The intentions behind the film 11:14 The 'Monster Rally' tradition 13:53 Visual delights 14:36 The first 10 minutes 18:22 The island connections 21:14 The Showa Era and Japan on the global stage 24:49 Aliens! The Kilaaks 29:38 The Izu Peninsula and Shogun 30:16 The Kaijus 40:17 The final battle 43:12 A changing Godzilla 46:52 Legacy 49:26 Recommendations   Recommendations: Godzilla vs. Hedorah (1971) Godzilla in Hell by James Stokoe    NEXT EPISODE! Next episode (if all goes well) we will be talking about the Je t'aime, je t'aime (1968) which is available on BFI player in the UK (which is accessible through Apple TV) but seems very elusive elsewhere. There is a version on YouTube but it is in French. The English title (I Love You, I Love You) did not seem to help. The BluRay is also available but for slightly silly prices outside of the UK from what I can see. I wish you luck in finding it!