To Patricia…“Cloakmanor moves to Portland”
Since I cannot read ones mind I’ll post the following for the sake of discussion:
I agre with you Patricia it is very interesting how HAL not only possesses human characteristics but eventually becomes “so human” that human fault, pride, and fear ends up becoming his own destruction. As with all of Kubrick’s work his insistance on tackling the evil side of man comes through, in this way, via a computer that has been endowed with human characteristics. Apparently just enough to cause a human deed (one of evil; thus murdering the scientists in hybernation and killing Dr Frank Poole).
As you pointed out Patricia I too find it interesting how mechanized humans in the film appear. On one hand Kubrick seems to be implicating the danger of becoming “cold” and “detacthed” from our human side (as we all need emotional support and love) and yet he points out our dual nature by showing, in the form of HAL9000, the fault of becoming too human (mans dual nature is perhaps the most obvious of Kubrickian symbolism within his films).
I’m also in agreement with you observation of how Kubrick’s films seem so “uncluttered and clean” yet so full of story. I don’t think I’ve ever witnessed this to this degree from other directors. Kubrick obviously did not take his audience for idiots and wanted them to thin kas they viewed his films (especially since Kubrick did nothing but think. lol). At the same time asking us questions (partially via ambiguity) as he had so many he wanted answered. Perhaps hoping someone would have the answer? In the end this cost him dollars as so many wrote off his films as "empty (a strange charge) and boring.
John Alcott was a fantastic cinema photographer. Alcott stated that “Kubrick realy do see eye to eye on photograhpy” and I think this was the key in their collaberation.
Secondly Kubrick was always puching Alcott to give everything he had (as he did with every single person involved with his projects); helping to achieve close to perfection on each film. Also Kubrick was always the one setting up the camera, deciding where it should go, how it should be used in the scene, etc etc. The lighting was, for the most part however, left up to Alcott which he did brilliantly. Since Kubrick was a professional stills photographer early in life he obviously knew his onions. His films would never had turned out so good without Kubrick himself at the helm as most of what you see in the film is his ideas and creation. He really knew how to push people to their utter limit to achieve what he sat out to do. But nevertheless, as you stated Patricia, it is a collaberation and it’s wonderful to see them all working with Kubrick to create such brilliant films.
To Mufasa–Stanley Kubrick was so demanding on realism regarding the effects that he not only hired the top men in the business but even workers from NASA to collaberate with him on the film. His insistance on perfection was well described by effects supervisor Douglas Trumbull: “His level of quality control was astonomically near perfection and as a young man I found it hard. His mind was so insatiable and so active that he could barely sleep, he could barely stop. I found that Stanley Kubrick lived his work 7 days a week almost 24 hours a day and I think he had a hard time keepng up with his own intellect.”
It is also fascinating to realize that Kubrick created, on the set of 2001: A Space Odyssey, the very first important visial effects team. Incidently many of the people who worked with Kubrick on this flim in the visual effects department went on to become household names in the industry. Working on all three of the first Star Wars projects with George Lucas. Even with these brilliant men working for him the film would never have looked this good without Stanley Kubrick.
Okay this post is too long. Sorry. hehe