HAL bares a striking resemblance to the monolith. Which are also the same dimensions of a blank movie screen, only vertical. Each letter of HAL’s name is also one letter down from IBM as well, fun fact. Daisy Daisy was also the first ever spoken words sung by a computer, another fun fact.
I love your take on 2001. I can see how it frustrates audiences that are used to having everything explained, but once you accept its mystery, it leaves so much room for the most awesome and wondrous interpretations. By the way, the instrumental opening music before a movie is usually referred to as an “overture,” which is a term that comes from traditional operas.
(Spoiler!) No, it’s not bad. In fact, in 2010 he’s the hero. Even in 2001 HAL is obviously affected by the Monolith and the fact there’s a bit of a conundrum with his programming.
I had the same experience at the Hollywood Theatre in Portland. 70mm was jaw dropping and there was no way to express the experience. Last night we watched The Shining in 35mm.
HAL just had a digital nervious breakdown. You can't help sick until you replace the optical chips. Hard to order replacements when your at the Jupiter orbit.
There are a number of top-level predators that kill simply because that is what they do. Polar bears Killer Whales Hyenas Almost all cats regardless of species. So humans are not alone in that aspect. Your house cat would absolutely kill you if it was big enough. 😅
Interest fact: Anthony Hopkins based part of his Hannibal Lector performance on HAL. (Google side by side photo) The close up on HALs unblinking eye, very calm controlled almost soothing voice. Hopkins almost never blinks in his close up face scenes.
Saw this a few years ago when it was released in imax for its 50th. Only 15 people in a imax theater hands down the best movie experience I have ever had .
Another awesome show Jeff. This is in my top 5 all time movies. The 4K is incredible! Wow! I would’ve driven to Boston to see this with you. (I live on Eastern L.I). I totally get the in defense of HAL point. You almost feel like Dave is committing murder as HAL is pleading with him. I really enjoy just taking movies. Thank you so much and keep going talking movies!
Nice essay overall, though if you have read the novel, HAL's breakdown is due more to a conflict in his programming: He is to ensure the success of the mission, but must keep the monolith and its existence secret from the humans until they arrive at Jupiter. To his programming those orders are contradictory, as he realizes that the success of the mission depends on them knowing what is going to happen before they get there, or the mission won't succeed. Because of a computer's literal nature, this breaks him down to where instead, he murders them, as he is the only one on the ship who knows the whole story. This explains why HAL's last act as Dave deactivates him is to play the tape of Heywood, informing Dave of the true nature of the mission as HAL dies. While plenty is left ambiguous in the film, Kubrick and Clarke wrote the script together at the same time as the novel, keeping a lot of the same ideas in both.
I was always confused by HALs plan after all the humans were dead.... it didn't seem apparent that "he" was capable of completing the mission without human support so that makes me question "his" self-proclaimed motives.
Hal had an unsolvable conundrum. HAL made an error. HAL's overreacting goal was to complete the mission. He was instructed NOT to share any of the the REAL mission. HAL also had no way to lie. So to prevent his error from being discovered, he breaks the comms satellite antenna. He was instructed to keep certain details of the mission secret. Okay. Well if the crew is dead, he did not violate this instructions. Additionally he did not actually take over the ship until all humans were no longer aboard. HAL 9000 I doubt had any actual emotions, but a rather sophisticated language model (like CHAT GPT 4).
Planet of the Apes came out the same year as 2001, and that wasn't a cheetah attacking the ape-man (not monkey) but a leopard. Cheetahs have a skinnier build and a less aggressive face.
Watched this on VHS back in 1989 when I was 15 and I was hooked! Great video BUT the bone actually transitions into a nuclear weapon. For years, I thought it was a spaceship as well, but it certainly makes sense for the first weapon apes used eventually becomes a weapon of mass destruction.
I read that HAL was actually the most sympathetic character of the film because his dialogue is the most human compared to the actual humans in the film. The rest of the human characters' dialogue was written to be very bland and robotic, hence the lack of interest in their characters.
HAL bares a striking resemblance to the monolith. Which are also the same dimensions of a blank movie screen, only vertical. Each letter of HAL’s name is also one letter down from IBM as well, fun fact. Daisy Daisy was also the first ever spoken words sung by a computer, another fun fact.
Jeff, this was a really good essay. Maybe do a follow-up about 2010?
I love your take on 2001. I can see how it frustrates audiences that are used to having everything explained, but once you accept its mystery, it leaves so much room for the most awesome and wondrous interpretations. By the way, the instrumental opening music before a movie is usually referred to as an “overture,” which is a term that comes from traditional operas.
Next video: Terminator/T2- a defense of Skynet?
(Spoiler!) No, it’s not bad. In fact, in 2010 he’s the hero. Even in 2001 HAL is obviously affected by the Monolith and the fact there’s a bit of a conundrum with his programming.
"Will I dream...?" ;)
I had the same experience at the Hollywood Theatre in Portland. 70mm was jaw dropping and there was no way to express the experience. Last night we watched The Shining in 35mm.
Judging from the title I assumed I'd disagree with this. In fact this is an excellent piece Jeff, very well argued.
I'm 49 and I can't believe I just finally watched 2001 a space odacy this year , although it was on blue ray, I can not wait to see it on 4k
The 4K is a life-changing experience.
HAL just had a digital nervious breakdown. You can't help sick until you replace the optical chips. Hard to order replacements when your at the Jupiter orbit.
There are a number of top-level predators that kill simply because that is what they do.
Polar bears
Killer Whales
Hyenas
Almost all cats regardless of species. So humans are not alone in that aspect. Your house cat would absolutely kill you if it was big enough. 😅
"I'm not bad... I'm just programmed that way..." - Jessica HAL 9000 ;)
Interest fact: Anthony Hopkins based part of his Hannibal Lector performance on HAL. (Google side by side photo) The close up on HALs unblinking eye, very calm controlled almost soothing voice. Hopkins almost never blinks in his close up face scenes.
Saw this a few years ago when it was released in imax for its 50th. Only 15 people in a imax theater hands down the best movie experience I have ever had .
Another awesome show Jeff. This is in my top 5 all time movies. The 4K is incredible! Wow! I would’ve driven to Boston to see this with you. (I live on Eastern L.I). I totally get the in defense of HAL point. You almost feel like Dave is committing murder as HAL is pleading with him.
I really enjoy just taking movies.
Thank you so much and keep going talking movies!
2001: A Space Odyssey is my favorite movie. Your analysis was spot on.
Nice essay overall, though if you have read the novel, HAL's breakdown is due more to a conflict in his programming: He is to ensure the success of the mission, but must keep the monolith and its existence secret from the humans until they arrive at Jupiter. To his programming those orders are contradictory, as he realizes that the success of the mission depends on them knowing what is going to happen before they get there, or the mission won't succeed. Because of a computer's literal nature, this breaks him down to where instead, he murders them, as he is the only one on the ship who knows the whole story. This explains why HAL's last act as Dave deactivates him is to play the tape of Heywood, informing Dave of the true nature of the mission as HAL dies. While plenty is left ambiguous in the film, Kubrick and Clarke wrote the script together at the same time as the novel, keeping a lot of the same ideas in both.
Gets wilder in the later books hal and bowman merge into one being Halman its very odd
I was always confused by HALs plan after all the humans were dead.... it didn't seem apparent that "he" was capable of completing the mission without human support so that makes me question "his" self-proclaimed motives.
Hal was not evil, it just had conflicting orders with the mission out ruling everything else.
I read that when Kubrick made 2001, humans had not yet seen a colour image of the earth from space.
Still haven'🤪
HAL and MOTHER seeks the best interest and intentions of the company, nothing to be scared of.
Hal had an unsolvable conundrum.
HAL made an error. HAL's overreacting goal was to complete the mission.
He was instructed NOT to share any of the the REAL mission. HAL also had no way to lie. So to prevent his error from being discovered, he breaks the comms satellite antenna. He was instructed to keep certain details of the mission secret.
Okay.
Well if the crew is dead, he did not violate this instructions. Additionally he did not actually take over the ship until all humans were no longer aboard. HAL 9000 I doubt had any actual emotions, but a rather sophisticated language model (like CHAT GPT 4).
Corporate profits grew faster from mid 1960s to 2001 than they did from 2001 to 2024... so im not sure what notable change there was in that regard.
Depends if you consider murdering everyone bad, I guess.
Either if HAL is defective or straight up murderous he still classifies as bad in my book. Bad program or malicious intelligence.
HAL wasn't bad, he was just a jobsworth & stickler for the rules. 😆
Just an over-enthusiastic hall monitor?
No, he's not. His behaviour can only be attributable to human error. 😅
An early example of evil AI on film
Watch, "Colossus: The Forbin Project"... ;)
he is ahead of his time...
Planet of the Apes came out the same year as 2001, and that wasn't a cheetah attacking the ape-man (not monkey) but a leopard. Cheetahs have a skinnier build and a less aggressive face.
Fantastic video! Could you do a vid on the James cameron situation?
Watched this on VHS back in 1989 when I was 15 and I was hooked! Great video BUT the bone actually transitions into a nuclear weapon. For years, I thought it was a spaceship as well, but it certainly makes sense for the first weapon apes used eventually becomes a weapon of mass destruction.
Jeff is a beta male! Voting for Kamala..lol!
I read that HAL was actually the most sympathetic character of the film because his dialogue is the most human compared to the actual humans in the film. The rest of the human characters' dialogue was written to be very bland and robotic, hence the lack of interest in their characters.