As straight entertainment, "2001" is superbly overwhelming with its vast array of inventive space props. The space stations and space shuttles are gorgeously realized, but are one-dimensional compared to the frightening perfection of Hal-9000, an immensely intelligent computer system which guides a space mission towards the moons of Jupiter to investigate a mysterious monolith. The Hal-9000 unit is perhaps the most frightening of film villians because of its artificiality and sinisterly monotone voice, but also because of its supreme control over the astronauts occupying the ship. Hal-9000 disconnects the life-support systems of the hibernating scientists on board (the hibernating bodies symbolically resemble corpses in coffins) and later lures another astronaut into investigating a "faulty" satellite link-up which results in the man's death. The perfection of intelligence in the Hal-9000 (of which this model has never committed a single recordable error) comes with an unexpected development of paranoia in the computer which makes it decidedly human-like. The computer system later expresses a pitying display of childish fright when the remaining astronaut begins to disconnect Hal. The disturbing demise of Hal-9000 comes as the computer begins to "feel my mind going", and sinks into a creepy senility.

One of the most unexpected, but delightful, film beginnings comes during "The Dawn of Man" sequence where prehistoric apes are provoked into human fits of aggression by a mysterious monolith. Kubrick wittily connects the prehistoric apes with the technoligically advanced human race journeying to the moon to study an uncovered monolith. In an intelligent display of editing, an ape is shown smashing a skeleton with pieces of bone flying into the air. These fragments dissolve into the image of a space shuttle floating through space. Through this connection, and the later creation of the space-child, Kubrick credits this monolith (the creation of an unseen alien race) with developing human evolvement in the science-fiction aspect of this film. But on a more profound level, this exploration into the outer reaches of space is an exploration into the soul of man to find spiritual perfection, rather than human perfection through technology.

After Hal's disconnective death, the remaining astronaut enters the monolith and is swept into the unchartered regions of the galaxy. A hallucinogenic display of flashing lights and dazzling colors accompany the astronaut by mammoth stars and solar systems into the film's oddest sequence. The astronaut is left in an earthly room after his fantastic journey and watches his image grow old and die, only to be reborn (or evolutionized) into a star-child placed in a vigil above the earth. The science-fiction aspect of this film contains religious implications by subtley connecting man's evolution from primitive ape to technologically advanced to space-child. However, on the film's more profound intellectual level, this space-child evolution is a metaphoric gesture that human progression need not be found through the exploration of undiscovered territories, but through the most familiar areas: ourselves!

What could they be? What do YOU think? This is what Stanley Kubrick tried to do with the monolith, Hal, the Star-Child, and the entire film. Many people do not "understand" 2001: A Space Odyssey. This is because they have not interpreted a mysterious thing for themselves, as the man-ape did. They have not freed their minds to come up with their own solutions, as Bowman did. This journey through 2001 is my personal interpretation, and I hope it helps you in making your own. Please see 2001: A Space Odyssey and interpret it for yourself, for only then will you understand it.

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