Space Odyssey
Stanley Kubrick, Arthur C. Clarke, and the Making of a Masterpiece
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4.7 • 34 Ratings
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- $15.99
Publisher Description
The definitive story of the making of 2001: A Space Odyssey, acclaimed today as one of the greatest films ever made, and of director Stanley Kubrick and writer Arthur C. Clarke—“a tremendous explication of a tremendous film….Breathtaking” (The Washington Post).
Fifty years ago a strikingly original film had its premiere. Still acclaimed as one of the most remarkable and important motion pictures ever made, 2001: A Space Odyssey depicted the first contacts between humanity and extraterrestrial intelligence. The movie was the product of a singular collaboration between Stanley Kubrick and science fiction visionary Arthur C. Clarke. Fresh off the success of his cold war satire Dr. Strangelove, Kubrick wanted to make the first truly first-rate science fiction film. Drawing from Clarke’s ideas and with one of the author’s short stories as the initial inspiration, their bold vision benefited from pioneering special effects that still look extraordinary today, even in an age of computer-generated images.
In Space Odyssey, author, artist, and award-winning filmmaker Michael Benson “delivers expert inside stuff” (San Francisco Chronicle) from his extensive research of Kubrick’s and Clarke’s archives. He has had the cooperation of Kubrick’s widow, Christiane, and interviewed most of the key people still alive who worked on the film. Drawing also from other previously unpublished interviews, Space Odyssey provides a 360-degree view of the film from its genesis to its legacy, including many previously untold stories. And it features dozens of photos from the making of the film, most never previously published.
“At last! The dense, intense, detailed, and authoritative saga of the making of the greatest motion picture I’ve ever seen…Michael Benson has done the Cosmos a great service” (Academy Award-winning actor Tom Hanks).
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Benson (Otherworlds) celebrates the 50th anniversary of the classic SF film 2001: A Space Odyssey with this wide-ranging, if somewhat lopsided, chronicle of the collaboration between director Stanley Kubrick and novelist-turned-screenwriter Arthur C. Clarke. It plays out as a straightforward production history but one set apart by the project's massive scale and extended gestation period, from Kubrick making first contact with Clarke in 1964, with a two-page letter proposing "doing the proverbial really good' science fiction movie," to the film's 1968 release. Unfortunately, Benson struggles to cover his protracted story, which is alternately sketchy and repetitive. Key figures, such as special effects expert Douglas Trumbull and actor Keir Dullea, are introduced quickly only to disappear for long stretches (helpfully, Benson does includes a list of major characters). In the end, this is very much Clarke's story. Even after 500 pages, the reserved, controlling Kubrick feels like a distant figure. Clarke emerges far more vividly, with Benson, who befriended Clarke near the end of his life, offering a uniquely privileged glimpse of the author's personality "an earnest manner leavened by his quick wit" and day-to-day life as a British expat in Sri Lanka. But readers will be disappointed to expend this much time on 2001 and still come away knowing only part of the story.
Customer Reviews
The Definitive 2001 History
A superb rendering of how the greatest speculative fiction story in human history was conceived, written and filmed. Masterfully told in a voice that resonates with its remarkable setting and the grandeur of its subject. Most of all, Benson captures the essence of the two brilliant intellects who came together at civilization’s last great inflection point to remind our world that our future is among the stars.
Fascinating look at the personalities and conflicts
This is a heavily researched and well-written account of the journey from inception to completion of one of the greatest and most confounding films ever made. More than anything it’s a story of how the many different personalities involved found a way to mesh together, like gears in a machine, to pull it all off. I came away with the impression that Kubrick was like a symphony conductor, and his instruments were the people who worked for him. He knew how to play them off one another to realize his vision, which was constantly evolving. Some parts of the book are a bit redundant, as if the author assumes you’ve forgotten earlier sections. But outside of that it’s a very enjoyable read for anyone interested in filmmaking or the entertainment industry.