2001: The Book, The Movie, And Kubrick’s Unused Aliens.

So I just finished re-reading Arthur C. Clarke’s 2001: A Space Odyssey, one of my absolute favorite books.  And before I inevitably sit down to re-watch Stanley Kurbick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey (my absolute favorite movie) I thought I’d share some thoughts on the masterpiece.  Now, when I say “masterpiece” there may be some of you who wonder “whose masterpiece?”   Both film and book are often designated their respective creator’s “masterpiece” so which came first?  Was the movie an adaptation of the book?  Or was the book an adaptation of the movie?  The answer is neither.

A different Discovery One.

2001 was the creative collaboration of two artists, each a master of their craft.  Sometime in the mid 1960s, Kubrick approached Clarke with the intent of making, what he joked, “the proverbial good science fiction movie”.  Clarke suggested adapting a few of his short stories, most notably “The Sentinel.”  Together, over the course of a few years, Kubrick and Clarke created the framework of their novel/film (sadly, I’ve never read – or been able to find – The Lost Worlds of 2001, a companion book, written by Clarke a few years after the film’s release, chronicling the collaboration.) Pleased with the result, each went off and did what they did best:  Clarke wrote one of the greatest sci-fi novels of all time.  And Kubrick make one of the greatest sci-fi films of all time (if not the greatest.)

Encounter with TMA-2.

Any fan of the movie, or fan of the book for that matter, will immediately note a handful of differences between the two. Many of the changes came about due, as they often are, to budgetary reasons; others due to Kubrick’s desire to make the film more cerebral.  Probably the most notable difference is that, in the novel, Discovery One’s mission is to Saturn, not Jupiter, as it is in the film.  Other differences found in the novel include a slightly different looking monolith, an explanation for Hal’s neurosis, and a much more descriptive, and comprehensible, Stargate sequence.

The Stargate? On Japetus? Or the Monolith? On the Moon?

Oh… and least I forget, a dramatically different homicide attempt by Hal (hey, look at me not ruining it for you!)

A sailor's funeral. In space.

As for the Stargate sequence, I find it amazing that both the film and the novel’s sequences differ so greatly yet both are my favorite moments of each.  The film’s sequence is one of the trippiest, mind-blowing, thought provoking scenes ever shot… as well as inventive.  Without question, my favorite scene from any movie I’ve ever seen.  The book’s sequence, though much more descriptive and far less mysterious, is equally trippy, mind-blowing, and thought provoking… as well as imaginative.  Undoubtedly, my favorite chapter from any book I’ve ever read.

Getting comfortable. In a deleted scene.

It’s interesting that early drafts of the script, as well as early storyboards and effects tests, are much more similar to the novel.   It’s kind of fitting the film evolved so far from the other considering a central theme between the two is man’s evolutionary destiny. And what’s really crazy…

Kubrick even considered including the actual aliens grooming Bowman in his film:

Kubrick's aliens.

Note: all of the images in this post come from Douglas Trumbull’s website.  Trumbull was Special Photographic Effects Supervisor on 2001: A Space Odyssey and, much like Kubrick, was/is a master of his craft.  Some of the greatest special effects of the 70’s, 80’s, and ‘90s came from this man (including Back to the Future The Ride!)  His website itself is a spectacular resource; I highly recommend you check it out and appreciate his work.  You can find a lot more 2001 concept art, storyboards, and model work here!