The article analyses the parallels between a Greek epic poem and one of the most important films of the 20th century, pointing out the essential characteristics all classic works tend to possess.
Keywords: classic, mythology, literature, cinema.
В статье рассматриваются параллели между двумя знаковыми произведениями искусства — древнегреческой эпопеей и одним из известнейших фильмов XX века. На основе анализа «Одиссеи» Гомера и фильма «2001: Космическая Одиссея» С.Кубрика сделаны выводы о характеристиках, которыми обладают признанные классические произведения.
Ключевые слова: классика, миф, литература, кинематограф.
When «2001: A Space Odyssey» first premiered more than 50 years ago nobody knew it would forever change the cinematic industry. Nowadays it is easily found in the lists of the most important movies in film history and continues to have influence on contemporary film production. In 1964 Stanley Kubrick contacted Arthur Clark in search of inspiration for his new film. The initial idea of the film was based on one of the stories of this science fiction author.
The «Space Odyssey» shows the evolution of the mankind since the very dawn of man until the not so distant future where the human race has to face challenges beyond our understanding and imagination. The film ends with the humanity reaching the supreme level of evolution. It is an existential work that puts in question our ability to withstand the dangers of our world — the world that we pretend to know that still turns out to be complex and multifaceted beyond our expectations. The title of the film references Homer’s «Odyssey» not only because both present us with a trip. It has more in common with Homer's work that may seem at first sight. Using archetypes and referencing ancient mythology, the film manages to appeal to our subconscious. All the important elements remain — there is the trip, the collision with the incomprehensible and always — the human being in the center of the narrative. In the end, both the Greek epic poem and «Space Odyssey» glorify humans as fearless explorers of the world around them.
Odysseus fights unimaginable monsters and comes out victorious. The characters of the film have to face monsters of another type, having to confront the very infinity of the universe. The film glorifies man’s place and role in this world. The film is a screen epic, a different form of expression of the idea that has been addressed throughout history by many philosophers of different epochs. For a work to be considered a classic it is essential to address the issues of this type. That is why these works are considered so important — what they do is transmit feelings and ideas that are beyond time or culture. Those are the ideas all can understand, the issues that at some point of our lives we all without exception have to confront. A recurring idea that many philosophers, writers and artists aspired to explore is that of the nature of human consciousness. Even with the modern achievements of science there remains something enigmatic of almost divine origin, something that we are truly far from understanding.
The search for limits of our capacity is also something that persists throughout history and seems an essential characteristic of human beings. It is a deeply human impulse to try and exceed the limits of the known world and even human consciousness in itself. In the case of the works of Homer, the central concept of the work is marked by the first line of the epic poem, promising a tale about a man. What the film uses instead are not words but images. In fact, no dialogue is heard until the twenty-sixth minute of the film, and all the dialogues constitute less than thirty percent of the overall timing. But in this case it is not the words that matter. Surrealistic images appeal to our ability to understand the messages transmitted without using words. Kubrick himself states in one of his interviews that what he intended to do was create a visual experience that skips the verbalization stage to appeal directly to our subconscious with its emotional and philosophical content. It becomes a subjective experience that affects us in the same way, for example, as music does.
In a work of classic references to other great works and great ideas tend to be important. This is how a work occupies a certain place in the immense network of culture. «Space Odyssey» makes direct reference to the concept of overhuman we find in the works of Friedrich Nietzsche. At the end of the film a new stage of evolution of the human being is presented, a supreme level of consciousness that has control over the very the laws of the universe.
It is also a film perfectly done in terms of the technical aspects. Half a century ago the technological advances we have now were not available. Even so the trip between the stars seems real, almost documented. It is incredible that this effect could be achieved by using spaceship models only a couple of meters in size. Without using advanced modern computers the creators managed to reflect the very infinity of the universe.
Like all classic works, «Space Odyssey» shows great interpretative richness — many years later the debate about the message behind the captive images of the film is far from over. Is it telling us about the imminent triumph of human consciousness? Or is it a warning against the traps in which humanity can fall on its way to progress? Is it about the search of God or finding the divine within us? The important thing is that it continues to generate doubts, ideas, interpretations and debates, motivating generations of viewers to think and reach their own conclusions about the work, finding their own answers to the questions it presents. Another essential characteristic of a classic work is that it does not give us clear answers, but instead offers us the questions for reflection.
The Homeric hero and humans of the future have to face the dangers that may seem completely different but turn out to be are surprisingly similar in their essence. In the «Odyssey» and the «Space Odyssey» we have two completely different worlds, yet both works reflect universal human experiences — it is all about the existential search that constitutes an indispensable part of what it means to belong to the human race. The impulse to go beyond the known, the urge to overcome the existing limits and comprehend the principles of the world order is what drives the progress forward and leads us to the unexplored future. And although instead of the cyclope’s eye we have the soulless gaze of the HAL, instead of Greek boats — a huge spaceship and instead of the islands lost in the sea — the galaxies of the universe, what remains is the eternal search that characterizes us as human beings.
References:
- Шорохова, Татьяна «50 лет Космической одиссее: Как создавался шедевр Кубрика» / Татьяна Шорохова. — Текст: электронный // Кинопоиск: [сайт]. — URL: https://www.kinopoisk.ru/media/article/3148824/ (дата обращения: 18.08.2022).
- Размыслович, Кирилл «Космическая одиссея 2001 года»: что с нами сделал этот фильм за 50 лет» / Кирилл Размыслович. — Текст: электронный // Мир фантастики: [сайт]. — URL: https://www.mirf.ru/kino/kosmicheskaya-odisseya-2001-goda-50-let (дата обращения: 18.08.2022).
