2001 A Space Odyssey :: essays research papers

2001 was released in the tumultuous spring of 1968, at the same time that Americans were reeling from President Lyndon Johnsons promulgation that he would not seek reelection and the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr. It might count odd that so many people would get so worked up about a science fabrication movie in the middle of urban race riots and campus protests against the Vietnam War, but to many, 2001 had far greater importance than its sci-fi trappings. snarled early audiences with its non-traditional structure, theme, and presentation, the film was soon embraced by many members of a junior generation entranced by its consciousness-raising message and its psychedelic special effects. everywhere the next 30 years, the film would not only become a part of American culture, but would eventu anyy be hailed as a masterpiece of modern cinema.An examination of 2001s appeal over the inhabit three decades provides insight into the changing perceptions of a single pagan enrolment over time. Young Baby Boomers were initially attracted to the film for very various reasons than those of audiences in the 1990s. Because 2001 is unlike many other films in that it invites its viewers to hold their own subjective interpretations, it serves particularly well as a rule of thumb for contemporary social attitudes and trends. By examining the different ways that 2001 has been interpreted by its audience over that time, it reveals a great deal about evolving cultural attitudes toward issues such as technology, spirituality, and the commercialization of American society. 2001 A Space Odyssey was the deuce-ace biggest box office hit of 1968 (after Mike Nichols The Graduate and William Wylers odd Girl) and, upon the completion of its initial theatrical run, was one of the top twenty realiseing movies of all time.1 Over the next 30 years it would go on to gross over $56.7 million in the United States and $190.7 million worldwide.2 Science fiction writer Arth ur C. Clarkes companion novel of the same name has sell over four million copies worldwide,3 and his three follow-up novels to the story beget all spent several weeks on the New York Times bestseller list. unrivalled of these sequels was turned into a moderately successful film, 2010 The Year We Make Contact, released about 15 years after 2001. Audiences, critics, and filmmakers consistently rank the film among the atomic number 6 best ever made. Chicago Sun-Times critic Roger Ebert has stated that if asked which films would still be familiar to audiences 200 years from now, he would select 2001, The Wizard of Oz, Casablanca, and wiz Wars as his first choices.