The Fredösphere

Many people have commented on Stanley Kubrick's brilliant choice of music for 2001:  A Space Odyssey.  By using classical standards, Kubrick maintained more personal control over his movie.  These pieces--Zarathustra, Lux Aeterna and the Strauss waltz and all the rest--were originally placeholders, music Kubrick inserted into early drafts of the film while he was waiting for the commissioned score by Alex North to be written.  (In a shameful episode, North did not find out his music was axed until he saw the film just before its release.  North's score was eventually released as an album.)

Here's a take on the film that's new to me:  2001 as a kind of visual music in three movements.  Experts discuss the film, its music, its musical nature, and what the heck the ending is supposed to mean, anyway.  (Short answer:  anything you like.)

Labels: movie, sci-fi, SoundClip