From Arthur C. Clarke to a galaxy far, far away
It is curious how Stanley Kubrick relied on different works by Arthur C. Clarke to amalgamate 2001: A Space Odyssey together with the author, and then he himself took that amalgam to create the literary version of the film, which was on its own in many aspects. It is less known, yes, that After Kubrick there would come a film sequel (2010: Odyssey two) and three more novels that covered up to 3001, the “final odyssey.” In space, he who does not run flies.
Be careful what you hate
People say that Star Wars opened the drawer of successful science fiction and that George Lucas was an innovator, and it is true. But it is also true that, nine years before the beginning of his galactic saga, Kubrick paved the way and was definitely influential in two things. First, showed that quality and successful science fiction could be made (giving free rein to Lucas’s odyssey). And second, he inspired the interior of the Empire’s ships, which are designs that would not have existed without 2001.
To return the favor, Lucas introduced a nod to the film when he returned to the helm of his franchise in 1999, with the release of The Phantom Menace: at Watto’s junk shop we can see an EVA Pod that is really a replica of the famous element of 2001which at that time resembled those that NASA proposed for FlexCraft, the one-person spacecraft project.
Indeed, one tends to think that 2001 was a cult film enjoyed only by a few, but really raised 146 million dollars in 1968 against a budget of just 10 and gave a new respect to science fiction, which at that time was still similar to the B movies of the 50s. We all win.
