20 Mark Essay
2001: A Space Odyssey is trying to warn that relying too much on technology will be humanity’s downfall of it carries. For example, Frank dies directly because the artificial intelligence HAL cuts off his oxygen supply. HAL does this because he is planning to abort the mission and HAL is programmed to complete the mission at all costs. As a result, to prevent the mission from being aborted, HAL murders him. Kubrick is telling us that we cannot rely solely on technology to achieve our aims, if we do disaster is bound to struck at any time. Furthermore, in cases such as HAL, Kubrick is also warning that we should not let technology become more intelligent and than us and never be allowed control over us. When we lose control we fail. This is a warning to not let technology become more advanced than we can be, human error and emotion is always preferable to whatever technology can outperform us on. A reliance on technology would lead to a near catastrophic disaster two years later on the Apollo 13 mission, where the crew nearly died in space and had to return in space because their technology failed them.
However, Kubrick is not suggesting that technology itself is a negative. He is showing that it should not be abused to the point where it can be controlled. Technology is positive and this is shown by the mise-en-scene. For example, the bright, white ship contrasts with the endless darkness of space to show that while the technology is a threat, it is also a lifeline. The ship is the only thing keeping them alive and out of the boundless emptiness of space, it protects them from death. Despite how the technology is used to control them it also keeps them safe. It is not a negative thing when used in the correct way. Kubrick is relaying this to the audience by portraying the ship in a bright white colour, it is the crew’s home and does indeed keep them alive. Technology is not a bad thing, but it must be used right.
Furthermore, Kubrick is also showing how inhumane technology is through mise-en-scene. For example, the camera cuts to HAL when he cuts off Frank’s oxygen supply. HAL is represented by a lens with a red light in the middle. Red is often used to represent evil, for example red eyes are often associated with the Devil. Kubrick has used mise-en-scene like this to show that HAL is inhuman, it is an artificial intelligence. It cannot feel emotion and so cannot be evil either. However, it is most definitely not human. Kubrick purposely made HAL inhuman because it again links back how we should never let technology control us or be more powerful than us, in this case it is embodied in the red spirit of HAL. Something with no emotion may make the most efficient decision, however, it will not always be the right one, especially in this film.
Kubrick also uses HAL to present how too much information is actually a very negative and dangerous asset to have. HAL knows all about the ship and all about what is on it, and he is always watching. In other words, he is omnipotent and omnipresent. He holds and controls all information on the ship and as such is many times more powerful than the crew. He is omnipotent and omnipresent to crew especially. HAL abuses his power and kills Frank, nobody could stop him. Kubrick is suggesting that letting our information be in the hands of artificial intelligence such as HAL will destroy us as all our weaknesses are exposed. Once again, this links to how we should not let technology become too advanced or, at the very least, more advanced than us because it should never have the ability to destroy its creator. Humanity created it and should be able to destroy it too.
In conclusion, Kubrick’s main aim is to warn future generations that relying too much on technology will end up destroying humanity. It must be restricted and controlled or else we perish.
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