COMMENT POSTED TO AN ARTICLE IN THE GUARDIAN
“How we made 2001”
2001 remains a remarkable film, but then Kubrick was a
remarkably talented man.
Close to everything about the film is flawless, especially
the casting. Very convincing set of actors, including, as it does, actors who
would be regarded as "relatively unknown."
Keir Dullea was so perfect for his role. His looks, his
voice, his manner all suited beautifully. The scenes near the end in which he
rapidly ages are still quite gripping, too.
His assumed-unheard discussion in the space pod with Gary
Lockwood is just great scene.
It is interesting that, although he appeared in other
pictures, Dullea never became a became a more familiar screen presence.
Kubrick, I think in part because of his intense attention to
details (such as doing his own editing), made a fairly small number of films,
all worth seeing but not all as enduring as 2001 or his early, wonderful
anti-war film, Paths of Glory, the best thing Kirk Douglas ever did and again a
film with the most exquisitely suited casting.
Kubrick's strong anti-war feelings left him as not an overly
popular figure in American establishment circles.
I noted that on his death, the New York Times - called,
accurately, the official house organ for America's establishment - did a much
less impressive obituary for him than it did for Akira Kurosawa, Kubrick being
as great a figure, in my view, as Kurosawa.
