“It is the year 2001. You’re on your way to a space station…"
June 2, 2014 11:15 AM   Subscribe

2001: A Space Odyssey -- A Look Behind the Future. In 1966, Look magazine released a documentary on the making of Stanly Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey and the science featured in the film. Vernon Myers, the publisher and president of the magazine, bookends the documentary, announcing that Look would feature the film in its magazine to coincide with its then-1967 release date. If you remember, Kubrick got his start in photography working for the magazine as a young man, so it makes sense that his former-employer would want to feature his upcoming film.
posted by KokuRyu (3 comments total) 18 users marked this as a favorite
 
The cut from the centrifuge set to the LEM production line does no favours to the latter. This may be the best illustration of the elision of SF and 20th century space exploration you could hope for... and that's before the traditionally off-kilter tech projections. Still haven't quite worked out why the portable data terminal of the year 2001 will have a large colour screen... showing a close-up of a golfball print head bashing away.

Warning: the meat of the doc is wrapped in a pitch to LOOK magazine advertisers to "project their corporate future plans against a backdrop revealing how all segments of American industries are anticipating the opportunities and need of the 21st century world" and "riding the crest of MGM's promotion program...". Won't come cheap, apparently, but then neither did the Louisiana Purchase.

Unpick the messages at your leisure, but remember what the future that actually transpired did for space programs and magazine publishers alike...
posted by Devonian at 3:01 PM on June 2, 2014


I posted this in the other open 2001 thread, but I'll drop it here too:

Behind The Scenes Stills From “2001: A Space Odyssey”
posted by radwolf76 at 6:30 PM on June 2, 2014


If you are a 2001 fan and are not following the 2001italia blog, it can only be attributable to human error.
posted by gubo at 8:44 PM on June 2, 2014 [2 favorites]


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