Director's Chair #8 -- Day One


LAMBs in the Director's Chair
Event #8 starring Stanley Kubrick
June 8th to 10th of 2010

In the year 2001, the scientists of Earth were able to embark on a historical trip to the outer orbit of Jupiter. The cosmic road trip was made possible by the advanced computer technology similar to how GPS works here on the surface of the planet. The technology of global position was translated and adapted to the form of galactic position, which was used in the auto pilot program that allowed several human travels to reach Jupiter for a scientific research study. What no one bothered to consider was the platform in which the galactic positioning program was built upon: Windows 2000. The failed trip was documented by filmmaker Stanley Kubrick and published writer Arthur C. Clarke in what is notoriously referred to by its given name 2001: A Space Odyssey. With a semi-related footnote, I would like to mention that Arthur C. Clarke has written a report of the follow up trip in 2010 when the group of scientists returns to the orbit of Jupiter to tie up a few loose ends from the first trip back in 2001. As you may have concluded, the focus for today is 2001: A Space Odyssey along with a few other films that Stanley Kubrick has directed during his career. Placing an identifying thud upon the first day of the current installment of the LAMBs in the Director’s Chair series, it would have been careless for me if I did not storm right out of the gate with a strong opening. In receiving the highest number of reviews and articles for this event, the famous movie featuring HAL 9000, which is a semi-allusive reference to computer giant IBM, will be the opening act for Director’s Chair #8. The following list contains direct links to the articles that have been posted on each participating website who has published an article or review for the movie. Enjoy!
Why should I stop with just one movie when there are so many other good reviews to cover before the end of our three-day blogathon series? Before jumping right into another round of movie reviewing fun, it would be appropriate to take a moment and reflect upon the filmmaking career of iconic director Stanley Kubrick. There are a few participating writers who have submitted an article (or two) describing the qualities they most admire about Kubrick’s work.
Now we return to our regularly scheduled movie reviewing. For the remainder of the overview for today I would like to take a step aside from the ordinary, the expected, and the general rules of engagement by which the Director’s Chair has been played by for a while now. Three particular articles have which been submitted for the event by which I am deeming as an exception to the rule for participation. The topic within each article is relatively close enough to the focus of Kubrick’s career that it would be a loss for all of us if I were to ban the articles entirely from a proper inclusion in the event. The first exception that I would like to share with you is about the “lost” soundtrack of 2001: A Space Odyssey. The original score for the film was dismissed by Kubrick and later replaced by classical music. It would be rude for me to explain the entire scenario to you when the article does a fine job by itself.
Now for the other two exceptions I would like to share with you are reviews for a film that never was personally directed by Stanley Kubrick. Instead, this particular film was directed by a friend of his, Steven Spielberg. The film began as a science-fiction film project that Kubrick wanted to direct himself, but sadly, he died before his plans were to materialize. The film in which I am talking about is A.I. Artificial Intelligence. Since it is a project that he is considered the paternal father of creating its story, I thought it would be in the best interest to have any articles about the film to be included in this series.
Make sure to stop by tomorrow to catch the second day of the Director’s Chair series. There will be a few more reviews and articles posted covering several more of Kubrick’s films. I am sure that it will be something you will not want to miss!
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