Beyond Zarathustra: Nietzsche and 2001: A Space Odyssey
26 06 2008by Pedro Groppo
The usual connection between Friedrich Nietzsche’s philosophy and the 1968 film 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) is through Thus Spake Zarathustra, and it was hailed at its release by at least one contemporary review as the “first Nietzschean film.”1 Central to Thus Spake Zarathustra is the concept of man as mainly a bridge between the ape and the superman. Richard Strauss’ homonymous tone poem, one of the musical cues of the film, also invokes a reading on 2001 on Nietzschean themes. Little has been written, however, to substantiate these claims, often giving way to facile interpretations. I will argue that there are indeed confluences between Stanley Kubrick’s film and Nietzsche’s philosophy, and these are grounded on the notions of truth and abstraction, the death of God, Will-to-Power, and Eternal Recurrence. 2001 is undeniably asking ambitious questions about the nature of intelligence and humankind, its place and fate in the universe; and it can be seen as a fitting illustration of many Nietzschean ideas, properly attuned with its time and medium. This essay does not aim, however, to be a comprehensive reading of either Nietzsche or 2001, but rather discuss their connection in order to clarify aspects of both.
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Tags : 2001, kubrick, nietzsche
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