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Top Picks: All Books
Space Odyssey
Space Odyssey
Stanley Kubrick, Arthur C. Clarke, and the Making of a
Masterpiece
by Michael Benson
Price: $30.00 (Hardcover)
Published: April 03, 2018
Rating: 0.0/ 5 (0 votes cast)
From the Publisher: Celebrating the fiftieth anniversary of the film’s
release, this is the definitive story of the making of 2001: A SpaceOdyssey , acclaimed today as one of the greatest films ever made,
including the inside account of how director Stanley Kubrick and writerArthur C. Clarke created this cinematic masterpiece. Regarded as amasterpiece today, 2001: A Space Odyssey received mixed reviews on its1968 release. Despite the success of Dr. Strangelove , director Stanley
Kubrick wasn’t yet recognized as a great filmmaker, and 2001 was
radically innovative, with little dialogue and no strong central character.Although some leading critics slammed the film as incomprehensible andself-indulgent, the public lined up to see it. 2001 ’s resounding commercial
success launched the genre of big-budget science fiction spectaculars.
Such directors as George Lucas, Steven Spielberg, Ridley Scott, and James
Cameron have acknowledged its profound influence. Author MichaelBenson explains how 2001 was made, telling the story primarily through
the two people most responsible for the film, Kubrick and science fictionlegend Arthur C. Clarke. Benson interviewed Clarke many times, and has
also spoken at length with Kubrick’s widow, Christiane; with visual effects
supervisor Doug Trumbull; with Dan Richter, who played 2001 ’s leading
man-ape; and many others. A colorful nonfiction narrative packed withmemorable characters and remarkable incidents, Space Odyssey provides a
360-degree view of this extraordinary work, tracking the film from Kubrick
and Clarke’s first meeting in New York in 1964 through its UK production
from 1965-1968, during which some of the most complex sets ever madewere merged with visual effects so innovative that they scarcely seemdated today. A concluding chapter examines the film’s legacy as it grew
into it current justifiably exalted status.
Rate This Book
Add To Wishlist
|Rate/Review Add To Bookshelf
Get This Book
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you can get this book.Share This Book
About The Author
Michael Benson
Michael Benson works at the intersection of
art and science. An artist, writer, and
filmmaker, he’s a Fellow of the NY Instituteof the Humanities and a past Visiting Scholarat the MIT Media Lab’s Center for Bits andAtoms. In addition to Space Odyssey he has
written such books as Cosmigraphics:Picturing Space Through Time , a finalist for
the Science and Technology award at the2015 Los Angeles Times “Festival of Books.”
Benson’s planetary landscape photography
exhibitions have been shown internationally.
He has contributed to many publicationsincluding The New Yorker , The New York
Times , The Washington Post , The Atlantic ,
Smithsonian , and Rolling Stone . Visit
Michael-Benson.net.
Release Info
List Price: $30.00 (Hardcover)
Published: April 03, 2018
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Pages: 320
ISBN 10: 1501163930
ISBN 13: 9781501163937
What We Say
Everyone knows about Stanley Kubrick's science fiction masterpiece "2001: A Space Odyssey." Even if you've never seen it,
you've seen clips from the film or at least parodies of the film -- just its name alone will start the stirring strains of "Also
Sprach Zarathrustra" ringing in your ears. It's a landmark film that still stuns with its special effects (all hail hand-craftedmodels over the purely digital!) and utterly confuses the literal-minded. As a kid, I had to read the novelization by ArthurC. Clarke to grasp what the hell was going on. We've caught up to the film's elliptical nature, so it may not be quite as
confounding today for a new viewer. If you haven't watched it yet, you must. And once you do, you may well become
obsessed. And if you do get obsessed, you might want to read Michael Benson's thorough coverage about the making of thisfilm. It's strictly for fans of Kubrick and/or the film itself -- all but ardent admirers will be bored during early passagesabout what was shot when and how and by whom. Benson speaks to many participants and creates good drama out of hismaterial, but it doesn't come quite to life on its own terms as a story. Yet if you care about filmmaking, you'll discover
fascinating information about the endless creativity on display, how a brilliant director can frustrate and inspire everyone
around him and the improvisation that is inherent in even the most meticulously planned production. Though Kubrick was asprepared and painstaking as possible, a film with no finished script is hardly one destined for a casual shoot. I was surprisedto hear how this director noted for his controlling image was hugely open to ideas, the way he thrust responsibility on
newbies with little to no track record and -- after all that -- how petty he could be about giving credit where credit was
due. It's all here (to a fault), from the first meeting of Kubrick and a too-trusting Arthur C. Clarke to the disastrous openingnight premiere and the film's rather quick rebirth as both a critical and popular hit. Everyone cherished their link to thisclassic -- well, not everyone, since there were a surprising number of casualties both professionally and health-wise -- andwho could blame them? How often do you get to be part of an adventure like this? I recommend the movie wholeheartedly
-- and if you feel nonplussed or bored or just bewildered, welcome to the club. If you become entranced -- like me and so
many others -- you should tackle this book. I've never read a Kubrick bio or other earlier tales about the making of the film,but on its own this certainly leaves no stone (or monolith) unturned. -- Michael Giltz
What Others Say
“At last! The dense, intense, detailed, and authoritative saga of the making of the greatest motion picture I’ve
ever seen, 2001: A Space Odyssey. I now have reason to see Kubrick’s ‘proverbial “really good” science fictionmovie’ another 200 times. Michael Benson has done the Cosmos a great service.” (Tom Hanks) "Over the years,so much has been written about 2001 and its creation that I thought we knew all that there was to know. Andthen, I received a copy of Michael Benson’s lively, exciting and exhaustively researched book, which further
expands our understanding of what is truly one of the greatest films ever made." (Martin Scorsese) “Michael
Benson’s Space Odyssey: Stanley Kubrick, Arthur C. Clarke and the Making of a Masterpiece is a masterpieceabout a masterpiece—a passionately written, impeccably researched book about a great director’s pushinghimself, his cast and crew beyond safety or sanity in a relentless quest for a non-verbal vision of thetranscendent future of both space and film itself.” (Scott Eyman, author of John Wayne: The Life and Legendand Hank and Jim: The Fifty-Year Friendship of Henry Fonda and James Stewart) “Despite the attention Bensonlavishes on the humans—Kubrick and Clarke—HAL-9000 would have been proud of this smart, fluent, andmeticulously researched account of the making of a sci-fi classic.” (Peter Biskind, author of Easy Riders, RagingBulls: How the Sex, Drugs, and Rock 'n' Roll Generation Saved Hollywood) “A fascinating, detail-rich account ofthe long slog to make the science-fiction masterpiece 2001: A Space Odyssey. . . . [An] endlessly interesting
narrative. Essential for students of film history, to say nothing of Kubrick's most successful movie.” (Kirkus
Reviews (starred review)) “If Kubrick’s masterpiece was a remarkable voyage into the future, Michael Benson’sbook is a delightful voyage back in time. For those of us inspired by the film, this book provides a delicious peekinto landmark collaboration of two creative geniuses and the lasting gift they provided for all of us.” (LawrenceM. Krauss, Foundation Professor in the School of Earth and Space Exploration, Director of the Origins Project atArizona State University, and author of The Physics of Star Trek, A Universe from Nothing, and The GreatestStory Ever Told.. So Far)
What You Say
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about us |faq|advertise |privacy policy |newsletter |contact us ©2018, BookBuddha LLc. All Rights Reserved.
Home
Top Picks: All Books
Space Odyssey
Space Odyssey
Stanley Kubrick, Arthur C. Clarke, and the Making of a
Masterpiece
by Michael Benson
Price: $30.00 (Hardcover)
Published: April 03, 2018
Rating: 0.0/ 5 (0 votes cast)
From the Publisher: Celebrating the fiftieth anniversary of the film’s
release, this is the definitive story of the making of 2001: A SpaceOdyssey , acclaimed today as one of the greatest films ever made,
including the inside account of how director Stanley Kubrick and writerArthur C. Clarke created this cinematic masterpiece. Regarded as amasterpiece today, 2001: A Space Odyssey received mixed reviews on its1968 release. Despite the success of Dr. Strangelove , director Stanley
Kubrick wasn’t yet recognized as a great filmmaker, and 2001 was
radically innovative, with little dialogue and no strong central character.Although some leading critics slammed the film as incomprehensible andself-indulgent, the public lined up to see it. 2001 ’s resounding commercial
success launched the genre of big-budget science fiction spectaculars.
Such directors as George Lucas, Steven Spielberg, Ridley Scott, and James
Cameron have acknowledged its profound influence. Author MichaelBenson explains how 2001 was made, telling the story primarily through
the two people most responsible for the film, Kubrick and science fictionlegend Arthur C. Clarke. Benson interviewed Clarke many times, and has
also spoken at length with Kubrick’s widow, Christiane; with visual effects
supervisor Doug Trumbull; with Dan Richter, who played 2001 ’s leading
man-ape; and many others. A colorful nonfiction narrative packed withmemorable characters and remarkable incidents, Space Odyssey provides a
360-degree view of this extraordinary work, tracking the film from Kubrick
and Clarke’s first meeting in New York in 1964 through its UK production
from 1965-1968, during which some of the most complex sets ever madewere merged with visual effects so innovative that they scarcely seemdated today. A concluding chapter examines the film’s legacy as it grew
into it current justifiably exalted status.
Rate This Book
Add To Wishlist
|Rate/Review Add To Bookshelf
Get This Book
Personalize / Add More ChoicesGo to your preferred retailer, click to choose a format and you' ll be taken directly to their site where
you can get this book.Share This Book
About The Author
Michael Benson
Michael Benson works at the intersection of
art and science. An artist, writer, and
filmmaker, he’s a Fellow of the NY Instituteof the Humanities and a past Visiting Scholarat the MIT Media Lab’s Center for Bits andAtoms. In addition to Space Odyssey he has
written such books as Cosmigraphics:Picturing Space Through Time , a finalist for
the Science and Technology award at the2015 Los Angeles Times “Festival of Books.”
Benson’s planetary landscape photography
exhibitions have been shown internationally.
He has contributed to many publicationsincluding The New Yorker , The New York
Times , The Washington Post , The Atlantic ,
Smithsonian , and Rolling Stone . Visit
Michael-Benson.net.
Release Info
List Price: $30.00 (Hardcover)
Published: April 03, 2018
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Pages: 320
ISBN 10: 1501163930
ISBN 13: 9781501163937
What We Say
Everyone knows about Stanley Kubrick's science fiction masterpiece "2001: A Space Odyssey." Even if you've never seen it,
you've seen clips from the film or at least parodies of the film -- just its name alone will start the stirring strains of "Also
Sprach Zarathrustra" ringing in your ears. It's a landmark film that still stuns with its special effects (all hail hand-craftedmodels over the purely digital!) and utterly confuses the literal-minded. As a kid, I had to read the novelization by ArthurC. Clarke to grasp what the hell was going on. We've caught up to the film's elliptical nature, so it may not be quite as
confounding today for a new viewer. If you haven't watched it yet, you must. And once you do, you may well become
obsessed. And if you do get obsessed, you might want to read Michael Benson's thorough coverage about the making of thisfilm. It's strictly for fans of Kubrick and/or the film itself -- all but ardent admirers will be bored during early passagesabout what was shot when and how and by whom. Benson speaks to many participants and creates good drama out of hismaterial, but it doesn't come quite to life on its own terms as a story. Yet if you care about filmmaking, you'll discover
fascinating information about the endless creativity on display, how a brilliant director can frustrate and inspire everyone
around him and the improvisation that is inherent in even the most meticulously planned production. Though Kubrick was asprepared and painstaking as possible, a film with no finished script is hardly one destined for a casual shoot. I was surprisedto hear how this director noted for his controlling image was hugely open to ideas, the way he thrust responsibility on
newbies with little to no track record and -- after all that -- how petty he could be about giving credit where credit was
due. It's all here (to a fault), from the first meeting of Kubrick and a too-trusting Arthur C. Clarke to the disastrous openingnight premiere and the film's rather quick rebirth as both a critical and popular hit. Everyone cherished their link to thisclassic -- well, not everyone, since there were a surprising number of casualties both professionally and health-wise -- andwho could blame them? How often do you get to be part of an adventure like this? I recommend the movie wholeheartedly
-- and if you feel nonplussed or bored or just bewildered, welcome to the club. If you become entranced -- like me and so
many others -- you should tackle this book. I've never read a Kubrick bio or other earlier tales about the making of the film,but on its own this certainly leaves no stone (or monolith) unturned. -- Michael Giltz
What Others Say
“At last! The dense, intense, detailed, and authoritative saga of the making of the greatest motion picture I’ve
ever seen, 2001: A Space Odyssey. I now have reason to see Kubrick’s ‘proverbial “really good” science fictionmovie’ another 200 times. Michael Benson has done the Cosmos a great service.” (Tom Hanks) "Over the years,so much has been written about 2001 and its creation that I thought we knew all that there was to know. Andthen, I received a copy of Michael Benson’s lively, exciting and exhaustively researched book, which further
expands our understanding of what is truly one of the greatest films ever made." (Martin Scorsese) “Michael
Benson’s Space Odyssey: Stanley Kubrick, Arthur C. Clarke and the Making of a Masterpiece is a masterpieceabout a masterpiece—a passionately written, impeccably researched book about a great director’s pushinghimself, his cast and crew beyond safety or sanity in a relentless quest for a non-verbal vision of thetranscendent future of both space and film itself.” (Scott Eyman, author of John Wayne: The Life and Legendand Hank and Jim: The Fifty-Year Friendship of Henry Fonda and James Stewart) “Despite the attention Bensonlavishes on the humans—Kubrick and Clarke—HAL-9000 would have been proud of this smart, fluent, andmeticulously researched account of the making of a sci-fi classic.” (Peter Biskind, author of Easy Riders, RagingBulls: How the Sex, Drugs, and Rock 'n' Roll Generation Saved Hollywood) “A fascinating, detail-rich account ofthe long slog to make the science-fiction masterpiece 2001: A Space Odyssey. . . . [An] endlessly interesting
narrative. Essential for students of film history, to say nothing of Kubrick's most successful movie.” (Kirkus
Reviews (starred review)) “If Kubrick’s masterpiece was a remarkable voyage into the future, Michael Benson’sbook is a delightful voyage back in time. For those of us inspired by the film, this book provides a delicious peekinto landmark collaboration of two creative geniuses and the lasting gift they provided for all of us.” (LawrenceM. Krauss, Foundation Professor in the School of Earth and Space Exploration, Director of the Origins Project atArizona State University, and author of The Physics of Star Trek, A Universe from Nothing, and The GreatestStory Ever Told.. So Far)
What You Say
Filter by
No Reviews Found .....
about us |faq|advertise |privacy policy |newsletter |contact us ©2018, BookBuddha LLc. All Rights Reserved.