In the scene where Dave has passed through the gateway, there are quick blips of him staring in absolute terror that seems as he has passed the edge of reason and into the realm of complete lunacy. Why didn’t he just keep his eyes closed? He could of learned a lesson from Dr. Jones, methinks.
'Cause Dave’s a scientist. Why do something and not look at it? Richard P. Feynman at least glimpsed at the Trinity Test, everyone else hid. If Feynman hadn’t looked, we’d have no description.
True story: When I was a kid, I went through the haunted house ride in Playland at Rye, NY. For some reason, I shut my eyes the entire time. No idea what – I guess I didn’t want to be scared? Anyway, there was a nude mannikin who flashes the car. I’m guessing the ride was manufactured in Europe, which is a bit more mellow in that regard. When I became a pre-teen, and the news said they put a bikini on her, and my mind screamed “Gypped!” When no one has cheated me, except myself.
The transit wasn’t just a physical transit through a wormhole; Dave Bowman underwent a transformation from hairless primate to the Star-Child, which was (if you accept the continuity of the later stories) able to transcend the normal boundaries of space and time, merge with the now-disembodied HAL-9000 as Halman, et cetera. The unseen overlords that placed the monoliths on Earth, Luna, and in orbit around Jupiter (Saturn in the first novel) artificially modified Bowman as part of their effort to advance the evolution of Earth primates to some unknown end. Bowman didn’t have any choice; the expansion of his consciousness to some new plane of cognition was going to be stressing.
BTW, 2001: A Space Odyssey and Tarkovsky’s Solyaris are probably the most realistic depictions of interactions with an advanced alien species, i.e. boring and incomprehensible rather than just talking to a bumpy-headed humanoid with anger issues.
Stranger
Because-
[Big echoing voice]Space Mad … ness[/Big echoing voice].
After all, how long did Dave spend alone on the spaceship after all the others died and he shut down HAL? Almost 4 months according to a time line I found. Plenty of time to go crazy on ones own. Just look what happened to HAL and he had 2 humans to talk to.
The monoliths themselves also play with minds. After all, it gave Moon-Watcher the idea to hit things. With Dave the only mind anywhere near Jupiter, perhaps his brain was being prepped even before he entered the star gate.
You see, this is what happens if you watch the movie and don’t read the book. Especially if the movie is 2001 and the book you should have read is the novelization for the movie 2010.
The Discovery was way under construction and it’s mission was far into its planning when the monolith was found on the Moon. When they found there was a monolithic type object orbiting Jupiter (it was Saturn for 2001, but Jupiter for 2010, IIRC), the mission was quickly replanned and launched.
HAL and it’s AI was deeply programmed to provide information to the crew. This had been going on for several years. During the quick replanning, HAL was reprogrammed to keep some information secret. That’s why the troubles first began with HAL screwing with the hardware that aimed the antenna at Earth. It’s easier to keep secrets if it’s impossible to reveal them. Anyway, it was determined in 2010 that was why HAL went bonkers in 2001.
The film is really an existential horror film about humanity’s tools ‘evolving’ to become a threat to humanity itself. This is foreshadowed earlier in the film when the film transitions from tossed bone to an orbiting weapon platform. HAL-9000, smarter and more capable than any human in intellectual capability, is the next step in cognitive capability, but HAL lacks ability to reproduce or otherwise propagate; hence the merger with the transformed Dave Bowman to produce the future evolution of humanity.
Stranger
2010 is not a novelization, it is a sequel to the book/movie 2001 and came out long before the movie.
As for why Dave’s eyes are open, what is happening to him is far beyond the visual. Plus, wouldn’t you want to see what was out there? I would. And he certainly does not understand what is happening, not until he is on his deathbed and points to the monolith just before his transformation.
I have seen 2001 maybe 12 times. Many times on the big screen. Have read the books. But I have never heard a better explanation of what happened than what was given by Stranger and Voyager. I now understand even more. Thanks troopers!
I love that flick!
I haven’t read the latter but did see the movie. I was aware of the keeping a secret aspect. But that doesn’t mean that being in space and all that didn’t significantly play a role in what happened later. HAL had been keeping the secret for a while. Something pushed him (?) over the edge.