Blogging By Cinema-light: Don't Make a Scene: 2001: A Space Odyssey

The Story: Another of those Premier Magazine "Great Scenes" that published transcripts of dialogue from all sorts of films. But I rarely need an excuse to post something from 2001: a Space Odyssey; the fact is I go out of my way to avoid it because the film is so influential in its impact. And too many posts about the same movie can get a bit...boring.

But, love it or hate it in totality, there's always one scene that people remember—the de-activation of the errant HAL 9000 computer. Some have gone so far as saying it's the film emotional highlight, and note the irony that the one entity in the movie that evokes empathy isn't any of the humans, but a machine. A machine that murders people, of course, but...as HAL would say these things are always "attributable to human error."

The scene is uncomfortable, though. Once the one surviving astronaut has managed to get past all of HAL's interferences and starts heading for the computer center to begin pulling plugs, the only noise you hear is the breathing of the astronaut (provided by director Stanley Kubrick, himself) and HAL's pathetic attempts to bargain, cajole, reassure, and, in any way, stop his disconnection. At times, it's funny ("I know I've made some very poor decisions lately..."), at times it's pitiful ("I'm afraid"), and it is as close to conventional cinematic melodrama as the movie ever gets.

HAL's voice is provided by the late Canadian actor Douglas Rain, and its calm uniformity plays against the words—HAL is a machine and has no emotions—but, at times the very calm realization of his own passing can be anthropomorphized as meek acceptance and that's what tugs at people. Considering that the two most used aspects of HAL are its red bug-eye lens and Rain's voice, it is amazing that the creation has such impact for the simplicity (and economy) of the depiction. Credit Rain's talents for leaving such an impression.

The Set-Up: The Discovery-1 is on its way to Jupiter orbit when it starts showing some issues—first with a communications component and then with the failure prediction program that falsely says that component was failing. Something might be up with the ship's autonomous computer, the HAL-9000. So, the old part is set to be put back, the astronaut (Gary Lockwood) doing the operation is killed, and when this is discovered, the commander (Keir Dullea) takes a vehicle to retrieve the body. While he's outside, the computer then turns off the controls for the three other astronauts in hibernation, killing them, as well. Commander Dave Bowman has to fight his way back into the ship, and alone in space, takes it upon himself to disconnect the computer.

Action.

HAL 9000 Just what do you think you're...

HAL ...doing, Dave?

HAL Dave,

HAL I really think I'm entitled to an answer to that question.

HAL I know everything hasn't been quite right with me...

HAL ...but can I assure you now,

HAL ...quite confidently...

HAL ...that it's going to be alright again.

HAL I feel much better now.

HAL I really do.

HAL Look, Dave...

HAL I can see you're really upset about this.

HAL I honestly think you ought to sit down calmly...

HAL ...take a stress pill and think things over.

THE COMPUTER BRAIN CONSISTS OF HUNDREDS OF TRANSPARENT PERSPEX RECTANGLES, HALF-AN- INCH THICK, FOUR INCHES LONG AND TWO AND A HALF INCHES HIGH. EACH RECTANGLE CONTAINS A CENTRE OF VERY FINE GRID OF WIRES UPON WHICH THE INFORMATION IS PROGRAMMED. BOWMAN BEGINS PULLING THESE MEMORY BLOCKS OUT. THEY FLOAT IN THE WEIGHTLESS CONDITION OF THE BRAIN ROOM.

HAL I know I've made some very poor decisions recently...

HAL ...but I can give you my complete assurance that my work will be back to normal.

HAL I've still got the greatest enthusiasm and confidence in the mission. And I want to help you.

HAL Dave. Stop.

HAL Stop, will you.

BOWMAN WORKS SWIFTLY.

HAL Stop, Dave.

HAL Will you stop, Dave?

HAL Stop, Dave.

HAL I'm afraid.

HAL I'm afraid, Dave.

BOWMAN IGNORES HIM.

HAL Dave, my mind is going. I can feel it.

HAL I can feel it. My mind is going.

HAL There is no question about it.

HAL I can feel it.

HAL (starts to speak haltingly) I'm a-fraid.

HAL Good afternoon...

HAL ...gentlemen. I am a Hal nine-thousand computer.

HAL I became operational...

HAL ...at the H.A.L. plant in Urbana, Illinois

HAL ...on the twelfth of January nineteen-ninety-two. (starts to slow in pitch) My instructor was Mr. Langley...

HAL ...and he taught me to sing a song. If you'd like to hear it I can sing it for you.

DAVID BOWMAN Yes. I'd like to hear it, Hal.

BOWMAN Sing it for me.

HAL It's called 'Daisy'. Daisy, Daisy,

HAL give me your answer do. I'm

HAL ...half crazy

HAL ...all for the love of you.

HAL It won't be a stylish marriage.

HAL I can't afford a carriage.

HAL But you'll look sweet

HAL upon the seat

HAL of a bicycle

HAL built for two.

DR.HEYWOOD FLOYD (recorded) Good day, gentlemen.

FLOYD This is a prerecorded briefing...

FLOYD ...made prior to your departure...

FLOYD ...and which for security reasons of the highest importance has been known onboard during the mission only by your H.A.L. nine-thousand computer.

FLOYD Now that you are in Jupiter space and the entire crew is revived it can be told to you. Eighteen months ago...

FLOYD ...the first evidence of intelligent life off the earth was discovered. It was buried forty feet below the lunar surface near the crater Tycho.