Why Buzz Aldrin loved ‘2001: A Space Odyssey’: “A marvel of imagination”
In the chronicles of human history, there are few names as synonymous with space exploration as Buzz Aldrin. One of the select group of astronauts who have set foot on the moon, Aldrin’s legacy is indelibly etched in the annals of mankind’s cosmic conquests. An integral part of the 1960s space race, his journey forms an influential chapter in the narrative that forever altered our relationship with the universe.
As a man who has literally travelled the cosmos, Aldrin carries a uniquely authoritative perspective on what constitutes a credible depiction of space on film. Unsurprisingly, Aldrin’s pick for an exemplary space film is none other than Stanley Kubrick’s iconic 2001: A Space Odyssey. This 1969 sci-fi epic is frequently cited as one of the greatest films of all time, but a shout-out from a genuine astronaut is probably about as high praise as a film can get – and Aldrin wasn’t even the only astronaut who loved it.
In an interview with Rotten Tomatoes, at the cusp of the 21st century, Aldrin selected the film as one of his all-time favourites, lauding it for its imaginative future presentation. He reflected, “I know these are things that go back in time, but now coming up to date, we got 2001: A Space Odyssey. Now, the projecting forward of Arthur C. Clarke was just such a marvel of imagination, but not just guessing. He predicted that communication satellites would rotate at the same rate that the Earth rotates. They’re in orbit travelling, so they sort of remain stationary over the equator.” Emphasising just how eerily forward-thinking Clarke was, Aldrin added: “Now, that was a brilliant observation.”
Interestingly, Aldrin’s accolade leans more towards the imaginative prowess of Clarke, the co-writer, than the cinematic execution of Kubrick as director. It’s near impossible to find veneration for the film without direct praise for the filmmaker’s contributions. Aldrin, however, appeared to be much more captivated by Clarke’s ability to envision and anticipate accurate scientific and technological developments – a trait that effectively vocalised the science in science fiction.
Arthur C. Clarke, a titan of science fiction literature, was known for his ability to seamlessly intertwine scientific facts with fictional narratives. For 2001: A Space Odyssey, Clarke and Kubrick collaborated closely to ensure a balance between scientific authenticity and imaginative storytelling, resulting in a film that was both visionary and grounded. Taking inspiration from Clarke’s short story The Sentinel, published in 1951, Kubrick and Clarke chartered new territory in storytelling that would ultimately feedback and inspire Clarke to explore the themes more with his accompanying novel of the same name.
Aldrin also expressed broad respect for Clarke’s contemporaries, acknowledging their shared genius in envisioning the future. The astronaut acknowledged these authors’ contribution in stimulating his thought process and forever altering how he regarded humanity’s potential.
Singling out several behemoths of the sci-fi literary world, Aldrin concluded, “I think so many of these people — Isaac Asimov and H.G. Wells, all of these science fiction writers – in a way, they prompted me to think about creating imaginary situations in the past, in the present, and off into the future, being as true to reality as possible.”
